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Greer Stadium /
Nashville Sounds
For almost two years now, the Nashville Sounds have been pitching the idea of a new 11,000-seat baseball stadium situated on an 11-acre site adjacent to the Cumberland River. The Sounds are so enamored with the idea of a downtown ballpark on the riverfront they have already secured $23 million through bank loans. Despite negotiations between the city and the Sounds have slowing to a snail’s pace in the past few months, the once-dim future of minor-league baseball in Nashville is on the right track for great things. All of the latest-and-greatest baseball parks springing up around the country cater to families and rightfully so -- it’s the way to turn a profit. It’s a place like Herschel Greer Stadium that gets lost in the mix. Its original intent was to create a place to play baseball (interesting concept), and while the Sounds have done what they can to keep up with the Minor League Baseball boom by building patio decks and adding children's play areas, it’s the ballpark's quirkiness and aura that gives Greer Stadium its charm, not its family atmosphere. The stadium is not situated in a ground-level bowl like most of the prototypical minor-league ballparks of today; it’s built completely above ground. Therefore, there is no berm seating in the outfield but there are two patio areas, one in right field and one along the third base line. The stadium has one deck of individual club seats. The main0level concourse offers no view to the action on the field and the only coverage from the elements is a small sheltered area behind home plate. The concourse is also nontraditional by today’s standards because it sits at field level. There are concession stands built into the structure of the bowl directly under the seating area. Each stand serves its own specialty items and pays homage to the great Sounds players of the past, such as Rob Dibble (Dibble’s Den) and Willie McGee (Willie’s Fun Factory). You can take a painfully slow elevator up to the third level, which has the team offices, souvenir stand and press box, or the fourth-floor suite level. Situated above the stadium is the suite area, which connects with the stadium's other central perk, the bar area. Herschel Greer Stadium will, of course, forever live in baseball lore for its guitar-shaped scoreboard. Years from now when the Sounds are playing at their riverfront stadium, photos of old Greer Stadium will feature the unique scoreboard. It’s definitely the first thing you notice as you walk to your seat. It’s clear that the Sounds have squeezed just about every possible amenity they can out of Greer Stadium. The stadium is simply outdated for today’s version of Minor League Baseball, with unfriendly concourses and an undesirable location on the outskirts of Nashville. They try to cater to children, but the play area basically sits in the parking lot and takes away from the feel of being at the ballpark. The patio decks and bar area are a nice touch that really would cater well to the college crowd in town, but I have a feeling that’s not where the Sounds expect to turn a profit.
Concessions For
the Kids
Where to Sit |
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