The MLB Giants have "managed" to get Coca-Cola "to
agree to reduce its five-story-long advertisement" for the
planned outfield area at the new Pac Bell Ballpark, "to just
your standard, run-of-the-mill four-story-long Coke bottle,"
according to Ken Garcia of the S.F. CHRONICLE. After
talking to team execs, Coca-Cola will "shrink the bottle's
girth by almost half," and that view of the bottle will be
"screened" from the bayfront S.F. neighborhood by 40-foot
trees which will be planted by the team along the open left-
field concourse. However, there is still opposition to the
amusement park design, "which subjects children in the area
to a giant advertisement of a product that could safely be
described as something other than health food." Some
planners are "troubled" by "the whole idea that the public
policy discussion is being driven by a corporate sponsor."
Garcia said if the Coca-Cola deal folds, the Giants could
lose "something in the neighborhood" of $20M. Giants CEO
Larry Baer said the team has been "bludgeoning this bottle"
to make it acceptable to residents (S.F. CHRONICLE, 10/17).
