I know Miller Park doesn't open until the March 30 exhibition game with the White Sox, but I recently strolled around the park and wrote the following "future" tour for The Brew Crew Review. I also wanted to share it with you here since the park is creating a major pro sports buzz in Milwaukee.
The promotional slogan "It's All Here Under One Roof" really is accurate for Miller Park. Whether your seats are in the luxury boxes or the field bleachers, you have a great view of the ballgame, and a choice of a variety of other activities and attractions.
You'll find ample parking, with 12,000 spaces within a short walk of the park, and pedestrian walkways to other parking areas.
If you are a season ticket holder or sitting in a luxury box, you'll likely enter the park near the home plate entrance. Outside will eventually be a youth ball diamond, near the location of the former County Stadium infield, and monuments to Henry Aaron, Robin Yount and the workers who built Miller Park.
You can't help but be impressed with the red brick walls and arches that invite you into the stadium. You'll make your way to your box through spacious concourses, elevators and escalators. If you have a reservation, you can have dinner at the .300 Club, a multi-tiered dining room offering panoramic views of the game from the left field corner.
If you have a ticket at the various other levels of Miller Park, you'll likely enter through the Hot Corner. It gets its name not only because it is along the third base line, where the action can get hot, but because of all the activities offered in that part of the park.
You might want to eat at Friday's Front Row restaurant, which will be open year round whether there is a ballgame scheduled or not. You can buy a souvenir at the Fan Zone shop. Also included in the Hot Corner are Bernie's Blast fun area, meeting rooms and other amenities. An area for younger kids can be found on the terrace level behind home plate.
Once the game starts, you'll sit in a bowl designed to create an intimate setting. You will feel close to the action no matter where your seat is.
If the weather is foul, the roof will be closed to allow fans to watch the game in comfort. If the weather is nice, the roof will be open, as will exterior walls in the outfield.
Watching the roof open and close, which takes about 10 minutes, is, itself, worth the price of admission.
Between those exterior walls sits a state-of-the-art scoreboard with a great sound system and color replay scoreboard. This replay screen makes the old one at County Stadium look like an Etch-A-Sketch.
While the main scoreboard is state-of-the art, a traditional touch will be maintained with manual scoreboards on the field level in left and right.
If you get hungry during the game, 30 fixed and 50 portable concession stands can be found in the park, offering expanded menus and the best food in baseball.
Some of your favorites will still be at Miller Park. You'll be able to see the Racing Sausages. And, if Geoff Jenkins, Richie Sexson or another Brewer goes deep, Bernie Brewer will slide down a yellow ramp from his new home in the leftfield corner.
After the game, you might want to linger in the Front Row or elsewhere. Parking spaces also are arranged to provide easy exit, even when the game is sold out.
The facilities for visiting teams and the Brewers, and the media, are outstanding. While the average fan might not be too concerned about those things, happy ballplayers often play better, and happy media people can better bring you the stories of the games.
Scott Jenkins, who is in charge of operations of the ballpark, suggests fans roam around the park a little to get a feel for the various sight lines of the playing field, and great views of the surrounding area and downtown Milwaukee.
Miller Park really does offer a variety of attractions, prime of which is the great game of baseball, all "Under One Roof."
Brewers Buzz
The Brewers start spring training Wednesday. What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day for a baseball fan?
Here are 5 things to watch in the early going:
--Don't be surprised if veteran Tony Fernandez, who was signed last week, moves to the front of the pack at third base. Fernandez is 38, but will be able to hit until he's 60 and can play the position better than Jose Hernandez or Tyler Houston.
--Look for manager Davey Lopes to establish very early that he expects to win more games than he loses this season.
--Watch for Jeffrey Hammonds to demonstrate he will be a great addition in center.
--Look for Ben Sheets to show that he is ready to take his spot in the starting rotation.
--Watch a trimmed-down Ron Belliard show early that he is ready to have a breakout season at second base.
Bucks Buzz
Ray Allen did the Bucks proud at the NBA All Star Game by winning the 3-point contest and also playing a role in the East's comeback. He demonstrated again that he does indeed "got game" and that he is at his best when the lights are the brightest.
Glenn Robinson also saw his share of playing time and had a couple big shots. Both also were interviewed on ESPN Radio before the game. Together, they are helping the Bucks create a buzz nationally.
--The Bucks face All Star MVP Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday night in the first of several challenging games. After a trip to Atlanta Wednesday, they host Central Division rival Charlotte Saturday night at the Bradley Center and the always-tough San Antonio Spurs next Monday night.
We all remember how the Bucks struggled after the All Star break last season. They will have to be up to the challenge of their schedule to avoid a similar slump this season.
Admirals Buzz
Here's a sign of how the Admirals have been coming on strong in the IHL. Last week, they took four weekly league awards. Sean Haggerty earned Player of the Week. Chris Mason was named Goaltender of the Week, and Pavel Skrbeck got two awards, Defenseman of the Week and Plus/Minus Player of the Week.
Pro Soccer Buzz
The Rampage will have more of a local look after drafting former Brookfield East star Peter Henning, who led Creighton University to the final of the NCAA Division I soccer final last season. Milwaukee coach Boro Surevic coached Henning as a youth player in Elm Grove.
Gregg Hoffmann is a veteran journalist, publishes The Brew Crew Review at brewers.rivals.com and is a senior lecturer in journalism and mass communication at UWM. He also is the author of "Down in the Valley: The History of Milwaukee County Stadium."
