Unremarkable Harbor Park

Official Review by Jack Harver, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

Since its construction in 1993, Harbor Park in Norfolk (Va.) has been the go-to sports attraction for Hampton Roads area families.

Sure, there's the Norfolk Scope, home to the Norfolk Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, but that's for a rowdier set. And it smells much more like the inside of a game-worn hockey skate.

Norfolk, the epicenter of the United States' 36th-largest metropolitan area, has tried a few hare-brained schemes to woo professional franchises over the years. City representatives pitched the "Hampton Roads Rhinos" to the NHL as an expansion team in 1997, courted the Hornets when they left Charlotte in 2002, and offered to expand Harbor Park to accommodate the Montreal Expos in 2004. But for better or worse, the Triple-A Norfolk Tides have remained the biggest game in town since they showed up back in 1969.

For a franchise that's been a Norfolk institution for over 40 years, you would figure the ballpark would be more distinctive.

Food & Beverage    3

Harbor Park does garden-variety as well as would be expected from any venue that's more than two sets of bleachers. There are branded snow cones, vegetarian options at the numerous concession stands, and overpriced, undersized barbeque sandwiches presented as a notch above the ol' three-dollar dog. For five bucks you can enjoy a fried Twinkie or Snickers bar, which is downright tame next to the doughnut burgers and 5,000-calorie feasts boasted by some other minor league ballparks.

For an extra $12-$16 ($8-$12 for kids) on top of your ticket price, there are two unique touches that distinguish Harbor Park among its MiLB cousins. A picnic area behind the left field fence can be booked either for a pre-game or in-game party; across the way, in right field, there's a restaurant (Hits at the Park) with a menu ranging from chicken tenders to tilapia provencal and a great view of the game.

Atmosphere    3

Very, very family-oriented. Again, Norfolk's drunken heckler/fighter/degenerate types gravitate to the hockey games further downtown. The on-field action is emphasized less by its quality, the Tides, last-place finishers in the International League, are the farm team for the AL East's last-place Baltimore Orioles, than by the absence of distractions inside the park.

In a way, it's nice to buy a ticket, grab some grub, take a seat, and watch the game. It's simple, if also a bit unremarkable.

Neighborhood    2

As recently as 2003, this rating would've been a perfect 5-of-5. That's when the Boathouse, which hosted performances by music legends from The Ramones to 50 Cent, closed down across the water from the center field fence.

Now, Harbor Park's not quite walking distance from MacArthur Mall, Chrysler Hall, and the sights on Norfolk's downtown waterfront. Granted, few of the families taking in a game would've stuck around for a show in the unabashedly grungy local hotspot, but at least the parents could steal a look and remember the days when they did.

Fans    3

"Noise!" is what the video board in center field wants, but no one seems fussed when the result is a slight, sporadic, and short-lived +1 to the low, bustling volume of this park's crowd.

The main source of entertainment when sitting among Norfolk's laid-back baseball fans is keeping a running count of how many MLB teams are represented by jerseys. Between Naval Station Norfolk on the other side of town and Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Hampton Roads' military population includes fans from all across the country.

It's not uncommon to spot, for instance, a Detroit Tigers shirt (whether the Tides are facing the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate or not).

Access    4

Pretty straight-forward. Well-marked signs guide you to the park throughout downtown and along I-264 in both directions. On game days, Harbor Park shares parking with the city hall's nearby garages, so there's always plenty.

Catch the downtown tunnel at the wrong time from points west, though, and you'll have an hour to understand why this isn't a perfect score.

Return on Investment    2

According to last year's MiLB average fan cost index (FCI), a Tides game is a pretty poor value. The FCI, which tallies the cost of two adult tickets, two child tickets, four hot dogs, two sodas, two beers, a program, and parking, is meant as a rubric for families, Norfolk's target audience.

But Harbor Park's $76 FCI comes in above the Triple-A average ($67.77) and nearly $20 more than Durham Bulls Athletic Park, home of the International League's first-place team across the North Carolina state line. Worse, that figure doesn't account for the higher cost of a picnic or a table at the restaurant to make your Harbor Park visit unique.

Extras    1

Delivering what's expected at an acceptable standard is worth at least a point's gratuity. After all, acclaimed director Woody Allen once said that "90 percent of life is just showing up," and Harbor Park does a good-enough job meeting the minimum expectations of a minor-league venue.

But the entertainment value of a night at this park has to be measured by the talent on the field, because there's nothing much that's special going on in the stands. Until the next Matt Wieters or David Wright comes through, it's just another place for baseball.