Safeco Field
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| Safeco Field | |
|---|---|
| Safeco, The Safe | |
 |
|
| Location | 1516 First Avenue S. Seattle, Washington 98134 |
| Broke ground | March 8, 1997 |
| Opened | July 15, 1999 |
| Owner | Washington-King County Stadium Authority |
| Surface | Kentucky Bluegrass/Perennial Ryegrass blend |
| Construction cost | $517.6 million |
| Architect | NBBJ 360 Architecture |
| Tenants | Seattle Mariners (MLB) (1999-present) Seattle Bowl (NCAA) (2001) |
| Capacity | 47,116/54,097 |
| Field dimensions | Left Field - 331 ft / 101 m Left-Center - 390 ft / 119 m Center Field - 405 ft / 123 m Right-Center - 386 ft / 118 m Right Field - 326 ft / 99 m |
Safeco Field, sometimes referred to as Safeco, is a retractable roof baseball stadium located in Seattle, Washington, USA. It is the home stadium of the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball club, seating 47,116 for baseball.
Safeco Field is located in the SoDo district of downtown Seattle, bounded by First Avenue S. to the west, and Edgar Martínez Drive S. (formerly S. Atlantic Street[1]) to the south, S. Royal Brougham Way to the north, and BNSF railroad tracks to the east.
Major non-baseball events that have been held at Safeco Field include the 2001 college football Seattle Bowl and WWE WrestleMania XIX, which set Safeco Field's attendance record of 54,097 in 2003.
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[edit] History
On March 30, 1994, King County executive Gary Locke appointed a task force to assess the need for a new baseball stadium to replace the rapidly-deteriorating Kingdome. Many feared that the Mariners would leave Seattle if a new stadium was not built. In January 1995, the 28-member task force recommended to the King County Council that the public should be involved in the financing of the stadium. The task force concluded that a sales tax increase of .01% would be sufficient to fund the stadium. King County held a special election in September 1995, asking the public for this sales tax increase. The measure was narrowly defeated.
A special session of the Washington State legislature was called, and on October 14, a new revenue package was authorized. The stadium would be funded by a credit against the state sales tax, Washington's Lottery funds, a .5% restaurant and bar tax, special license plates, and stadium admissions tax. The next week, the King County Council voted to approve this measure and created the Public Facilities District, which would own the stadium and oversee its construction.
On September 9, 1996, the site was selected for the new stadium, just south of the Kingdome. In late fall, several members of the King County Council wrote a letter to the Seattle Mariners, stating that they did not believe that public money should fund this project. In response, the Seattle Mariners held a news conference stating that they would either sell the team, or move the team from Seattle. After a public outcry, the King County Council voted to reaffirm their cooperation with the Mariners in building a new stadium.
Construction officially began on March 8, 1997 with a groundbreaking ceremony featuring then-Mariners star Ken Griffey, Jr. The naming rights to the stadium were sold to the Seattle-based insurance company Safeco. Construction continued until July 1999. The first game was played on July 15, 1999 against the San Diego Padres. The Padres won 3-2.
When Ken Griffey, Jr., returned to Safeco in 2007 with the Cincinnati Reds, he came to a hero's welcome, receiving gifts from the Mariners organization, and fellow former players Jay Buhner and Edgar Martínez. They unveiled a new poster that declared Safeco Field "The House That Griffey Built." The series was also noteworthy for the beginning of the Rally Fries tradition at Mariners games.
[edit] Features
Like most ballparks built from the 1990s onward, Safeco Field is a "retro-modern" style ballpark that incorporates many of the features of ballparks built in the 1950s and earlier with modern amenities. In contrast with the Kingdome and the other multi-purpose stadiums built primarily during the 1960s and 1970s, Safeco features brick façades, asymmetrical field dimensions, a natural grass field, spectator sightlines more suited for baseball, and is surrounded by city streets and/or buildings. On a modern note, the ballpark features a retractable roof, luxury suites, extensive food and beverage selection beyond traditional ballpark fare, modern clubhouse amenities for players, technology that allows spectators to order food delivered to their seat from their cell phone or Nintendo DS, and is fully ADA-accessible.
[edit] Layout
The stadium has four main gates open to all ticket holders during Mariners games, located at the southwest, northwest, northeast, and southeast corners. These are identified as Home Plate, Left Field, Center Field, and Right Field, respectively. Special entrances for media and holders of certain ticket levels are located on the southwest and south sides of the stadium.
There are five main levels to the stadium: Field (or Street), Main Concourse (100 level), Club Level (200 level), Suite Level, and Upper Concourse (300 level). As the field is approximately at street level, entry into any of the main gates requires visitors to ascend a flight of stairs, escalator, or elevator to access the main concourse, with the exception of Right Field, which opens onto the main concourse. Stairs, escalators, elevators, and ramps located around the ballpark provide access to all levels.
[edit] Food service
Safeco Field has an extensive food and beverage selection above and beyond the traditional ballpark fare of hot dogs, pizza, soda, and beer. Concession stands selling traditional ballpark fare are plentiful on the main and upper concourses. Food courts behind home plate on the main concourse, as well as in the Bullpen Market located on the street level inside the Center Field gate, sell items such as sushi (including the "Ichiroll"), burritos, teriyaki, and barbecue. An extensive selection of beer can also be found in those locations, as well as a location on the upper concourse.
Several restaurants and food services are available exclusively for fans purchasing certain ticket levels.
- The Diamond Club is located on the field level behind home plate. Diamond Club seats are located in the first eight rows behind home plate; holders of these seats are entitled to VIP parking in the Safeco Field garage, a private entry to the ballpark on the field level, and access to the Diamond Club Lounge with buffet and bar. The lounge is decorated with Babe Ruth memorabilia. Diamond Club seats are only sold on a full-season basis.
- 70 group and individual suites occupy an entire level of the ballpark. Open only to holders of suite level tickets, each suite features a private wait staff and concierge service. Holders of suite level tickets are also entitled to a private entry to the ballpark. Suite level tickets are available on a full-season, partial season, or individual game basis.
- The Wells Fargo Terrace Club occupies another entire level of the ballpark. Open only to holders of Terrace Club seats and certain other ticket levels, the club features two lounges and wait service to each seat. As with suite level tickets, holders of Terrace Club seats are also entitled to a private entry to the ballpark. Terrace Club seats are also available on full-season, partial season, or individual game basis.
- The Hit it Here Café is located in right field, on the same level as the Terrace Club. Open to all visitors before game time on a first-come, first-served basis (though season ticket holders may make reservations), the café is only open to holders of tickets in the café during games. Hit it Here Café tickets are only sold on an individual game basis.
[edit] Retractable roof
Safeco Field has a unique retractable roof that only acts as an "umbrella" for the stands and field rather than forming a complete climate-controlled enclosure, as is the case with all other retractable roofs in MLB. Seattle's relatively mild climate means the park rarely needs to be heated or cooled, but the high precipitation necessitated a roof. The only other covered baseball stadium in the world with permanent openings is the fixed-roof Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan, home of the Seibu Lions.
In the open position, the roof rests over the BNSF Railway tracks that bound the stadium to the east, with part of it hanging over the stands in right field. This has the effect of echoing the horns from passing trains into the stadium, a frequent occurrence with an at-grade railroad crossing at the northeast corner of the stadium and a working passenger train station and rail yards nearby.
The roof consists of three major sections that extend into the closed position in a telescoping manner, with the two outer sections resting under the larger center section. Depending on wind and weather conditions, the roof takes approximately 10 minutes to move from the fully open to the fully closed position, and vice-versa. Due to the lack of noise during roof movement, it is the only retractable roof in Major League Baseball where the stadium's ground rules specifically permit movement during gameplay with the umpires' and participating clubs' consent. Safeco Field is also the only retractable roof stadium where the ground rules specifically permit opening of the roof after the game has started.
[edit] Art in the Park
Safeco Field and its adjoining parking garage feature extensive public art displays, including:
- Chandelier made of 1,000 resin baseball bats
- "Quilts" depicting each MLB team logo, made from recycled metal including license plates from the respective teams' states.
- Stainless steel cutouts of players in various poses while catching, batting, fielding, and pitching, integrated into the fences at the stadium's four main gates.
- Sculptures depicting hands gripping baseballs for various types of pitches.
- Nine-foot tall bronze baseball glove that has become an icon for Safeco Field.
- Mural depicting Edgar Martinez' famed "The Double".
[edit] Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest
The Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest pays homage to now-defunct professional baseball teams that played in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia before the establishment of the Mariners in 1977. Additionally, it features hands-on displays explaining the composition of baseballs and bats, and the different types of gloves, as well as a simulated outfield fence and crowd with baseball gloves, where fans can photograph themselves pretending to be outfielders.
[edit] Mariners Hall of Fame
Co-located with the Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest, the Mariners Hall of Fame features bronze busts of the inducted members with plaques describing their contributions to the franchise, as well as murals and television screens showing highlights of their careers with the Mariners.
[edit] Other Features
It is one of the few Major League ballparks to feature a manually operated scoreboard, particularly among new ballparks.
The stadium adjoins a working railroad yard which can be seen from the balcony behind the center field seats. Trains traveling through the yard sound their horns, which can be heard in the stadium and during broadcasts. Before the 2001 All-Star game Major League Baseball requested that trains traveling through the yard during the game not sound their horns; the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway refused, citing safety concerns and Federal regulations. Safeco Field also gives tours inside and outside the stadium for a small fee.
[edit] Notable baseball events at Safeco Field
[edit] Major League
- Safeco Field has hosted playoff games in two seasons: 2000, when the Mariners won the American League wild card; and again in 2001, when they won the American League West. In 2000, the Mariners defeated the Chicago White Sox in the American League Division Series 3-0, but were defeated by the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series, 4-2. The following year, the Mariners defeated the Cleveland Indians 3-2 in the ALDS, but were again defeated by the Yankees in the ALCS, 4-1. The World Series has never been played at Safeco.
- Safeco Field also hosted the 2001 MLB All-Star Game. The American League defeated the National League, 4-1. Cal Ripken, Jr. of the AL's Baltimore Orioles was the game's MVP. A bronze plaque in the visitor's bullpen now marks the location where Ripken hit the final All-Star Game home run of his Hall of Fame career.
- On October 1, 2004, Ichiro Suzuki accomplished his 258th hit of the season at Safeco, breaking the 84-year-old single season hit record of 257 previously held by George Sisler. Sisler, who died in 1973 (the same year Suzuki was born), was represented at the game by his daughter. Ichiro would go on to finish the season with 262 hits.
[edit] Collegiate
- On May 4, 2007, an NCAA Pacific-10 Conference baseball attendance record was set at Safeco Field (later broken)[1], when the Washington Huskies hosted defending national champion Oregon State in front of 10,421 spectators.[2] Washington won the game 6-2.
[edit] Gallery
 A view of Qwest Field, Safeco Field, and Mount Rainier from the top of the Space Needle. |
 Safeco Field's main entrance. |
 A view of the left field entrance and the retractable roof. |
 Left Field Entrance. |
 A view of the southern stands. |
 Safeco Field during a Mariners game. |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Preceded by The Kingdome |
Home of the Seattle Mariners 1999 – present |
Succeeded by Current |
| Preceded by Turner Field |
Host of the All-Star Game 2001 |
Succeeded by Miller Park |
| Preceded by SkyDome |
Host of WrestleMania XIX 2003 |
Succeeded by Madison Square Garden |
