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| Your Ballpark Guide |
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Tucson Electric Park / Tucson
Sidewinders
| Year Built | 1998 |
| Capacity | 11,500 |
| Dimensions | 340L, 405C, 340R |
| Last Visit | May 1999 |
| Web Site | www.tucsonsidewinders.com |
| Online Broadcasts | Yes |
| Online Ticket Sales | Yes |
| Phone | 520/434-1021 |
| League | Pacific Coast League |
| Level | AAA |
| Affiliation | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| Ticket Prices | Box and club seats, $8; general admission, $5 |
| Parking | $2; ample in an adjoining parking lot |
| Address/Directions | 2500 E. Ajo Way, Tucson. Tucson Electric Park is south of downtown Tucson, a stone's throw away from I-10. If you're coming from the north, take the Ajo Way exit (which is also marked as the Kino Parkway exit) and head east, following the signs. |
| Rating |  |
More Tucson Electric Park / Tucson Sidewinders news here ----->
| Description |
There are many ghosts bouncing around Tucson Electric Park. There is the
ghost of the Chicago White Sox, which plays spring-training games here.
There's the ghost of the Arizona Diamondbacks, which also plays
spring-training games here and the parent team of the Sidewinders. There
are White Sox and Diamondbacks logos everywhere, the Sidewinders souvenir
program is filled with information about the Diamondbacks (like game
schedules, promotions, bus trips to the BOB originating from Tucson and
television schedules) and at times it seems that the Sidewinders are an
afterthought.
Which, in a way, they really are. Tourism dollars are why Tucson Electric
Park was built, and tourists don't head for the city in a big way to see
the Sidewinders (or the Toros before them) -- they head to spring training
to see the White Sox and Diamondbacks. The Sidewinders are the lucky
beneficiaries of spring-training dollars.As are you, if you decide to take in a game here. If you're in the area, a visit to Tucson Electric Park is definitely recommended, because it's a gem of a minor-league ballpark, an example of a modern minor-league park done right. After parking in the adjoining parking lot, you enter TEP at ground level and look down to the action from a concourse level. The main grandstand area features theater-style seats, while there's two levels of bleachers down each line.
The outfield area is noteworthy in that there's not a single bleacher seat; instead, the designers wisely put in grassy areas on both sides of a concession area in dead-center field. It's a great area for families to throw down a blanket -- the kids can run around and play catch, while the adults get a great view of the action. The bullpens are in front of the center-field concession stand, and you can look down at them from the outfield grass. A sidewalk rings the entire playing field, so you can wander throughout the stadium through the course of a game.
If you go, spring for a grandstand seat or sit out in the outfield grass. Don't mess with the metal grandstands unless you must. There are club seats on the second level of the grandstand, but these are quite a ways from the action and are not recommended.
| History |
The current Tucson franchise can trace its roots back to 1969, when the Tucson Toros became part of the Pacific Coast League as an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Tucson had gone without minor-league baseball since 1958, although the city had been hosting spring training in the meantime.
was It served as the home of the Toros
through 1997, as the team went through several affiliations (Oakland A's,
Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers) before moving into TEP
in 1998 as the Tucson Sidewinders. More Tucson Electric Park /
Tucson Sidewinders news here ----->
Two concession stands behind the main concourse serves standard ballpark
fare -- hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, pop, and beer (Bud, Bud Light, MGD,
Heineken, Leinenkugel Red, and Dos Equis). The center-field concession
stand was closed during my early-season visit, but it's open when larger
crowds are on hand.
Concession Highlights
The real action is in the freestanding concession stands in back of the
seats. Here, you can find fresh lemonade, roasted corn and excellent
Mexican food.
You can smoke in the outer concourse or outfield grass.
Smoking
There's a children's play area in back of first base.
For the Kids
Parking in the adjoining lot costs $2. You can park for free across Ajo
Way in a city-owned lot, but you'll have quite a hike to the ticket gates.
Parking
You're square in the middle of the desert while in Tucson, and if you come
from a less exotic clime -- as I do -- you should check out the desert's
unique ecosystem. A good place to do so is the Arizona-Sonora Desert
Museum, located 14 miles west of Tucson on Speedway. This museum houses
1,300 different kinds of plants and 300 species of animals. If looking at
how humans have exploited the land is more to your liking, check out the
Asarco Mineral Discovery Center, located 15 miles south of downtown Tucson
at I-19 and Pima Mine Road, built around a open-pit copper mine. If you're
into kitsch, Biosphere 2 is 30 miles north of Tucson on Hwy. 77.
Before the Game
TEP is relatively close to both downtown Tucson and the airport. Most of
the larger chains are represented in both locations. Be warned that
there's nothing in walking distance of the ballpark, so a car rental will
be necessary for a visit.
Where to Stay