Report: PNC Field still has life, if properly maintained
Published: June 29, 2009
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PNC Field "could easily last many more decades" if properly maintained, the author of a recent repair report on the stadium said.
But with the culmination of those $13.3 million in repairs, the expiration of the SWB Yankees franchise management agreement in October and any possible interest among officials to add new amenities that a 20-year-old stadium cannot offer - the debate over a new stadium might begin soon.
County commissioners released a June 18 report from Philadelphia-based Ewing Cole that found major repairs recommended to keep PNC Field running properly. The county has already approved bidding out some repairs - others Ewing Cole recommended as soon as the Yankees' season ends. Almost half of the repairs were long-term, including $4.5 million to replace electrical equipment that will be outdated in the next decade.
There is no average age of a stadium that Ewing Cole stadium expert Craig Schmitt could give, but he said the original design of PNC Field was good and the structure of the stadium is "perfectly fine."
Cultural question
"The industry trend is for stadiums to last 30 to 40 years, but they're often replaced for economic reasons, not because the stadiums are falling down," Mr. Schmitt said, noting "the older buildings don't have the luxury suites or don't drive revenue that makes everybody money."
Robert Trumpbour, Ph.D., author of "The New Cathedrals," described the want of a new stadium in communities as more of a cultural necessity, rather than making any economic sense.
"People enjoy sports and the bonding that occurs in the community. As a result, they put money into things that may not be economically advantageous," said Dr. Trumpbour, a Penn State Altoona associate professor of communications, adding he is amazed by the types of amenities found in new stadiums. "As long as taxpayers continue ponying up the money, I don't see it stopping."
While PNC Field may be structurally safe, Ewing Cole's report found a serious water problem, much of which is the result of improper maintenance.
Mr. Schmitt said water is leaking through caulking between the concrete. The caulking is only meant to last five to seven years, but has been allowed to deteriorate to a point where water is seeping through. Though it sounds like a simple fix, there is a stadium worth of caulking that needs to be replaced, he said, and the work can't be done while the season is ongoing.
"(The caulking) must've been replaced at least once, but how often, I don't know," Mr. Schmitt said. "I think a lot of the problems will be fixed with that."
Normal aging
The types of problems being described at the stadium are not unusual, said Pat Endler, vice president of the Wilkes-Barre-based architecture and engineering firm Borton Lawson. The firm helped build the Wachovia Arena.
"One of the big misconceptions out there among the public is that masonry and concrete structures are weatherproof - that's simply not true," Mr. Endler said.
Picture the problems people have with homes because of Northeast Pennsylvania's climate changes, snow, rain and wind, he said.
"Those issues are happening with a stadium, too, on a much larger level," Mr. Endler said. "It's perfectly reasonable that it (PNC Field) would need some repairs."
Maintenance of the stadium is the responsibility of Lackawanna County and its multi-purpose stadium authority. But the management agreement allows for the work to be done by SWB Yankees and taken out of the county's share of the stadium revenue.
The authority has much of the work done by SWB Yankees, said authority board President Tony Zaleski. The authority otherwise has enough money to pay its solicitor and administrative fees, he said. County officials and team President Kristen Rose could not immediately say last week how much is spent on maintenance each year.
"We've been doing absolutely everything we can. But over 20 years, the repairs are much more extensive than just minor undertakings we can do," Ms. Rose said.
It's unclear if the authority had any maintenance schedule or plan for repairs like replacing caulk. And how the county will pay for that and other repairs that weren't needed immediately isn't clear either, said county Commissioner Corey O'Brien.
"We're taking a month to review our financial position," he said. "And the long-term repairs are long term. We're not committing ourselves to anything until we have a chance to analyze them."
Mr. O'Brien reiterated that a new stadium, which he thinks will cost upward of $50 million, would not be possible with the current economic climate.
But both Mr. O'Brien and Ms. Rose indicated whether long-term repairs are made will have to be weighed with any need to repair the stadium field and any desire to improve the "fan experience," such as renovating the luxury suites, improving the concourses or adding a new scoreboard.
Ms. Rose said it is premature to discuss long-term repairs until such costs and items can be assessed as well.
"The bottom line for us is we do have a great relationship with everybody," she said, addressing the lingering rumor that the organization might be interested in moving out of the area. "We're still happy here. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is in the New York Yankees' fan zone. And the New York Yankees like the close proximity for rehabbing and bringing players up to try them for a few days."
Contact the writer: cschillinger@timesshamrock.com
17 posted comments
Yankees farm system stinks?! That team in SWB is the defending AAA champions, and the most recent team who won that title was back in the 1950's. What planet are you from? Do you even think before you talk? You speak of the good ole days when the Barons were in town? I would bet you barely attended the games, and may have even called them the Dead Barons.
Support the guys on the field, and take up business matters with those who can do something about it. SWB Yankees are the 2008 International League Champions.
Further down you say, "Given the unfortunate uncertainty about the franchise's future..." And then you conclude with this statement, "The commissioners have an appropriate goal in preservation of Triple-A baseball in this market."
I may be jumping the gun BUT, and God forbid, should the people of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties ever lose our AAA baseball affiliation I propose that a MONUMENT OF SHAME be erected in a prominent and well travelled place listing all the names of the people responsible for the loss of the AAA affiliation. The monument would include the names of the comissioners who engineered the debacle, Cordaro and Munchak, as well as the names of the 4 mambers of the Multi-Purpose Stadium Authority Board who voted to relinquish their legal authority and civic responsibility to Mr. Cordaro.
Also listed on the monument would be the names of the MEN WHO VOTED AGAINST Mr. Cordaro's sellout to Mandalay and the Yankees.
Either way, the yanks will get what they want and that is outta here !
Part of the additional track would have to be elevated to clear the top of the outfield wall but I cannot see this being a truly extravagant cost. As it is, the trolley already stops in the parking lot off the 3rd base side, but very few in attendance get to see it or even know it's there. Why not complete the picture?
If you haven't taken the trolley to a game before, you don't know what you're missing. They don't operate for every game so you might want to check ectma.org for the schedule if you're planning to go. With added exposure I have no doubt they would sell out every game.
The commissioners and the stadium authority need to make this happen