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Posted: Tuesday September 12, 2006 10:58AM; Updated: Tuesday September 12, 2006 12:21PM
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Seattle Mariners
Safeco Field
Seattle, Wash. :: Opened: 1999 :: Capacity: 47,447
Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images
Average Ticket Price: $24.01
Average Cost of Concessions and Souvenirs: $90.00
How expensive is stadium parking?
• FREE: 9%
• $5-$10: 13%
• $10-$15: 30%
• $15-$20: 34%
• More than $20: 11%

Is public transportation a viable option?
• Never: 8%
• Worth it if you have a lot of time and patience: 28%
• A good option to avoid rush hour: 17%
• Pretty easy if you know the system well: 40%
• The only way to go: 5%

How would you rate traffic getting to and from the game?
To the game:
• A slow-moving parking lot: 7%
• Slow, but usually steady: 28%
• Moves well outside of rush hour: 34%
• Aside from the occasional bottleneck, it's good: 25%
• A smooth ride at all times: 4%

From the game:
• A slow-moving parking lot: 18%
• Slow, but usually steady: 37%
• Moves well outside of rush hour: 16%
• Aside from the occasional bottleneck, it's good: 21%
• A smooth ride at all times: 5%
How would you rate the number of restrooms for men and women?
• Bring a map: 1%
• It depends on your section: 4%
• Never more than a short walk away: 20%
• A satisfactory amount: 20%
• Plenty: 46%

How long is the wait to use a bathroom?
• Always available: 62%
• 1-5 minutes: 35%
• 5-10 minutes: 1%
• More than 10 minutes: 0%

How would you rate the variety of food/beer concession options?
• Limp hot dogs, bland peanuts, even blander beer: 1%
• Nothing fancy, but the staple foods are tasty: 4%
• A little variety of food and drinks available at specific locations: 8%
• A nice variety but locations are spread out: 29%
• You name it, they have it around almost every corner: 56%

How much will a meal at the ballpark cost you?
• $5-$10: 16%
• $10-$20: 63%
• $20-$30: 17%
• $30-$40: 1%
• More than $40: 1%

How would you rate the entertainment options aside from the game?
• Nonexistent: 2%
• So many games/promotions and scoreboard highlights that the game is lost in the background: 5%
• Typical mascot antics/scoreboard quizzes and fun music: 32%
• Some unique promotions/antics, but it sometimes distracts from the game: 11%
• A nice balance that draws your attention when the game is stopped but doesn't distract from the action on the field: 47%
"Simply a gorgeous stadium, aesthetically speaking." A grand staircase leads you into the park near home plate before a chandelier made of glass bats welcomes you to a lower concourse from which you have a full view of the field from any location. Not to be outdone, the city skyline and Puget Sound are also visible from various points in the park. Inside, listen for the whistles from the trains running adjacent to the park, evoking Seattle's transportation history. Make your way to the bar behind the bullpens and peek out to see "a pitch from the catcher's point of view," or check out the game from the center-field beer garden. Of course, that isn't the only place to grab some suds, as most of the concessions carry a variety of local microbrews, in addition to a food court's worth of dining options, from garlic fries to sushi. With such pleasant surroundings, is it any wonder Safeco is "a friendly park for fans of the visiting team"? Maybe the Mariners should keep that retractable roof open a bit more and make everyone adjust to the elements.
Before the game, stop at the Pyramid Alehouse across the street from the left-field entrance. "The food is good, though slightly overpriced, and the beer garden features some of the best brews in the Northwest." A few blocks from the park, Pioneer Square is littered with cafés and pubs, but be wary at night, which seems to bring out the worst in the area. A hefty walk or a quick cab ride will get you to bigger tourist sites such as the Space Needle or the Pike Place market, with some quirky places to grab a bite.
2006 record: 68-74 (all statistics through Sept. 10)
Players worth the price of admission: Ichiro Suzuki (.316 Avg., 89 runs, 38 SBs), Raul Ibañez (.279 Avg., 26 HRs, 108 RBIs)
Like a lot of sights in the Northwest, Safeco doesn't receive the credit it deserves -- at least by those not living in Seattle. But should you make the trip you'd find a fan-friendly park that offers good food, plenty of different places and angles from which to watch the game and a retractable roof. If the Kingdome was an example of everything a fan wouldn't want in a stadium, then Safeco is its polar opposite, complete with a team that is a far sight from the embarrassment Seattle teams of yore once were.

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