Baronial venue: Lackawanna County Stadium

After a decade of laboring, the county of Lackawanna, Pa., finally had a place to introduce professional baseball.

In January 1989, Lackawanna County Stadium opened its doors as the home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The park's opening marked the first time professional baseball would be played there in more than 30 years.

The $25 million venue was modeled after the Phillies' Veterans Stadium, making adjustments easier for players promoted to the Majors and for big leaguers visiting on injury rehab assignments.

Built on 50 acres in Moosic, the stadium borders Montage Mountain, providing one of the most scenic outfield views in the Minor Leagues.

Made mostly of concrete, Lackawanna County Stadium fits more than 10,900 fans in three levels. Fans entering the stadium walk down to the main seating bowl, to box seats or the bleachers.

A right-field picnic deck near the visitors' bullpen provides a good space for group outings. A new party deck above the home bullpen is under construction and slated to open soon. Eighteen luxury suites line the second level, along with two special suites that can comfortably hold up to 100 people.

Of course, fans can also opt to watch the game from seats in the upper level.

Despite modeling the standard ballpark template, Lackawanna County Stadium offers some unique features.

"It's weird, because we're probably the last new park to follow the 'cookie cutter' model," Red Barons media relations director Mike Cummings said. "We're a new park built to look like an old park, if that makes any sense."

Cummings said the park has the same field dimensions and outfield wall height as Veterans Stadium. But there was more involved in selecting the Astroturf surface than just convenience. When baseball season is over, the park plays host to several community events including 3-on-3 basketball tournaments, soccer, field hockey and even ice hockey. The Astroturf surface helps the field handle these year-round events.

One feature enjoyed only by players is the new 8,000-square-foot clubhouse. "It's [like] a Major League clubhouse," said Cummings. "The funny part is that we had to put it down the third-base line, because it wouldn't fit where traditional home clubhouses are."

During games, fans can choose from a "baseball game menu" that offers everything from hot dogs and peanuts to cotton candy and ice cream. The closed concourse accommodates several concessions and plenty of closed-circuit televisions broadcasting the game.

The Red Barons, named after the Scranton Red Sox and the Wilkes-Barre Barons, are one of the Triple-A clubs decreasing the number of in-game promotions. Cummings said Red Barons supporters are educated fans who know the game. Not having too many between-inning activities reduces the non-baseball distractions, allowing fans to stay focused on the game and the players.

"It's a great training ground for Phillies fans," laughed Cummings. "They'll cheer you if you're playing well, and if you're not, well, they have no problem booing you either."