I took a look at the models and renderings, and it makes me a little ill at ease. I guess something like this was inevitable, but it's going to be tough to pull off without ruining the charm of Dodger Stadium. What makes DS such a special space and a civic institution in Los Angeles is, I believe, the wide open space in the outfield. The panorama of the stadium stretches from the seats out past the pavilions and the parking lot to the Elysian Park hills, and beyond to the San Gabriels. That's a serene view, and I think it's one of the Stadium's best characteristics. From the renderings, it looks like two giant rectangular BOXES are going to built in the parking lot beyond the pavilions. It will completely obliterate that panorama, and in doing so, will destroy the charm of Dodger Stadium. The stadium itself looks like it's just going to be another feature of the Chavez Ravine Mall.

Remodeling, landscaping and building on the part of the parking lot outside the view of the seats (i.e., the terraced lots and the top of the park) is fine, I suppose. But leave the vista beyond the pavilions alone. I sincerely hope that civic pressure forces the McCourts to scale back this monstrosity.

And as others have touched on, this whole thing is worthless without some kind of public transit link to the Gold Line. Otherwise, it will be used exactly 81 days a year, when the Dodgers are home, and will sit vacant every other day on the calendar.

First on the list, for 2007 and 2008, is Jayson Werth.

Shouldn't there be a macro for "I apologise if this has already been mentioned." How about an acronym:

IAITHABM

I agree about the importance of the panorama, but are you sure it's going to be blocked out?

And the late Dave Thomas's restaurants will now have to deal with being associated with Puddy.

"I think it will come in bunches for him. He's sure working hard at it," Easler says. "It shouldn't be too long. About June, I think. Give him two months to work out the kinks."

June???

http://tinyurl.com/5cb25d

Which means I will never watch Late Night again.

To answer your second point: The artist's renderings made it look like those building beyond the pavilions extend almost the entire length of the pavilions, and rise higher than the bottom of the reserved level. Anyone sitting in the field, loge or lower reserved will no longer have any view of the hills. The upper reserved and top deck might still be able to see some wide open space past the roofs of these structures, but the primary object in the view will be the structures themselves.

Artist's renderings and conceptions are notorious for overplaying or underplaying the impact of a proposed building, depending on how the builder wants it portrayed.

Just in case anyone missed them.

23 - But again, if they successfully imitate CityWalk, why wouldn't people come? That CityWalk parking lot on the hill is overflowing, unless I'm mistaken.

It's predicated on them being successful in what they build. If people don't come, it'll be because there's no movie theater or the stops and restaurants aren't worth it. But it won't be because they have to drive there.

I could have sworn there used to be a bus that would go from the china town gold line stop. Did this practice stop? I kind of liked the idea.

I'm also not thrilled with the likelihood that the Dodgers are about to become a very secondary interest to Frank McCourt, as this project picks up steam.

That, and the casino.

By the way, aren't all baseball stadiums, by definition, artificial tourist traps?

Trainwreck, Dirt Nasty?

Please tell me you were kidding around, Simon Rex is such a horrible rapper. Talk about one dimensional. How many repetitive, braggadocio verses can one man write?

CityWalk is a simulated urban existence. It's artificial, and it sucks. The less that the "new" Dodger Stadium has to do with baseball, the more it will suck too.

One of the early parks used by the PCL Angels was called Chutes Park because it was attached to an amusement park with water slides.

A baseball park isn't going to generate any extra revenue for either its owners or its neighborhood unless it has something to draw people from out of the area to go there. The Dodgers won't go rich on cheap guys from South Pasadena mooching tickets and not buying food most of the time.

However, I do think it behooves a franchise to cultivate a fanbase across class lines, since bigger fanbase= more fans, obviously. And attending a game at the stadium is a large part of becoming a fan, especially for kids (ie, the next generation of paying fans).

McCourt has already made the stadium and the business of the Dodgers a priority. This is nothing new.

40 - One of our family's season tickets - which I'll admit are ungodly expensive for my dad - plus parking does not cost $100. To say that a decent seat costs you $100 is an exaggeration.

I wouldn't want to sit in the Top Deck every game, but for a first visit to Dodger Stadium came up high, and it was thrilling. I'd argue that Dodger Stadium's cheap seats can be a pretty great experience.

52
Yeah, I have to fly to LA.

The point about transit is two-fold. People already have a problem getting to Dodger games and the anecdotal evidence is that people skip out on going to games because of the difficulty in accessibility. This problem will only get worse as the region continues to grow and congestion in Central LA worsens. The second point is that the Dodgers themselves, in announcing this project, made a big deal about reducing carbon footprint and other environmental impacts. They're obviously hoping this will carry some weight in the EIR process. Well, you can plant all the trees you want, and use all compact fluorescent light bulbs, but if you're not cutting down on vehicle trips, in fact you're increasing them, I don't see how that's reducing carbon footprint.

"Dodgers Season Ticket Office,

I have just finished reading, quite excitedly I might add, the press release about the upcoming improvements to Dodger Stadium to be completed by Opening Day 2012.

While I am certainly in favor of these improvements, I saw nothing in the press release about how construction will be financed. I am currently a "2 for 2" season ticket holder in the Reserve level and have seen my season tickets more than double in cost the last 3 years--all of this I might add, with no major improvements made to the section in which I sit.

I wanted to voice my concern about the future price of my tickets. While I understand the need for minor price adjustments, I sincerely hope another substantial increase, along the lines of the 42% increase we experienced this year, is not on the horizon.

I hope Mr. McCourt realizes how much Reserve level tickets have already been raised (without a championship caliber team and/or improvements to the Reserve level) when considering finance options for the upcoming upgrades.

Again, I am certainly excited about these upgrades, but also a tad anxious that construction costs will make our season seats too costly.

I hope this letter finds its way to the appropriate party and I will be grateful for any response.

Thanks so much,

Season Ticket Holder

My season tickets are not great at all -- way down the right field line -- but they're not terrible either. Four seats and a parking pass cost $68 or so this season. I'll repeat: FOUR seats. And parking included.

Where people (including me) get upset is that just four years ago, when I first signed up, the price was $38 for the same package. That's a big big increase in a short short amount of time.

So the idea that you can't take your family to Dodger Stadium is a myth. So is the idea that McCourt is pricing out the lower-income fanbase. Tickets are still very affordable. But with the increases of the past few years, we'll have to see what the future holds.

The bottom line is that as expensive as it is, going to a Dodger game today can be about the same cost as going to a movie. At the low end of the ticket scale, it's competitively priced entertainment.

Doesn't mean it isn't more financially prudent to stay at home, but I don't think it's accurate to say that it's a luxury item for many people in Los Angeles, if they plan it right. Admittedly, it helps if you eat first.

Along those lines, I've been wondering if, after a person procreates, there is anything they can subsequently do such that their overall impact on the earth either returns to (or is less than) their pre-procreation impact level. (I'm assuming the answer is "No").

Has anyone seen this issue addressed?

Villaraigosa: "Um, I'm not understanding it. What do you mean 'the actual stadium?'"

McCourt: "Well I mean...I mean when you build the actual stadium."

Villaraigosa: "But this is what you asked for, isn't it?"

McCourt: "What?"

Villariagosa: "Well this is the stadium."

McCourt: "This is the stadium?"

Villariagosa: "Yes."

McCourt: "Are you telling me that this is it? This is a stadium? Have you ever been to Dodger Stadium?"

Villaraigosa: "I was...I was...I was supposed to build it eighteen inches high."

McCourt: "This is insane. This isn't a stadium."

Villaraigosa: "Look, look. Look, this is what I was asked to build. Eighteen inches. Right here, it specifies eighteen inches. I was given this napkin, I mean..."

3 games were part of my season ticket package, the other 2 I was a guest of two very generous friends.

I have paid to park 3 times, one game, I don't think bought anything to eat, the others I did spend a few bucks.

My tickets are right behind home plate in the Infield Reserve section and if you added them both up with the parking in comes to $61.

I'm not saying that is cheap, frankly its a luxury item that if I had to give it up I would. But as much as it is to watch games at home, it doesn't beat being there.

And I'm 4-1 so far.

I'm worried about that, too, but I think this is one area in which McCourt is very, very smart. I think he'll find 59 's and my breaking point, stick the price there, and call it a day for several years.

But I don't know if it's possible to make up for procreation or not, and I'd be curious to know if anyone has seen research in this area.

I don't believe any Japanese stadium has dugout seating now. The stadium in Chiba has a pressbox at ground level and it is soundproof and it's really weird to watch a game from that viewpoint and not hear anything on the field.

If one can't afford to drive or fly to a game now, I sympathize. But that's not McCourt's fault.

Can I get a confirmation from the Irony Police regarding Simon Rex (ex-MTV veejay/current friend of Paris Hilton) mocking mainstream anything?

Have at it! Cheaper than a few beers at the stadium.

84 A children-free cult might be a welcome change these days. (I keed, I keed...)