Welcome to Coors Field
Review by David Martin, Stadium Journey Correspondent
Coors Field is a dream come true for baseball fans in the Rocky Mountain region. Denver is a city that was thought of and passed by for a baseball team for years, but was finally rewarded in 1993 with the Colorado Rockies. After two years of playing at the home of the Broncos, Mile High Stadium, the Rockies opened their own park in Lower Downtown Denver (known as LoDo). When it was announced where the city was planning on building a ballpark, many people were baffled. LoDo was known for gang activity, poverty and empty rundown warehouses. Many people questioned whether it would be safe to attend a night game. After 15 seasons of baseball at 20th & Blake all of the doubters have been proven wrong. The stadium infused life into the rundown area of Denver. Where there once were abandon buildings, there are now restaurants, bars, and converted lofts. LoDo proudly boasts some of the most expensive property in Denver.
A game at Coors Field is a “can’t miss” for a good time. Approaching the front of Coors Field a baseball fan is greeted by the beautiful red brick that form the outer walls of the stadium. With a lovely clock tower as the focal point, Coors boasts an “old-school” feel. However, the feeling inside the gates is anything but “old school.” The hallways of Coors Field are wide open. They are easy to maneuver through, rarely will a fan get stuck in the gridlock that commonly occurs at many baseball stadiums. Fans will quickly notice how clean the park is. Trash cans are always close by and the stadium crew keeps the park in great shape.
After navigating through the park to the seats, a fan will quickly discover that there are no bad seats to be found. For just $4 a fan can buy a seat in the “Rockpile.” These seats are in straight away center field, above the batter’s eye. These seats are adequate to watch the game from, but also provide an excellent view of the Denver skyscrapers behind the main gates to the park. Coors Field was the first park to face every seat in the park to face the infield, making it easier for fans down the line to enjoy watching the game without having to wake up the next morning with a sore neck. With a comfortable atmosphere on a classic Rocky Mountain summer night, a baseball fan could not leave Coors Field without having a good time.
FANFARE Score: 30
Food & Beverage: 5
One of the great aspects of Coors Field is the Food & Drink. With access to every section in the park, a fan can choose from a Rockie Dog, a footlong dog with sour kraut, onions and peppers. If something less common is desired, fans can get a Denver Cheese steak, which is very filling and quite good. In addition to that is boneless buffalo wings, a sandwich deli, or, for those who dare, Rocky Mountain Oysters. The stadium of course offers Coors products, as the place where Blue Moon was born it flows freely, but in recent years the stadium actually offers Budweiser products and has two stands in the stadium called “Beers of the World” where a fan can enjoy seven different beers from all parts of the globe.
Atmosphere: 4
Not a ton of history at Coors Field. The stadium has hosted one World Series, and in 2009 will be hosting just its third playoffs. Besides that, however, Coors Field offers and amazing place to watch a baseball game. With mountain views in the right field seats, to the native trees beyond the center field wall, Coors Field offers a great place to watch a game. Despite the lack of history, the park does not lose the traditional baseball feel.
Inside Coors Field
The right field wall doubles as an out of town scoreboard, which is not electronic, but run manually. It keeps track of the pitchers in the game to go along with the score and inning. The back wall behind the bullpens have five advertisements that are painted onto the brick wall, helping out with the traditional feel of the park.
Neighborhood: 5
It doesn’t get better than than LoDo. There are tons of bars and restaurants all around the park. Many restaurants double as microbreweries, brewing their own specialty beers. There are upscale lofts that have moved into the formerly abandoned buildings, keeping the feel of the old warehouses, but injecting life into the neighborhood. After the park was built, LoDo became one of the most coveted places to own an apartment.
Fans: 3
Despite owning nearly every record for attendance, Rockies fans are the epitome of bandwagon. When the Rockies are playing well, people show up, when they are not doing well, forget about it. The same fans who wear a Rockies jersey one weekend will show up the following week wearing a different teams jersey the following weekend. Denver is a melting pot for people from all over the country, and those transplants remain loyal to their former town’s teams. Go to a Cubs, Cardinals, Dodgers, or Mets game and half of the crowd will be cheering for the other team. With the Rockies recent success that has changed somewhat, but is still prominent. Wearing another teams jersey does not come with any ramifications. Most fans in Denver go to a game not cheer for the Rockies, but to enjoy a summer night with their friends. In Denver, the Broncos come first, everything else is just a benefit.
Access: 4
Coors Field is easy to access. The team has parking for $10, but it is much easier to park in the abundance of private parking areas around the stadium. The most expensive lots are $20 and are literally across the street from the stadium. Because the parking is so spread out around the stadium, postgame traffic is not bad at all. Also, the light rail is a great alternative to downtown driving. Running from downtown to the south end of Denver, it is easy to park in the free lots and hop on the train for a nominal fee. The light rail drops off at Union Station, a short walk from Coors Field. There are an abundance of bathrooms, making for short wait times, if there is a wait at all.
Return on Investment: 5
The Rockies owners are highly criticized for not going after big name free agents, yet people forget that the Rockies have become contenders and are the 26th most expensive place to watch a game. The best seats in the house cost just over $40. That puts you right behind the dugout. If being right in the action is no big deal, thousands of tickets can be had for under $10. The fact is, even after buying a beer and a hot dog, going to a baseball game will be no more expensive than any other night out on the town.
Etc: 4
Coors Field is a great place to watch a game and because it sits one mile above sea level, games have a tendency to be high scoring. This provides entertainment for everyone. Only good baseball fans can appreciate a 1-0 game, but a 10-9 game is exciting for everyone involved. Coors Field provides a great place to have fun with friends or watch a good baseball team play.
Bars & Restaurants
For a pregame meal or beer, there are several choices around Coors Field that a fan does not want to miss out on. Rated by 5280 Magazine as the best Sports Bar in Denver, the Blake Street Tavern is a phenomenal place to tailgate before games. Located at 2401 Blake Street, this bar is just two blocks north of Coors Field.
Blake Street Tavern
There are plenty of beers to choose from at Blake Street Tavern, but do not miss out on trying Denver’s own Flying Dog Award Winning Craft Ales.
They have seven of these beers on tap, with one being just $3.50 each day. If beer is not the only thing on the agenda, BST offers more than just the average bar food. Try the nachos…but not if you are alone. This plate is more than one, or even two people could eat themselves. They are full of cheese, salsa, jalapenos, sour cream and tomatoes that make them the perfect pregame meal.
Another hot spot to not miss out on is the Sports Column. This bar is the “official bar of the Rockies” and is located literally steps from the main gates at Coors Field, at 1930 Blake St. This bar was rated by Sports Illustrated as top 20 sports bars in America. With over 20 televisions, if there is a game on, the Sports Column is watching it. Don’t miss out on the pulled pork sliders. This is more than just bar food. This will make you want to come back for more. This is a hot spot after the game due to the fact that they offer $2 draft and well drinks from 10 pm until close. You name the beer and they most likely have it at the Sports Column.
Sports Column
