Monday, September 21, 2009

As many of you know by now, the League of the Rising Sun is in financial trouble and currently is in the final stages of being bought out by the American run baseball league known as the PEBA.  For many Japanese fans this is very sad news, but for others it brings new opportunities.  The city of Kuwana is one of the first places to have struck a deal to capitalize on the regime change of the league.  This past Tuesday it was announced that Kuwana will be the home of the Steel Dragons.  Dragons owner Anthony Esposito had this to say…

"When presented with the opportunity to own a baseball team in Japan, many fears ran through my mind.  I wanted to make sure that I found a place where I would feel at home.  Kuwana is the home of the Nagashima Spa Land Amusement Park.  Where else would a kid from the Jersey Shore feel more at home then at a tourist town?  I knew immediately that this was the place I wanted to be.

They say hindsight is 20-20 and it certainly applies here.  “Steel Dragon 2000” just so happens to be the name of the park’s once record-holding 300+ foot tall roller coaster.  As it turns out, Esposito had this city in mind the whole time but went on a wild goose chase trying to find this imaginary city called Nagashima.  You see, in the year 2004 Nagashima and Tado merged to become a bigger city now known as Kuwana.  Once in contact with the city of Kuwana, the Steel Dragon name was presented to the city as a show of goodwill to help move along the negotiating process, which seemed to be very effective.

This parking lot will be a ballpark in 2010

Straight ahead will be the location of the left field corner

Following the announcement of the home city were plans to build a brand new state-of-the-art baseball stadium in between the shadows of the Steel Dragon coaster and the base of the Ibi River.  Nagashima Park, as it will be known, is designed by HOK Sport.  Judging by the renderings, it appears to have a somewhat striking resemblance to PNC Park in Pittsburgh.  Steel Dragons Executive of Baseball Operations Hiro Tanaka adamantly stated that the field dimensions and fences will be that of a traditional ballpark, meaning there will be no quirks such as unnecessary angles of walls, extremely large walls or short dimensions, and by all means no flag poles or any hills other than the pitcher’s mound on the playing field.  From the fans’ perspective, they will have a great view no matter where their seat is.  Looking towards home plate from the outfield you will see the ominous sight of the Steel Dragon coaster peeking over top the stadium.  From the infield seats looking out to the outfield you will see the Ibi River and the monstrous Twinkle-Ibigawabashi Bridge.  Fans who sit indoors (luxury boxes) should take note that they must remove their shoes and leave them in a locker on the main concourse.

Small panorama of the Twinkle-Ibigawabashi Bridge/Kuwana skyline

As far as outside the park?  Anthony Esposito got his way and added numerous "bells and whistles".  From the main parking lot, fans will walk to the left, to the right, or even directly under the Steel Dragon coaster.  The main path which leads directly towards the home plate entrance has a park-like setting with a fountain along with some bushes and flowers.  Going behind the right field section of the stadium you will be able to walk down a boardwalk over 1,000 feet in length.  Along the boardwalk are many street vendors and games.  At the end of the boardwalk is the all new "Steel Pier".  Steel Pier is an added attraction to the Nagashima Spa Land complex.  On game days, ticket holders will be allowed to ride all the rides on the pier for free.  Season ticket holders can ride for free even when there is no game that day.  What a treat it will be for young fans to spend the whole day at the ballpark!  From 10 AM-4 PM they can have fun on the pier, then have dinner at one of the many concessions on the property, then enter the stadium to enjoy batting practice and the game.  On the other side of the pier is a small beach for mom to sun herself while dad and the kids play.  Also there is a large garden area with a berm.  Vendors serve cold sandwiches in baskets here so the family can have a relaxing "picnic in the park".  Future plans (not in rendering) include a pier on the right field side of the stadium for kayaks, jet skis, waterway transportation and even party boat rides.

Rough rendering of the future Nagashima Park