Ballpark Profile: Minute Maid Park
Name: Minute Maid Park
Location: Houston, Texas
Opened: 7 April 2000
Architect: HOK Sport
Cost: $250 Million
Capacity: 40,950 (original)
41,168 (present)
Surface: Platinum TE Paspalum (natural grass)
Minute Maid Park -- like several of the other parks we've profiled -- was once our home ballpark.
Thinking about it, here's the complete list of 'home' ballparks:
Oakland Coliseum (1985-1994)
Candlestick Park (1995-1999)
PacBell/AT&T/Oracle Park (2000-2002)
Riverfront Stadium (2002)
Great American Ball Park (2003)
Minute Maid Park (2004)
Coors Field (2005-2006)
New Comiskey Park/Wrigley Field (2006-present)
Citizens Bank Park (future)
So, some personal experience here.
When Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) opened, it was universally (and fairly) panned. It was gimmicky to the extreme, with the ill-fated "Tal's Hill" and in-play flagpole in center field -- which originally extended to an eye-popping 436 feet.
Both the hill and the flagpole seemed to be there just for the sake of being there, and both were (thankfully) scheduled for removal during the 2015-16 offseason. (The Astros made the postseason in 2015, which disrupted the timeline, and the hill was not removed until the start of the 2017 season.)
Like Camden Yards and Petco Park, the design for the ballpark incorporated an existing structure, in this case Union Station, a train station built in 1911, which was one of the busiest rail hubs through the end of World War II. The station is now the main entrance foyer for the ballpark, with team offices upstairs.
The train motif continues with a larger-than-life steam engine that runs along the tracks of the large retractable roof. The train runs and sounds its horn after Astros home runs. Sure, it's gimmicky, but fans (especially kids) love it. And the guy who runs it is the best kind of hometown fan.
And so we get to it: the roof.
First, the outside aesthetics. The roof and supporting structure of acres of glass wall are not unatrractive to look at; but the color scheme is. Scroll back to the previous ballpark profiles of Chase Field, Citizens Bank, Miller Park . . . it's like MLB got an unlimited supply of weird turquoise/teal paint and they just can't stop using it.
I don't get it. I don't like it.
As for the criteria that makes a good ballpark: Minute Maid checks many of them: it's right downtown, which is good. It's easily accessible with several public transit options. It fits the aesthetic of the neighborhood (after a fashion), and the fan experience is better-than-average, especially the outstanding food options.
And, when the roof is open, it's a really nice place to see a ballgame.
But. The. Roof. Is. Never. Open.
It's funny; if you search for images of Minute Maid Park, a number of in-game shots with the roof open show up, and they look great. But I lived there for two years, and never once was the roof open for a game. Nobody I've talked to has ever been to a game with the roof open.
It's a completely different feel with the roof closed. It's dark, it's artificial-feeling.
Believe me, having lived there, I know Houston has some incredibly unpleasant, even unsafely hot summer days. And, by all means, the roof should be closed in those events. It also gets more than its share of summer rainstorms.
But, if it's just a warm/hot day? Open the dang roof. People across the country love sitting out on a warm evening watching baseball. It gets plenty hot in Cincinnati, and St. Louis, and . . . almost everywhere baseball is played. I've been to some extremely warm games in the bleachers at Wrigley.
That's part of the fun.
Just because you can close the roof doesn't mean you should.
Have your own thoughts and feelings about Minute Maid Park? Put them in the comments below for a chance to win a FREE PRINT from Ballpark Blueprints!
14068 comments
Thanks in support of sharing such a nice thinking, article is pleasant, thats why i have read it entirely
http://ipsnews.net/business/2022/02/13/glucotrust-reviews-herbs-extract-to-support-blood-sugar/
We are really grateful for your blog post. You will find a lot of approaches after visiting your post. Great work
https://ipsnews.net/business/2022/02/15/organixx-cbd-gummies-uk-reviews-hemp-extract-to-relieve-pain/
This is really interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your magnificent post. Also, I’ve shared your web site in my social networks!
http://ipsnews.net/business/2022/02/13/glucofort-complaints-reviews-detoxify-ingredients-to-avoid-diabetes/
Wow great content. Provides more content like that please. Click on
http://ipsnews.net/business/2022/02/13/glucofort-complaints-reviews-detoxify-ingredients-to-avoid-diabetes/
This is also a very good post which I really enjoyed reading. It is not every day that I have the possibility to see something like this..
https://ipsnews.net/business/2022/02/11/leanbiome-reviews-melts-unwanted-fat-within-few-weeks/
We are really grateful for your blog post. You will find a lot of approaches after visiting your post. Great work
https://ipsnews.net/business/2022/02/15/organixx-cbd-gummies-uk-reviews-hemp-extract-to-relieve-pain/
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-for-free-stream,89035
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-the-batman-2022-online-for-free-stream,89050
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-uncharted-2022-online-for-free-stream,89059
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-dog-2022-online-for-free-stream,89063
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-death-on-the-nile-2022-online-for-free-stream,89068
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-jackass-forever-2022-online-for-free-stream,89079
https://providenceonline.com/stories/free-watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-for-stream,89141
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-spider-man-no-way-home-for-online-free-streaming,89144
https://providenceonline.com/stories/full-watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-for-stream,89145
https://providenceonline.com/stories/official-watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-for-stream,89148
https://providenceonline.com/stories/where-to-watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-for-stream,89150
https://providenceonline.com/stories/spider-man-no-way-home-online-for-streaming,89151
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-for-free-stream,89152
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-streaming,89156
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-spider-man-no-way-home-for-streaming-online,89157
https://providenceonline.com/stories/free-watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-stream,89160
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-for-free-streams,89162
https://providenceonline.com/stories/how-to-watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-for-stream,89165
https://providenceonline.com/stories/when-watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-for-free-stream,89166
https://providenceonline.com/stories/official-watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-free,89170
https://providenceonline.com/stories/free-watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-download,89171
https://providenceonline.com/stories/free-watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-full-stream,89172
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-2022-streaming-free,89174
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-stream-today,89177
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-spider-man-no-way-home-online-free-for-streaming-heres-at-home,89178
https://providenceonline.com/stories/watch-spider-man-no-way-home-streaming-full-movie-online,89189
https://providenceonline.com/stories/the-political-battle-go-on-over-the-health-care,89192
https://www.scoop.it/topic/health-care-framework
https://www.universe.com/users/tomholland-zendaya-D827PT
https://ctxt.io/2/AABgnYVyFw
https://sorhodeisland.com/stories/essential-education-for-young-adults,89282
https://community.onespan.com/forum/our-health-care-framework-emergency
wow, great, I was wondering how to cure acne naturally. and found your site by google, learned a lot, now i’m a bit clear. I’ve bookmark your site and also add rss. keep us updated.
https://ipsnews.net/business/2022/02/11/metalean-complete-reviews-powder-mix-ingredients-works/
I am impressed by the information that you have on this blog. It shows how well you understand this subject.
https://ipsnews.net/business/2022/02/11/pt-trim-fat-burn-reviews-kenyan-herbs-melts-fat-in-days/
Depending on your treatment plan, you may check and record your blood sugar as many as four times a day or more often if you’re taking insulin. Careful monitoring is the only way to make sure that your blood sugar level remains within your target range. People with type 2 diabetes who aren’t taking insulin generally check their blood sugar much less frequently.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/14/nucentix-gs-85-reviews-dont-buy-negative-side-effects/
Joint pain is discomfort that arises from any joint. The medical word for joint pain is arthralgia. This is different to the word arthritis, which means inflammation of the joint, which causes pain and sometimes warmth, redness and/or swelling of the joint. A joint can be painful without being inflamed, or it can be both painful and inflamed.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/14/restria-customer-reviews-theyll-never-tell-you/
If you have high blood pressure as well as diabetes, the two conditions can damage the kidneys’ ability to filter wastes and fluid over time. As water builds up in your body, your hands and feet may swell — a warning sign that you may have kidney disease. You can preserve the kidney function you have by taking your diabetes and blood pressure medicines as prescribed.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/14/nucentix-gs-85-reviews-dont-buy-negative-side-effects/
Being overweight can increase complications of arthritis and contribute to arthritis pain. Making incremental, permanent lifestyle changes resulting in gradual weight loss is often the most effective method of weight management.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/14/restria-customer-reviews-theyll-never-tell-you/
A ketogenic diet – or keto diet – is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions, something that’s been demonstrated in many studies. A keto diet is especially useful for losing excess body fat without hunger, and for improving type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. On a keto diet, you cut way back on carbohydrates, also known as carbs, in order to burn fat for fuel.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/13/keto-burn-dx-uk-reviews-shocking-theyll-never-tell-you/
Our bodies need energy to keep us alive and our organs functioning normally. When we eat and drink, we put energy into our bodies. Our bodies use up that energy through everyday movement, which includes everything from breathing to running. To maintain a stable weight, the energy we put into our bodies must be the same as the energy we use through normal bodily functions and physical activity.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/14/keto-strong-xp-reviews-warning-must-read-this-before-try/
It’s easy to get stressed out when the pressures of work, family, and everyday life are weighing on you. These stresses can have not only an emotional impact, they can cause physical pain as well. Stress and pain are often closely linked. Each one can have an impact on the other, creating a vicious cycle that sets the stage for chronic pain and chronic stress. So, part of getting pain relief is learning how to better manage stress.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/14/gold-cbd-gummies-reviews-shocking-theyll-never-tell-you/
Our bodies need energy to keep us alive and our organs functioning normally. When we eat and drink, we put energy into our bodies. Our bodies use up that energy through everyday movement, which includes everything from breathing to running. To maintain a stable weight, the energy we put into our bodies must be the same as the energy we use through normal bodily functions and physical activity.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/14/keto-strong-xp-reviews-warning-must-read-this-before-try/
Meditation involves sitting or lying down comfortably and then focusing on your breath. If thoughts of pain or stress come to mind, acknowledge the thought and let it be. Don’t try to push the thought away. Let the thought pass without interacting too much with it. Try to return to your breathing. Doing 10-20 minutes of meditation a day can greatly help you reduce stress and relax.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/14/gold-cbd-gummies-reviews-shocking-theyll-never-tell-you/
I am a website developer. You can make free Dofollow backlinks here.
https://bookmarks4u.online/
https://fast.bookmarks4u.online/
https://4backlinks.online/
https://activebookmarks.online/
https://freebookmarkingsubmission.online/
https://freewebsubmission.online/
https://search-beta.abc.net.au/#/?query=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.cbs.com/sitesearch/results/?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.pbs.org/search/?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.cbc.ca/search?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.ctv.ca/search/http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20170509055524/http://www.france3.fr/recherche?s=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.rt ve.es/buscador/?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/&desde=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.zdf.de/suche?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.arte.tv/en/search/?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20210518153317/https://www.casinobulk.com/
https://search.tv2.dk/?query=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.dr.dk/drtv/soeg?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20210518153317/https://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.nrk.no/sok/?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.nelonen.fi/haku/https%3A//www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/haku?query=https://www.casinobulk.com/
https://haku.yle.fi/?language=fi&page=1&query=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.npostart.nl/zoeken?term=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.kijk.nl/brands/net5/8xe58NVMmQdJE07TUddA8?zoek=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.kijk.nl/brands/sbs6/3JQRZk9eYj74YCtD2JZXib?zoek=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.rtbf.be/chercher/?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.1tv.ru/search?from=1995-01-01&to=2021-07-02&q=text%3Ahttp://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.5-tv.ru/search/?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.ntv.ru/finder/?keytext=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://smotrim.ru/search?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.rts.ch/play/recherche?query=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.srf.ch/progr
amm/tv/suche?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://search-beta.abc.net.au/#/?query=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.sbs.com.au/search?query=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20070826145411/http://search.live.com/results.aspx?v=1&FORM=MSNMH1&MKT=en-au&RS=CHECKED&q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://10play.com.au/search?query=https://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/search?q=http://www.casinobulk.com/
https://www.maoritelevision.com/search/all/https://www.casinobulk.com/
It’s thought to be an interaction of genetic factors and sun damage in most cases. Moles usually emerge in childhood and adolescence, and change in size and color as you grow. New moles commonly appear at times when your hormone levels change, such as during pregnancy.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/03/skincell-advanced-reviews-effective-mole-skin-tag-removal/
Ecommerce is quite cost effective than the traditional commerce as you don’t require to pay a middle person or say a third party to sell your products. So you can save the money and can invest it in the betterment of any other aspect of your business.
Kibo Eclipse
https://ipsnews.net/business/2022/02/03/kibo-eclipse-reviews-earn-huge-profits-easily/
E-commerce also can reduce transaction costs by streamlining supply-chain management and distribution. If a store expands its product selection online, more orders can be shipped from the warehouse or wholesaler directly to the customer. The store can now serve lucrative niche markets.
Kibo Eclipse
https://ipsnews.net/business/2022/02/03/kibo-eclipse-reviews-earn-huge-profits-easily/
http://slack-redir.net/link?url=https://travelinisrael.ru/
http://sherlock.scribblelive.com/r?u=travelinisrael.ru
http://computer-shop.wz.cz/go.php?url=https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://learninginmotion.uvic.ca/emailStat.htm?action=redirect&email=187&emailAddress=anthtwo@uvic.ca&url=https://travelinisrael.ru/
http://maps.google.si/url?sa=t&url=https://travelinisrael.ru
http://weekly.chosun.com/protect_weekly/redirect.asp?url=https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://qatar.vcu.edu/?URL=travelinisrael.ru
https://cse.google.ae/url?sa=t&url=https://travelinisrael.ru
https://community.rsa.com/t5/custom/page/page-id/ExternalRedirect?url=https://travelinisrael.ru
http://maps.google.hr/url?sa=t&url=https://travelinisrael.ru
https://cse.google.com.co/url?sa=t&url=https://travelinisrael.ru
http://openforbusinessmagazine01.businesscatalyst.com/Redirect.aspx?destination=https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://domain.opendns.com/travelinisrael.ru
http://nitrogen.sub.jp/php/Viewer.php?URL=http://travelinisrael.ru/
https://www.transtats.bts.gov/exit.asp?url=https://travelinisrael.ru/
http://gar86.tmweb.ru/bitrix/rk.php?goto=https://travelinisrael.ru/
http://park3.wakwak.com/~yadoryuo/cgi-bin/click3/click3.cgi?cnt=chalet-main&url=http://travelinisrael.ru/
https://advisor.wmtransfer.com/SiteDetails.aspx?url=travelinisrael.ru
http://guru.sanook.com/?URL=https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://community.nxp.com/t5/custom/page/page-id/ExternalRedirect?url=https://travelinisrael.ru
http://ipv4.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://travelinisrael.ru/http://paper.li/SharonLaMothe/1411841847?read=https://travelinisrael.ru
https://blogranking.fc2.com/out.php?id=1032500&url=https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://cse.google.ee/url?sa=t&url=https://travelinisrael.ru
https://sc.hkex.com.hk/gb/www.travelinisrael.ru
https://click.alamode.com/?adcode=CPEMAQM0913_1&url=https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://clients1.google.com.pe/url?sa=t&url=https://travelinisrael.ru
https://secure.duoservers.com/?lang=en&s_id=123179&rdomain=travelinisrael.ru&action=order
http://www.med.lublin.pl/S_baner/adclick.php?bannerid=16&zoneid=0&source=&dest=https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://sso.aoa.org/Authenticate.aspx?Return=http://travelinisrael.ru/
http://pantybucks.com/galleries/hpf/64/clair/index.php?link=https://travelinisrael.ru
http://www.canada.com/scripts/go.aspx?g=vancouversun&n=subscribe_link_header&u=https://travelinisrael.ru/
http://www.sinp.msu.ru/ru/ext_link?url=https://travelinisrael.ru/
http://maps.google.com.eg/url?sa=t&url=https://travelinisrael.ru
http://www.draugiem.lv/special/link.php?url=https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://jamesattorney.agilecrm.com/click?u=http://travelinisrael.ru/
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/no_outbounds.php?o=https://travelinisrael.ru
https://www.cbn.com/superbook/pages/superbook_external_link.aspx?p=https://travelinisrael.ru
http://maps.google.lv/url?sa=t&url=https://travelinisrael.ru
http://wikimapia.org/external_link?url=https://travelinisrael.ru
http://ssomgmt.ascd.org/profile/createsso/createsso.aspx?returnURL=https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://weblib.lib.umt.edu/redirect/proxyselect.php?url=//travelinisrael.ru
http://weberplus.ucoz.com/go?https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://expressionengine.com/?URL=https://travelinisrael.ru/
http://www.migrantcinema.net.gridhosted.co.uk/?URL=https://travelinisrael.ru/
http://ir.lib.sdu.edu.cn/widgets/fulltext/?url=http://travelinisrael.ru/
https://images.google.com.np/url?sa=t&url=https://travelinisrael.ru
https://www2.smartbrief.com/uyd/editProfile.action?t1=25336689&t2=https://travelinisrael.ru/
https://aurora.network/redirect?url=https://travelinisrael.ru
A ketogenic diet is high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbs. As carbs are reduced and fat is increased, the body enters a metabolic state called ketosis. Then the body starts turning fats into ketones, which are molecules that can supply energy for the brain. After a few days or weeks on such a diet, the body and brain become very efficient at burning fat and ketones for fuel instead of carbs.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/11/apple-cider-vinegar-keto-gummies-reviews-its-fake/