Reds unveil new features at GABP

Submitted information/Van Wert independent sports

CINCINNATI — Baseball season is underway and Major League Baseball’s Cincinnati Reds have added a number of new features to enhance the fan experience during the 2018 season.

New Ballpark Features

• Budweiser BOWTIE Bar: A second level has been added to the BOWTIE Bar in right field and is open to all ticketed fans. This expansive deck offers unique views of the field and Ohio River along with access to the full-service BOWTIE Bar and new bar serving Budweiser products on the upper level.

• Budweiser Balcony: The new Budweiser Balcony in right field contains 12 loge boxes (each with 4 seats) and offer private tables and TV monitors. Boxes are available for 2018 season plans. More information at 513.765.7500 or reds.com/Balcony.

• Garden Bar: Open to all ticketed fans, the new Garden Bar is located just inside the main ballpark entrance to the right of the Crosley Terrace gates. The Garden Bar serves beer, wine, soda and water from the time ballpark gates open until the end of the seventh inning. $5 24 oz. Budweiser happy hour beers will be served prior to the start of the game.

• Clydesdale Cart: The Clydesdale Cart on Crosley Terrace (outside the gates near Joe Morgan & Pete Rose statues) will serve $5 24 oz. Budweiser beers during a pregame happy hour. Fans are permitted to bring the beer and cup through the gates into the ballpark. The Clydesdale Cart will be open two hours prior to the first pitch and close at the beginning of the game.

• The Handlebar Terrace: Fans with tickets to The Handlebar at the Riverfront Club presented by JACK Casino now have an outdoor terrace to enjoy great views of the field and Ohio River.

Upgrades Around The Ballpark

• Ballpark Express: The Ballpark Express mobile order pick-up stations are expanding to three locations for 2018 plus many more food and beverage options are available to order exclusively on the MLB Ballpark app. The three locations are the Kroger Fan Zone, third base Terrace Level and third base View Level. Fans can place their food or drink order on the MLB Ballpark app, wait for an alert that the order is ready, and then pick it up from the designated locker. This service incurs no extra cost and allows fans to skip the concession lines. Fans can download the MLB Ballpark app for free from the App Store or Google Play.

• FOX Sports Club: As part of the ongoing partnership with FOX Sports and FOX Sports Ohio, the official name of the FOX Sports Ohio Champions Club will now be known as the FOX Sports Club.

• The Machine Room Grille: The newly renovated Machine Room Grille is open to all fans and has added take-out ordering and a “bucketball” game table for the 2018 season.

• Center-Field Pavilion featuring Laura’s Lean Bullpen Decks: The Center-Field Pavilion is a glass-enclosed, climate-controlled area, featuring a non-reflective glass shield that doubles as the batter’s eye. New in 2018, the renovated Center-Field Pavilion is now connected to the Laura’s Lean Bullpen Decks, an open-air tiered area directly above the visitors’ bullpen. This flexible indoor and outdoor combined space is perfect for groups of 50-115 people and comes with unlimited ballpark buffet, two beers per person, private restrooms, and a great view from center field.

• LED Ballpark Lighting: All the lighting at Great American Ball Park is in the process of being converted to energy-efficient LED bulbs as part of an 18-month project. The field lighting portion has been completed for Opening Day.

• Netting: Additional netting has been installed that extends to the end of each dugout and the existing netting behind home plate has been replaced.

New Food & Concessions

• Frisch’s Signature Hot Fudge Cake and Crinkle Fries will be served at two locations near sections 119 and 130.

• Bootleggers Bar presented by Northside Distilling Co. will be serving drinks featuring Northside Distilling’s vodka and whiskey.

• Smoothie King will be serving four types of smoothies on the third base Terrace Level concourse.

• UDF’s Homemade Brands Ice Cream Products will be served at seven locations around the ballpark including the UDF Markets.

• Taft’s Ale House will have a concession stand on third base concourse featuring four beers on draught and their signature Nellie’s Key Lime Caribbean Ale in cans around the ballpark.

• Servatii iced cookies will be served in the UDF Markets and Servatii pretzel buns will be featured on two new concession items: the Goetta Burger and DAS Burger.

• Dunkin Donuts iced coffee and hot coffee will be served at eight concession stands around the ballpark starting in mid-April.

• Delaware North Sportservice is debuting new concessions items around the ballpark including:

– Goetta Fry Box: Fries or Tots topped with goetta gravy, bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and green onions (to be featured at MLB’s FoodFest in New York City in April)

– Queen City Wicked Sausages: Selection of chipotle, ghost pepper and jalapeno sausages, topped with fresh peppers and onions

– Smokehouse Bowl: Pulled pork, cole slaw, baked beans & mac-n-cheese layered in a fried tortilla shell and topped with Montgomery Inn BBQ sauce

– Candy Cloud Waffle Cone: Waffle cone wrapped in cotton candy, filled with soft serve ice cream and topped with sprinkles

Downloading the MLB Ballpark App is the easiest way to find all the new food and concessions around the ballpark.

Reds Hall of Fame & Museum

• Reds Threads Exhibit: Explore the evolution of the uniforms worn by the Reds in Reds Threads, the feature exhibit in 2018 at the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum presented by Dinsmore.

Reds Threads presented by Dinsmore features over 120 uniform items including jerseys, jackets, pants and caps, and traces the history of Reds uniforms back to the 1869 Red Stockings’ introduction of the knicker-style uniform that became the model for baseball uniforms everywhere.

Also featured in the exhibit are displays that explore unique and unusual uniform styles from throughout baseball history and examples of uniform elements from over 26 past and present Major League teams, making it one of the largest uniform exhibits ever assembled. Plan your visit at RedsMuseum.org.