Citibank, Chase, Citizen and PNC...

What could all of these have in common, aside that they are all banks? 

Chase, Citizen and PNC, not to forget Coors, Busch and Minute Maid -  and now Citigroup all have their own ball field. 

On November 13th, 2006 the new stadium for the 'Amazin Mets' broke ground and was claimed by CitiGroup for the naming rights.  Citigroup agreed to pay the Mets 20 Million dollars a year for 20 years for the name rights.    This new field is projected to cost over $630 Million Dollars which most of the funding has been said to come from the Mets own pockets.  The Mets have agreed to maintain the park, the Field, the parking lots and all other maintenance, furthermore, the Mets also agreed that 81 of their season games will be played at the new home and the Mets can not move for 35 years. 

"From the outside, the ballpark will resemble the former home of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Ebbets Field, that will including a rotunda at the main entrance of the ballpark. The facade will be reddish brown brick and limestone with concrete arches and exposed steel to resemble bridges. Citi Field will be open on the north end to provide views of Willets Point. Inside, the ballpark will have a seating capacity of 44,100. The main three tier grandstand will run from the right field foul pole to home plate, down to the left field foul pole and into left centerfield." Ballparks of Baseball-

The front of the new Field will now be on Willets Point, as opposed to the now Northern Boulevard entrance.  This should be a bit less congested as well as easier to park (so they say).  There will be more seating accommodations, larger seats and more bathrooms (God knows, we always need MORE bathrooms).   I can now rest easy knowing that there will be 646 bathrooms to chose from when I go watch my son sweep the Mets in the Subway Series at Citigroup Field. 

The next two years while construction is going on, expect that there will be more problems getting in and out of the facilities.   The planned date of opening day is scheduled, prayed for April 2009.