Cleveland Ohio has been the butt of many jokes in the past and the subject of much ridicule from comedians and the general public. The city went through some tough times in the 1960's and 1970's, highlighted by the polluted Cuyohoga River catching on fire and the local government going bankrupt.

The Cleveland of today, however, is much different from that of the past. The city has undergone some renovations and attracted new businesses. Newly built skyscrapers dominate the skyline. Tourists arrive in larger numbers to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and other sites. And above all, Cleveland still has its fanatical love for its hometown sports teams. The Browns are number one in the mind of most Clevelanders, but the Indians rank a close second. This professional team was on the decline for decades and it barely attracted enough fans to fill even one- tenth of the old Municipal Stadium.

But times have changed. A new ballpark and a revived city have given the Indians a fresh start. This new baseball stadium was opened in April of 1994, close to the heart of downtown. It's called Jacobs Field, the home of the Cleveland Indians baseball team.

Stadium Facts:

Jacobs Field was named after the team owner, Richard E. Jacobs who purchased the naming rights before the stadium was completed. This is one of the few newer stadiums that isn't named after a corporation. Most new ballparks give in and allow a local business to purchase the naming rights because of the large sum of money that's often involved. The Cleveland Indians, however, managed to avoid the temptation from the big companies and named the ballpark after the owner.

This stadium is much smaller than the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium where the Indians played for more than 60 years. Jacobs Field has a capacity of 43,345, which is more than 30,000 less than the old stadium. Jacobs Field was designed for baseball, with the seating arranged around the shape of a baseball diamond. Left field and right field both measure 325 feet from home plate and the center field wall is 405 feet away.

Jacobs Field has many luxury boxes and club seating. There's also a special play area for kids close to the first base side and a picnic area in the outfield with picnic tables. The outfield is wide open, offering views of the downtown skyline.

Costs for Admission:

Indians games, like most major league baseball games nowadays, feature multi- level ticket pricing. The prices range from a low of $6 (standing room) to a high of $50 (Diamond Box). The least expensive seats are $7 for the upper reserved general admission. With prices as low as $6 or $7, an Indians game is a family bargain, as far as entertainment is concerned. Most other sporting events cost at least three times this price, making them too expensive for many families to attend.

Parking:

Jacobs Field doesn't have a designated parking lot adjacent to the ballpark. Fans must either look for a place to park on the street (which is hard to find) or park in one of the many nearby parking garages. Parking on the street, next to a parking meter, will almost always be free since most every game is either at night on on the weekends. Parking in a garage will cost you anywhere from $5 to $12 or more, depending on how close you park to the stadium itself.

Final Thoughts:

Jacobs Field is a refreshing change from the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium! This ballpark was built as part of an effort to revitalize the downtown area after so many years of decline. The ballpark is part of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex, which includes the Arena at Gateway, home to the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA team.

I made my first visit to this ballpark a couple of months ago. I had always wondered what Jacobs Field was like and if it would be able to live up to all the hoopla surrounding it. My first impression of the ballpak was that it was modern, yet still cozy with an old- time baseball feel to it, similar to what you experience when you visit Wrigley Field in Chicago. I wasn't so sure that I liked the idea of having the stadium downtown. I felt it would have been more picturesque to have a view of Lake Erie over the outfield wall instead of a view of the Cleveland skyline. But the longer I sat there in my seat, the more I liked the choice of location. Watching the boats in the lake would be nice, but it's also a little distracting. With the setup like this, you don't have the tendency to keep looking at the buildings, so you concentrate more on the game and the fans.

There are four entry gates to Jacobs Field, with Gate A being the most popular, since it's located right next to the box office. The concourse areas are very wide, so even on a crowded game day you can walk to the concession areas with ease. You don't need to worry that someone is going to bump into you while you carry several beverages back to your seating area and spill your drinks. There's plenty of elbow room.

Speaking of concession areas, Jacobs Field has plenty of them to suit your fancy, with enough food options to make most any person happy. Prices are typical of a modern- day ballpark. A large glass of beer will set you back about $5. A glass of soft drink will cost $3.50. A hot dog sells for about $2.50. These prices can really add up if your taking your family to the game. If money is an issue, then I recommend arriving at the game early and finding some food and drink in one of the many downtown restaurants and taverns. You will be able to stretch your dollars much further that way.

The weather in Cleveland is generally warm for most of the baseball season. But you need to be careful if you attend a game in the early months of Spring because the temperatures can make your day with the Indians seem more like an afternoon with the Browns in the Fall. Cleveland's average high and low temperature in early April is 52- 58 and 33- 38 respectively. These are hardly baseball- like temperatures. You will need to wear a jacket during these early season games. It's not uncommon for some of the first few games of the season to be postponed due to snow and cold, so you need to keep that in mind if you plan a trip in the Spring.

The seating in Jacobs Field is comfortable, even in the nosebleed sections. Actually, there really isn't a bad seat in the park, in my opinion. No matter where you are, you have a full, straight ahead view of the field without obstructions. In the old Municipal Stadium, many of the seats were angled more toward the center of the field so you had to sit with your head turned to watch the game. The designers of this new ballpark made sure that the seating was situated with baseball in mind. Also, even the seats high up in the ballpark are not very steep. You don't get that falling sensation like you used to get at some of the older, multi- purpose ballparks.

The city of Cleveland Ohio has undergone many changes for the better in the past couple of decades. There have been changes and improvements made on many fronts, which have succeeded in revitalizing the downtown area. Jacobs Field is one of the key elements to this revamping of downtown Cleveland. It has helped bring the Indians back to respectability and it has greatly increased the number of fans who come to the ballpark to watch the team play. The Indians haven't won a World Series title since 1948. But with the newfound support from fans and the community, the team is headed in the right direction.

Jacobs Field is an enjoyable ballbark and I recommend a visit if you happen to be in the Cleveland, Ohio area. It's an enjoyable way to spend a lazy summer afternoon!



Recommended: Yes

Parking Availability: Busy But Manageable
Seat Location: Upper Deck