PNC Park
Pittsburgh, PA
Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Affiliation: Themselves
Capacity: 38,365
Completed: 2001

I must admit that I never intended to feature a major league park on this site.  After all, my purpose in starting Small-Parks was to record my visits to minor league ballparks.  But, this one was so special (not to mention relatively small in comparison to the rest of the majors), I decided to include it.  

PNC Park takes the best features of the new "retro" style of parks and improves on them.  It is the first of the new era parks to go back to a double deck design, ala Wrigley Field.  It's got all of the quirky outfield dimensions, including a little notch in center field.  And, ballparks around the country, both major and minor, have shown that the view can be particularly important.  But, my oh my, what a view they have here.  The view of the city across the river is, in my book, the best view in the majors.  The skyline is spectacular, there is a huge yellow bridge spanning the river, and the occasional boats, including giant riverboats.  If you like unique ballpark views, you've got to get to this place.  

But this park is much more than a slightly improved copy of other new parks.  Several innovations give it a distinctive quality.  The luxury boxes are not prominent at all, as they are tucked subtly under the second deck.  Beyond the left field wall stands a giant spiral walking ramp (see first picture below), which serves as much more than a way to access the upper deck; fans are actually allowed to stand and watch the game from the ramp, giving them an excellent perspective.  This, combined with the open lower concourse and the various areas in the outfield, provide as much standing and walking space as I've ever seen in a stadium.  Speaking of walking, the bridge I mentioned earlier is closed to vehicular traffic on game days, thus becoming a giant pedestrian thoroughfare.  Parking downtown and walking across the bridge to the game adds to the atmosphere of going to a game.   Other unique aspects include an Outback Steakhouse beyond the left field bleachers at which customers can pay about $45 to receive a good meal, PLUS a window seat of the game.  One of the more unique touches, however, is on the outside of the park.  In the past decade, just about every new park has featured a red brick facade.  I like red brick, but I must admit that it gets a little old after you've seen it on your umpteenth park.  However, the designers of PNC Park chose a different route: limestone.  It's a great touch.  

After three decades of the wretched concrete donut (with Astroturf filling!) known as Three Rivers Stadium, anything with a grass field and an open side would have been a vast improvement.  But, fans in Pittsburgh are getting much more than that; they're getting the cream of the crop.  And, they're turning out in droves as a response, with average attendance at around 30,000.  If you get a chance, you should try to be one of them, because this place is special.