4	Isotopes Park
	Albuquerque, NM

On July 11 next year, Isotopes Park, also known as "The Reactor" will go positively nuclear when they host the 2007 Sandia Resort Triple-A All Star Fiesta.  With 30 cities vying for this coveted event, Albuquerque had to demonstrate that it had the facilities and fan base to earn this honor.  “It’s a testament to the incredible support we receive from our fans,” said Steve Hurlbert, the Isotopes Director of Media Relations.  “It’s a tremendous honor, especially since this is just our fourth season back in the Pacific Coast League.  In fact, Albuquerque will be the very first city to host this event twice.” 

The Albuquerque Dukes hosted one All-Star game, at the time when the Duke City was  the gateway to Dodger greats like PCL Hall of Famer and MLB HOFer skipper Tommy Lasorda, Steve Garvey, Mike Piazza and dozens of other Dodger stars.  The Dukes were a staple of the city for 29 years when, in 2000, Dukes owner Bob Lozinak sold the team out from under the city and the League without notice (See: PCLopoly) to an ownership group in Portland, Oregon. The Albuquerque Baseball 2000 committee was formed by the Mayor and area businessmen to bring the sport back to the city. 

Where to build became the question: Downtown parks had revitalized neighborhoods in Oklahoma City and Memphis, to name two.  The mayor favored the idea.  Councilmen who had designs on the Mayor’s Office began a scare-tactic campaign about wasted money robbing the tax-payers of police and libraries. They proposed a minor remodel of the Albuquerque Sports Stadium, adjacent to University of New Mexico’s basketball stadium, “The Pit” and their football stadium.

Ken Young, who had great success in the International League with the Norfolk Tides, was selected as the head of the new ownership group to install a team into Albuquerque. The city would make more money from Young’s group if the ballpark were downtown, but the scare tactics ultimately pushed the vote into the remodel of the old stadium.

What happened though, was hardly a new coat of paint.  HOK, the architects, gutted the old facility and rebuilt it from the ground up into a shining new stadium that is one of the best pieces of architecture of any of their Triple-A ballparks. 

Isotopes Park lacks a front name sponsor, after area heavy-hitters like Intel and General Mills failed to step up to the plate, but it lacks little else:  The two tiers of luxury skyboxes are some of the nicest in baseball, bar none, with interior and exterior seating, exceptional catering, and an elegant bar area.

The field and the right field seating were redesigned to reduce the crosswind that had plagued the old Sports Stadium. An outfield berm, similar to the one in Houston, was constructed for a little extra challenge as the ball can pop off the steep surface.

What was retained was the stunning view of the 12,000-foot high Sandia Peak that has been a signature feature of the site for more than 30 years.

One of the hidden secrets of Isotopes Park is how to hit it. At over 5,300 feet in altitude, the ball can have a little extra lift in the thinner air on warm nights. In the cold of early Spring, the ball tends to sink faster. If you're a homerun junkie, go when it's warm.

Isotopes Park has the HOK horsehoe inner-ring food and beverage design, where larger concessions on the outer ring and carts with everything from Dippin’ Dots® to Heart Association un-approved nachos on the inner ring are all within view of the field.  You can walk around the field completely and maintain a good view of the game from most points on the loop. The visual details, from the art-deco front entry to the signage to the cup holders in front of every seat, are exceptional even by major league standards. (See MLN Businessman of the Year 2003)

The Calgary Cannons were bought from their owner in Canada and moved to Albuquerque.  What to name the team, though, to max out merchandise and usher a new era in Albuquerque baseball?

A contest was run by Albquerque Baseball, Inc.  Fans, who were familiar with the lore of the TV show “The Simpsons” recalled that Homer bemoaned his beloved Springfield Isotopes being bought and shipped off to Albuquerque.  The link to the city and the similarties to the situation made for good marketing:  The Albuquerque Isotopes were born, along with a merchandise marketing juggernaut that is one of the best in baseball.

There has been a love affair between locals and the reborn team ever since, as evidenced by the robust attendance total of 582,839 in 2005.

On the Camino Real

For sports travel, particularly if you travel with a spouse that isn't as avid a sports fan, little tops the visit to Isotopes Park. The stadium sits at the foot of the Camino Real, the 700 year-old road, now US 25, that goes up to the pueblos of Santa Fe and Taos, the fourth largest tourist destination in the United States. Local mega indian casinos have put up top flight resort hotels in Albuquerque that are worth the trip themselves. Santa Fe lies 45 minutes to the North. Taos is an hour farther. (See the Fresh Fish and Salsa Tour)

Minor Changes (Unless You’re on the Third Base Side)

A striking new three-sided marquee sign in front of the facility informs passers-by of game promotions and Isotopes news.  Weekday games while school is in session will have a new start time:  6:35. There’s also a new auxiliary scoreboard on the third-base side of the stadium, constructed after “fans who had a limited or no view of the main scoreboard told us they’d like to be able to keep up with the game,” Hurlbert pointed out.

Experts Take

“While the structure of the ballpark is nice, it is the setting and atmosphere that make this a great place to see a game,” says Brian Merzbach of ballparkreviews.com.  “Perhaps losing the Dukes was a blessing in disguise. Doing so forced the city to build a new park which is now one of the superior facilities at the AAA level. Just a fun and pleasant place to see a game.”