All-Star atmosphere lights up AutoZone

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PCL1 Pacific Coast League

All-Star atmosphere lights up AutoZone

by Ryan McGhee
July 9, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)


For most ballparks, hosting an all-star game is an honor. For the baseball palace that is AutoZone Park, it's more of a rite of passage.

The three-year-old park in downtown Memphis will host the Triple-A All-Star Game on July 15 and will finally get its chance to shine under nationally televised lights. With ESPN in town for AZP's big event, a few more people outside the city of Memphis will come to recognize the ballpark as the best below the Major Leagues.

On the outside, AZP looks similar to most of the "new old" ballparks that have been built in Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, and Norfolk. However, what's on the inside of the park separates it from the others. And its what's on the inside that gave it a price tag even Dr. Evil would admire - $80 million.

After being handed what might as well have been a blank check, the people in Memphis went to work designing a major-league park for the minor leagues. Major-league-quality locker rooms and training facilities will greet the best in Triple-A baseball when they arrive for their Mini-Mid-Summer Classic. The game itself will be illuminated with 250 foot-candles of light, about twice the required foot-candles for Triple-A.

The press gets a state-of-the-art box that can convert to open-air. Large, sliding glass panes can be moved to the side, giving the scribes an unaltered view of the game.

More than the players or media, the fans get the most pampering at AZP. The park includes two features that all good ballparks have: the ability to walk around the entire park and the ability to see the game from the concession stands. That and a 13-story scoreboard with the minor league's largest video board are for the people who want to pay attention to the game.

For the people who don't care about baseball, there's still plenty to do inside AZP. A midway with carnival games sits behind the left field stands. The midway connects to the Plaza, a city park that stays open throughout the year. The suite levels are so plush that they feature a concierge on the entry level for the above suite and press levels. Bars, televisions and free Internet access are among the features found before even entering a suite, which is decked out with comfy chairs, couches and more televisions.

If the Redbirds had forgotten to add a ball field to their new home, some may not have noticed. But the people who come to AZP to see a baseball game will still go home happy. The seats are comfortable, close to the field, and feature an excellent view of downtown.

The residents of Memphis were only forced to put up 10 percent of the $80 million cost of the ballpark. The baseball palace that was built for them by the Memphis Redbirds stands as a testament not only to what minor league baseball was meant to be, but also to what you can do with a blank check. AutoZone has earned the right to host the All-Star game because it is an all-star park.

The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central.

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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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