I think Japan’s new baseball stadium is onto something here…
The new park, which opened today, has decided to combine the excitement of a sporting event with the hotel staying experience. A trip to a baseball game often requires finding lodging for the stay, and the “Es Con Field Hokkaido” has brought them together for a “best of both worlds” experience.
The ballpark, which is located in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido, Japan, offers plenty of amenities for fans:
-35,000 seats
-Retractable roof
-Hot tub, sauna, and spa
-Brewery
-Garden
-Museum
-Field-view hotel and restaurant
Check out the video below showing one of the “field-view” rooms in the hotel:
How cool is that? I’m sure that room is astronomically expensive, but buying the room for the weekend would keep you from having to buy tickets for the game (unless you wanted to get closer to the action).
Many baseball stadiums in the United States have hotels and other businesses adjacent to the ball parks with views of the field, but this newly opened park in Japan is the first of its kind to combine all the aspects of a sports trip and put them into one stadium.
Plus, imagine all the perks of having one of the field-view hotel rooms? I can definitely think of a few:
-Basically gives you the feel of watching the game from a Club Level/Box, but you are actually just in a hotel
-If the game is boring, you can take a nap in your bed
-No long lines at the bathroom, you’ve got your own
-BYOB: none of those ridiculous stadium alcohol up-charges, just pack the hotel room mini fridge to the brim
I know a stadium like this would most likely hurt the lodging industry, but in a time where sports teams are looking to maximize their profits, a building such as this one would allow for sports teams to keep their fans “in the stadium” at all times. The more time you spend somewhere, the more likely you are to spend more money.
That isn’t an actual scientifically proven theory, but that logic has to be correct.
I think we might be seeing NFL and MLB teams with new stadium projects in their future looking at this state of the art, industry-changing baseball park in Japan for guidance. I know I would enjoy it as a fan, and I know the owners of the team would love stuffing more of my money into their pockets.
