USA TODAY has unveiled its ranking of the MLB ballparks, and Cincinnati didn't fare well in the review.
While ranking all 30 MLB stadiums USA TODAY placed Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park at No. 22. The rating took into account not just the in-stadium experience but also how good an investment each venue was for the community.
Great American Ball Park, first opened in 2003, was knocked mightily for its fraught financial history. In 1996, Hamilton County approved a half-cent sales tax for the purpose of funding new stadiums for the Bengals and Reds. That tax ended up falling well short of expectations, forcing the county to redirect funds away from schools and homeowners. As bad as the miscalculation was on the outset, the construction costs for both stadiums also went over budget by roughly $300 million.
While the Bengals are getting another $350 million from the county in exchange for a renewed lease through 2036, Great American Ball Park is set to receive an assessment costing Hamilton county $464,000.
It wasn't all bad for the Reds in the ranking. USA TODAY noted the in-stadium experience was nice, with enjoyable seating and a solid design. While they highlighted a desire for the Ohio River to play more of a role in the stadium's visual environment, based on visuals alone the venue would have ranked higher.
The Reds home stadium, though firmly in the lower half of stadiums, was still quite removed from the last-place stadium: The Texas Rangers' Globe Life Field. The Athletics' current facility in Sacramento, a tiny 10,000-person minor league venue, was viewed as too bad to count for major league purposes. Topping the list was the oldest ballpark still in use: Boston's Fenway Park.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Great American Ball Park panned in USA TODAY MLB stadium rankings