MINUTE MAID PARK

Minute Maid is another of the large retractable-roof ballparks that have been built recently. Shaped more like an airplane hanger than an old-time park, Minute Maid was very similar to Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix in both form and features. Nonetheless, Minute Maid has enough unique amenities to make it an enjoyable place to watch a game. 

The park is located in downtown Houston, but like most new parks, it was built in an area that was not being used before. There is nothing of note around the stadium, but this makes parking very easy. There is plenty of free parking for weekend and night games. We parked at meter parking on McKinney Street and from there it is about 10 minutes to the stadium. The main ticket windows and entrance are on Texas Avenue - I really liked the fact that there were so many windows open two hours before the game so we got our tickets immediately. 

The outside of the park is multi-coloured - the lower section is a soft beige, while the upper part is the more common red brick. The roofing is a light green, which is more unusual for newer parks.

View from Texas Avenue

Although the main entrance is on Texas Avenue, if you walk along Crawford St., you will find more entrances which are not as crowded. Because these entryways are covered by green awnings, you can wait here in the shade if you show up before doors open. The Ruggles Cafe and Restaurant are also along Crawford, although the restaurant opens at the same time as the gates (2 hours before game time), so if you are hungry, try the Cafe instead. The view from Crawford Street is a bit different than the front of the stadium - there are a number of curved arches on the west side of the park, and as far as I know, are only there to add to the look of the stadium. Another feature is the clock tower at the corner of Texas and Hamilton Street; this is the first major-league park to have bells installed. The bells indicate the time as well as playing musical numbers on occasion, although we didn't hear any while we were waiting outside.

Seating at Minute Maid is reasonable, especially when you consider the level of talent the Astros possess. Dugout boxes are $29 while Field Boxes are $25. All lower level seating is below the main concourse, and all of it provides for good views of the field, expect for the last few rows which are affected by the second deck overhang. Small scoreboards are installed here, since the main board is not visible. 

The next ticket type is the Crawford boxes, the small section above the left field fence. At 315 feet down the line, this is the section you will see on TV the most as home runs fly into here on a regular basis. Crawford seats are great at $17, but tough to get. On the right field side, there are the $15 bullpen boxes. 

The second level was the club level at $28 between the bases and $24 otherwise. The 200 level seats in right field are a bit far but go for only $12. The upper deck seats are $12 for mezzanine and $10 for all others. Finally, there are $5 seats that are fine if you are on a budget - they are in the last 5 upper deck sections along the left field line . We recommend the good seats (obviously) but if money is a concern, try for Mezzanine seats - we didn't like the $10 seats as they were quite high and very hot as well - the lower seats get the best air conditioning. But the best seats for your buck are probably the Crawford Boxes, but again, these can be difficult to obtain.

The features of Minute Maid include the Conoco Home Run Alley behind the Crawford Boxes, which honours Astro homer heroes such as Jeff Bagwell, Jose Cruz, and Cesar Cedeno, among others. There is also a small display that includes gloves, Astro jerseys through the years, and bats. Make sure to check out the Home Run Pump as well - it is a large gas pump that counts the number of Astro dingers hit at Minute Maid since opening day on April 7, 2000 - when we were there it went from 218 to 220. 

Another major feature is Tal's Hill, a 20 degree slope in center field, which also has a flagpole standing in it. This hill is in play, but I am not sure how often a ball gets hit over here - at 436 feet from the plate, it is the farthest center field fence in the majors. 

Finally, there is the train track above the left-field fence. Because Minute Maid is connected to Houston's Union Station, an 1860s replica locomotive rides the rails every game. It moves back and forth only occasionally, and we couldn't figure out why it moved when it did.

The train above the 99 pennant

Food here was OK, the Ruggles restaurant is rather expensive and we didn't bother trying it. But the Ruggles bar in centerfield is open to the public and anyone can sit there, although it does get busy before the game. Just beneath this bar is the Ruggles patio, which provides table dining while watching the game - but at $125/person, we recommend the bar for free. For normal concessions, there are plenty of options - Conductors Hall, just behind first base, has the best choices, but no matter where you are you should be able to get your choice. If you don't want to eat at your seat, there are some standing areas with counters where you can chow down before the game. We suggest that you get your food early as lineups form quickly - the Minute Maid crowd is big and hungry.

Centerfield patio

Some other notes - the Squeeze Play is a kids attraction with your usual games, and on the main concourse behind home plate is a bank of TV's which show out-of-town broadcasts before the game starts. But these TV's are difficult to watch because you are in the way of everyone making their way to their seat. 

The Astros have put their pennants above the train track, while the retired numbers, including 34 for Nolan Ryan, are on the wall above the upper deck seats along the left field line. 

Finally, a note on the things that I enjoyed about this stadium. First, they use the term Fan Accommodations rather than Guest Relations, the first park to do so. We need to remember that we are fans - I have never enjoyed being referred to as a guest when I am at a ball game. As well, the people at these booths were very helpful and all ushers and other staff were very friendly.

The video screen in center field is very clear, and the matrix board is double sided. As well, there is a captioning board (the first in the majors) which displays the announcer's comments for those with hearing impairments. A unique between-inning promotion was the look-alike game, where fans were compared to famous people that they somewhat resembled. Quite amusing. 

The last thing to say is about the 7th-inning stretch, where they play "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" as usual, but follow it up with a rendition of "Deep in the Heart of Texas", which really gets the fans rolling.

Overall, Minute Maid is a very good place to watch a game. I have become a bit jaded with all of the new ballparks, and initially found Minute Maid to be too similar to other stadiums. As well, I am not a big fan of retractable roof parks, as they are too large and lose some of the ambience that other parks have. Nonetheless, I still appreciate what Minute Maid has to offer. Once the neighborhood becomes a bit livelier, Minute Maid will be a top roadtrip destination for any ballpark traveler.