If You Build It, They Will Come.
Last spring I mentioned in a post how I admire the indian tribes in Arizona and how they run their business enterprises. White people bitch about the casinos, the special rules our tribes have, and claim there's a double standard. Whatever. Considering our history of mistreatment I think the double standard is small compensation.
The leadership of the Salt River Indian Tribe has business savvy. They have two casinos, a highrise resort, golf courses and they bring in top line entertainers to draw the crowds to their properties. Some of the same white folks complaining are hunched over the blackjack table on Friday night or sitting in front of electronic no armed bandits. It's the only gambling action in town. If there's one thing old cranky bigots in are great at, it's hypocrisy.
I've never spent a nickel gambling in the Arizona indian casinos, because they don't have craps, but I have seen a few live shows and I do attend ballgames at the Salt River Indian's lastest project, the Fields at Talking Stick, by far my favored indian property.
This was Wednesday, my day of half hooky, at the Salt River Fields watching the Cleveland Indians scalp the Arizona Diamondbacks in spring training. It seemed fitting the tribe winning.
In an economic time when no city could afford such an endeavor, the indian tribe stepped up to the plate and hit a grand slam. The plans were drawn up, two Major League teams agreed to 25 year leases, but the city of Scottsdale could not get taxpayer approval for funding. The long awaited spring training facililty was dead in the water, until the Salt River Indians saw a business opportunity that would help the community and themselves.
In the spring of 2011 the tribe opened the new 10k seat ballpark and training facility they built for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. I attended a game at SRF exactly one year ago, but forgot my camera. I really wanted to give the tribe their due respect in my blog, so I returned for another game, tough duty.
I have to give the injuns shit in one regard. I had to go on long distance beer patrol to find good taps. I give SRF a B+ beer score because you have walk too much concourse to find quality brews. They have the goods, just not in the kiosks or snack bars close to your seat. You see those yellow umbrellas below? ... that's good beer turf, where the cheap seats are. WTF? I sat behind homeplate, the view in the top photo. Crap beer all around me, like Blue Moon and Coors, blech.
It's a beautiful ballpark, players and fans have been raving about it since it opened. I tip my cap to the tribe for building it. I admire the business, public relations and community sense they displayed in making this project happen. I hope they make millions of dollars. This pale face fan will keeping coming, but they might find me sitting closer to these umbrellas.