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Cheney Stadium & the Tacoma Rainiers

Official Review by Tim Keeney, Stadium Journey Special Correspondent

Cheney Stadium, named after Ben Cheney, a local businessman who was responsible for bringing baseball to Tacoma, Washington, recently went through a $30 million renovation.

With the renovations, they managed to make many improvements, while still keeping the stadium in the same, beautiful area.

The old roof was taken down and replaced with a luxury suite/press box structure towering behind home plate, and new concession stands were added, as were team stores and improved team clubhouses. They also cleared out the bleachers on the right field line, and replaced it with a nice grass stretch/family area.

The stadium is still wide open, offering plenty of different seating options, and still offers a terrific family experience.

Food & Beverage    3

Because of the pricey renovations, the food isn't as cheap as you'd like. However, there are options for everyone. They've got all the classics, such as hot dogs and beer ($5 and $7, respectively). If you want to go down a different path, there are cheeseburgers ($7), pizza by the slice ($5) or by the pie ($30!), an assortment of sandwiches, seafood, sweets and a barbeque pit.

While some of these prove to be a little pricey, there are definitely some unique favorites on the menu. Try the Cheney 2X3 Burger with a couple of friends. It's $30, but it's loaded with four cheeseburgers, and seems worth it. Or you could try the Wart "Hog-Zilla," which, at $15, might even be a deal. It was described as two feet of hot dog.

While I couldn't bring myself to get a "Hog-Zilla," I did get a pulled pork sandwich from the same stand. It was eight bucks, but it was delicious.

Atmosphere    4

There are tons of great ways to enjoy the game here. My seat was on the third base line, and everything was perfectly visible. There wasn't much leg room, but it was doable.

After I got something to eat, I decided to move to the family area over on the right field line. There is a large grass stretch that parents seemed to like to bring their kids to. You can bring your own blankets, chairs, pillows etc., and let your kids run around. Unfortunately, to see the game, you need to be higher up on the grass area. Behind the grass, there is a line of picnic tables where I chose to sit, and while the sun is pretty much right in your eyes, you can see the field perfectly.

On the left field line, there is a massive, four deck structure. The first three decks were rented out by different parties, but on the top deck was the beer garden. It rises up above the field, and with the sun behind you, it might be the best place to watch the game. As far as beer gardens go, it wasn't overly crowded, either. Try to go on a Tuesday, when they have $2 beer nights.

There may not be much around, but it's a beautiful place to watch a game.

There were lots of games and little events in between innings that also definitely added to the atmosphere, and family experience, as well.

Neighborhood    2

There's not too much around Cheney Stadium. Sitting right behind the stadium is Foss High School, and there didn't seem to be any restaurants or bars within a few block radius. There was a Fred Meyer supermarket right next door, so I guess that's a plus if you need to find something to eat before the game.

Fans    3

The fans knew when to get excited. They cheered during the leadoff home run, and they cheered when Tacoma put together a little rally in the fifth inning. When they were excited, they really got into it.

However, during the down times, they didn't seem interested at all. I spotted multiple people reading their books over on the grassy area. It was an extremely nice night, and the stadium was pretty empty, as well.

I considered dropping the rating to a two because of the lady next to me who, during every routine fly ball, would scream her lungs out at the outfielder to drop the ball. That didn't work in third grade, and it doesn't work now. However, I won't penalize the rest of the good fans for her poor efforts.

Access    5

Not much to say here. There was little-to-no traffic getting to the game, and I just had to pay $5 to park right in front of the stadium. There was also supposedly free parking right across the street.

The renovations also added more bathrooms, and it took less than a minute to find one.

Return on Investment    3

Even the general admission grassy area will cost around $8, so it's a little pricey, but I felt like the experience is worth it. It's a good way to enjoy a nice summer night. During a fall night, however, I don't know if it would be worth it. Still though, it can get expensive for a minor league game, especially when you factor in some of the food prices.

Extras    3

One point for the team shop having game worn jerseys, and one point for having players signing autographs out in the hallways before games, and one for Jonathan Stewart throwing out the first pitch.

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