The MLB Giants' Pac Bell Park, which officially opens
tonight, is a "dazzling, state-of-the-art broadcasting
facility," that will also serve as a business venue for the
team, according to Jon Swartz of FORBES. Pat Gallagher,
President of the team's subsidiary to market the ballpark,
Giants Enterprises, said Pac Bell will allow the franchise
to "develop additional profit centers. ... We consider it
fortuitous that we are located so closely to a hub of dot-
com activity [in the neighboring South of Market area]. By
all rights, this is a full-serviced telecommunications setup
with a spectacular setting" for business meetings and off-
site industry conferences. In addition, Giants Enterprises
is "also considering bringing concerts, college football
bowl games and soccer matches to Pac Bell Park for extra
income." Swartz adds that the facility's "ubiquitous wiring
and breathtaking vistas, in fact, may also prove tempting to
national TV shows, such as NBC's 'Today' and ABC's 'Good
Morning America,' for remote shots. If that isn't enough,
Giants Enterprises is weighing an IPO" (FORBES, 4/10 issue).
PAC BELL DIVINE, BUT "SLIGHTLY FLAWED"? In S.F., John
King writes that the "most apt critique" of Pac Bell Park
"may be that" it is "a home run -- but not a grand slam."
King: "The interior of the ballpark is exhilarating, a
stylish jewel that feels both old-fashioned and newfangled.
... Unfortunately, the architecture outside doesn't pack the
same punch." He writes that the Giants "draped a polite
brick cloak around a striking modern structure, giving no
hint of the drama inside. Not only that, much of the
ballpark feels cramped -- partly because of the site, but
also because of marketing decisions made in behalf of the
team's bottom line." King adds, "The result is still
seductive. But with something this good, you're left
wanting more." But, "quibbles aside, Pac Bell Park is a
vibrant addition to San Francisco. It brings life to the
waterfront" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/11).