Unseen Benefit From The Tiki Bar

The newest addition to Coca Cola Park will certainly add to the park much tropical themed fun and food.

At first thought you could look at this like it’s a bad thing…

– Prime standing territory for General Admission fans lost.

– Little or no access to the players in the bullpen anymore.

– Those long rightfield home run balls will be pulled into that Tiki Bar like a black hole.

Ok, so the GA fans might be slightly slighted in this deal or perhaps they will feel that they gained access to another bar, increased drink rail capacity and menu items previously unavailable – fan reaction of course remains to be seen.

Let’s take an inside look at what us outfield fans have gained.

Increased safety in the outfield concourse.

There hasn’t been too many problems at the Coke, but there has been problems. You’ve seen the roving mobs of teens out there late in games just looking for something to do. You’ve seen the folks who have had too much to drink. It happens. It happens at pretty much every ball park.

The Security folks are usually on top of things quickly but getting them to know about it has been slow (at least what I’ve observed). Only once in 4 years did I see an employee not properly respond to an issue. (Once in 4 years times 72 games) Impressive.

Last season a woman fell and hit her head behind the bullpens. We looked left, we looked right.. no IronPig employees to be seen. We sent a runner to get EMTs. We made a phone call to the office. 15 minutes later an EMT strolled up. It’s a long walk from behind home plate when someone is laying in the outfield bleeding.

My point is, had there been an employee with a radio there, response time would have been nearly immediate.

With the arrival of the Tiki Bar, we will now have a contact point and feel that much safer in the outfield.

I don’t know about you but I’d rather feel safer then get the occasional wink from Michael Schwimer.