Mets' Citi Field Hailed As An Improvement From Shea Stadium

Citi Field Said To Be Far More Intimate Than Shea Stadium

The Mets' Citi Field is "nothing like its predecessor," Shea Stadium, as Citi Field is "far more intimate than Shea and corrects some of Shea's worst faults," according to the N.Y. TIMES' Belson & Sandomir, who toured the new ballpark on Tuesday. Citi Field is "enclosed and many seats wrap around the outfield, so it feels much cozier than Shea's open-ended bowl." Also, seats throughout Citi Field are "angled toward the center of the infield, reducing the need for fans, particularly on the field level, to crane their necks toward home plate," and fans in center field will "get a bull's-eye view of the bullpens." Citi Field also has "many nooks and crannies that are nothing like Shea's tired symmetry." A grandstand that "hangs over right field, for instance, was inspired by the old Tiger Stadium." Concourses at the ballpark are "far wider, bathrooms are more numerous and beer drinkers will not have to wander far for a microbrew." Meanwhile, Citi Field's exterior is a "splendid architectural response to the dullness of Shea, while the inner bowl is muted," as it features "dark green seats everywhere." Mets Exec VP/Business Operations Dave Howard: "Dark green is the color of a classic ballpark. And we thought the other team in town would use blue." But Belson & Sandomir note the ballpark, "with 28 different seating categories, also feels more fragmented than Shea," as the collection of "far smaller blocks of luxury suites, party rooms, restaurants and exclusive box seats spells exclusivity or exclusion, depending on your point of view" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/5).