A tour of Miller Park

The sparkling edifice towers over the surrounding area like a sentry standing watch on a cool May evening.

The glitzy, glamorous shrine overwhelms the neighborhood in both its beauty and its cost. What is this temple dedicated to the populace of Milwaukee?

Why, Miller Park, of course.

Situated just south of the now-extinct County Stadium in the Menomonee River valley, Miller Park has already proven itself to be the baseball show palace that it was expected to be.

The $400 million structure, which opened for business in April, has been receiving accolades from all that have gazed upon its beauty. Once inside, the visitor is awed by the immensity and grandeur of the facility. The huge, state-of-the-art scoreboard and the seven panel retractable roof are just two of the features that have been the talk of Milwaukee and Wisconsin alike.

The scoreboard consists of a 37-by-48 foot Smartvision color video board and a 32-by-76 foot monochrome matrix board. The color board replays highlights and shows player photos and the like. The mono matrix board shows stats, line scores, and other game info. Watching the color video board is no different than watching a big screen television in the comfort of your own living room. The clarity of the picture is spectacular.

The roof is a one-of-a-kind design that consists of seven panels (two are fixed, non-moving panels) that can open or close in ten minutes. The inside height of the roof is 175 feet above second base, and the outside height at the same point is 240 feet. When closed, the stadium can be heated to 30 degrees above the outside air temperature. (On Opening Day, that feature was welcomed!) The roof will open and close after games (weather permitting) to allow fans to witness the operation. Watching the roof move and listening to the theme song from "2001: A Space Odyssey" will give you chills. I've been to the park three times and it still fascinates me.

Outside the ballpark, near the home plate entrance, are two bronze statues bearing the likenesses of Robin Yount and Henry Aaron, respectively. The 7-1/2 foot, 900-pound statues symbolize two of the greatest players ever to wear the Milwaukee uniform. Banners attached to the stadium are inscribed with the names of current Brewers, a nice tribute to the players who have the honor of opening Miller Park.

Upon entering, a dramatic difference is noted from County Stadium. The inside concourses are very wide, and even with 42,000 fans on Opening Day, it did not seem that crowded. It is a pleasant change to be able to walk back to your seat with a beer and a brat and not have to worry about being bowled over by a fan who is on an urgent bathroom break.

Speaking of concessions, there are stands situated on all four stadium levels, and the entrees vary from the usual brats and burgers to Cajun grilled chicken breast ($6.75) to peppercorn seared tenderloin ($9.50). Munchies include popcorn ($2.50), venison jerky ($4.50), and gourmet candy apples ($6.50). "Healthy" items include fruit salad with yogurt ($5.50) and grilled chicken Caesar salad ($6.75). The beverages include domestic beer ($4.25), daiquiris, and Jack Daniels' coolers ($5.00). The kids also have a special menu, and if you have room after indulging on the main meal, six varieties of dessert are available.

The four levels of seating and their prices are: field ($27-50), loge ($20-27), club ($24-32), and terrace ($10-16). Bleacher seats are available and cost anywhere from $5-10. During the first exhibition games, it was discovered that certain seats had very poor sightlines, so the Brewers decided to make these "Uecker seats," and charge only $1 per game. So now, even though you are not sitting in the front row, the cost of your ticket makes the sacrifice of a perfect view well worth it.

If you are sitting in the front row, you need to be overly cautious. At certain points, home plate is closer to the stands than it is to the pitcher's rubber. Inattentive fans have been woke up by baseballs and flying bats, so be careful down at the field level.

The field itself is natural grass. Distances for home runs are: LF foul line (344 feet), LF power alley (370), CF (400), RF power alley (374), and RF foul line (345). Home runs have rocketed out of Miller Park at high pace, but managers and players are not so certain it is a "hitter's park."

Patrons in Friday's Front Row Sports Grill (located behind the LF fence) have seen home runs by Richie Sexson break windows right in front of them, so they are literally in the front row and need to be attentive.

All of the features are too numerous to mention here, but believe me, Miller Park is worth the trip. There are good tickets available for most games, so why not do yourself a favor and pay a visit to Milwaukee's newest landmark.

And keep cheering for the Brewers!