More can be found here:

http://www.maurybrown.com/?p=75

Looks big-whats the capacity?

It's not... 41,000.

It's the use of the double-decker suites that increases the height.

Total footprint of the ballpark by itself: 14 acres.

Footprint with the additional buildings (parking, etc.): 21 acres.

Too bad they couldn't go with two levels like PNC, but they needed to accomodate all of the extra suites for the DC lobbyists.

More here:

http://www.maurybrown.com/?p=75

I'm really mixed on this. The overall concept with the on-site parking, the mixed-use development, restaurants and retail I love. I think its great, and really shows how a stadium can help to bring businesses and money into an area. Another feature I really like is the public "plaza" area outside the stadium. I give the overall site plan/design vision an A.

The stadium, however, I find disappointing. It seems a tad cold and uninspiring/unadventurous. Its really rather boring. The architecture is a departure from the mold of recent ballparks, however, and that type of boldness/creativity is refreshing, at least from a design standpoint. I just wish it screamed baseball a tad more, rather than just whispered it. The field itself looks to have good dimensions, and it really looks like the fans will be close to the action. Seems to have a fair amount of foul ground for pop ups; not too much to be pitcher biased, not too little to be too hitter friendly. Only time and games will tell whether its a homer-happy band-box or a pitchers park. I give the stadium a C+.

Overall, I'd give it a B. Not a B+. Not a B-. Just a solid B. I think it is very possible to blend a mixed-vision with a modern glass and steel stadium. I think that this is close and may be a sign of the shape of things to come, but this definitely isn't the end-all, be-all shrine to modern day baseball that all future stadiums will strive to aspire to. Hopefully our stadium will be better.

The more I've looked a the design...

One glaringly bad design aspect is the fact that you look out at the parking garages. That's your centerfield view.

Not quite on par with say, PNC or Safeco where it takes your breath away.

True but SAFECO does have a parking garage that looks to be about the same height in the left-centerfield area.

Also those suites on the third deck will be an odd place to watch a game from. I sat it the top row of suites in PGE and it was weird being that high up , but that close to the plate.

quote:

Originally posted by SeattleHawk94:
True but SAFECO does have a parking garage that looks to be about the same height in the left-centerfield area.

I was thinking the same thing. The whole design was centered on the ability to view the capital, not a parking garage! So it would make a lot more sense if the parking garage is low enough to be out of view from inside the stadium.