Tag Archive for: Dodger Stadium

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Opening Day and more Dodgers news

The new Dodgers season is upon us!

For Echo Parkians, however, baseball season is bittersweet. It’s GREAT to be able to walk to the games and we love being Dodgers fan, but the traffic and the noise and fighting for a seat at the sports bars before the game…. Well, it can get a little hectic.

Opening Day

Opening Day is the worst. So prepare yourself. On Monday, April 1 the Dodgers take on the San Francisco Giants once again. Here are some details for opening day:

  • Pregame ceremony starts at 12:10 pm and will include a one minute fireworks display at 1:00 pm
  • Parking gates and stadium gates will open at 10:00 am
  • Street closures are as follows: Scott Avenue between Stadium Way & North Boylston Street; North Boylston between Academy & Stadium Way; Lilac Terrace between Stadium Way & Lookout to Stadium
  • The a-frame signs (“Local Access Only”) will be placed throughout the neighborhood
  • Early LADOT staffing at Sunset/Elysian Park & Academy/Golden State Gate C areas
  • Police officers will be monitoring all activity with a zero tolerance policy in mind
  • Scott Avenue gate will be open on opening day, but for exit traffic only

Report any non-emergency security concerns to our Neighborhood Focus line at (323) 224-2636.

Stadium Renovations

There have been a lot of changes at the Stadium, including installation of a sophisticated wi-fi network (YES!), a new clubhouse, and new “amenities” on all levels (we think that means restrooms).

All the renovations will debut at tonight’s Exhibition Game versus the Angels, which starts at 7:10 pm.

Craft Beer!

Admittedly the most exciting rumor circulating around Twitter isn’t the renovated restrooms (although that’s awesome). It’s the BEER! Word is Golden Road Brewing will be on tap, finally introducing craft beer to the craft services at the stadium (by the way, Shock Top is not craft beer).

With the growing craft brewery scene in Los Angeles, we hope this is just a starting point for Dodger Stadium to start supporting local craft beer. We’ll toast to that!

This should be an exciting year – with all the roster changes, fans are hoping this will be a winning year and the high ticket sales are reflecting just that. See you at the stadium!

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Should an Echo Park intersection be named “Vin Scully Square”?

Twitter photo via Whitney Holtzman (@WHoltzman)

Last night, Dodger Stadium honored 84-year-old Dodger Stadium announcer Vin Scully with his very own bobblehead. Current GEPENC president and CD13 candidate Jose Sigala also wants to honor the legend – he is petitioning for the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Elysian Park Avenue be officially named “Vin Scully Square.”

The corner is just a stone’s throw from the Elysian Park gate into the Stadium, and where you’ll find some of the heaviest traffic after a big game. It

Click here to sign Sigala’s online petition.

Scully also ust recently announced he will return next year for his 64th season in 2013!

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Attention sports fans: The much-anticipated Vin Scully Bobblehead design

Image via LAist

Of all the Dodgers promotional nights, we have a feeling the Vin Scully Bobblehead night is going to be the one to get. LAist has the scoop on the just-released design for the famous announcer’s much-anticipated bobblehead. The give-away takes place on the Thursday evening, August 30 game versus the Diamondbacks.

Unfortunately for most of us, they are un-attainable unless you’ve got a 10 game Flex Plan. Smart move, Dodgers…

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Photo of the day: Dodgers Stadium after the storm

Flickr photo via Carlos Ontivero

Hello Dodger Stadium, and WOW. This amazing shot came up on Flickr tonight from Elysian Park. Bravo Carlos, bravo.

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What to expect in Echo Park on Dodger Stadium opening day

The new season of baseball at Dodger Stadium (with new owners!) is also going to be it’s 50th year – that’s right, the stadium opened in 1962 after bulldozing a whole neighborhood in Chavez Ravine.

But we all know about that – so here’s what you can expect in Echo Park if you’re new to the whole Opening Day hoopla at Dodger Stadium, taking place on Tuesday, April 10 at 1:10 pm in a game versus Pittsburgh:

  1. Pre-gaming: Tailgating has started as early as 7:00 am, loud music for us neighbors to hear included. But the LAPD will be in full force, arriving as early as 4:00 am to the command post, to crack down on any debauchery.
  2. The Scott Avenue gate will remain open this season for outgoing traffic only on high traffic days (it was just re-opened a few years ago after being closed for a decade).
  3. Gates open at 10:00 am – which could be a good thing or a bad thing.
  4. Pregame ceremony starts at 12:30 pm, and will include a military flyover 10 minutes before the start of the game
  5. As in past years, the Dodger Stadium Express Metro service will run. Service will run from Union Station every 10 minutes, starting 90 minutes before the start of the game, after which it will run every 30 minutes. Ticket-holders ride free, or it’ll cost you a mere $1.50 (better than the $15 parking fee!).
  6. Traffic, traffic, traffic: Department of Transportation personnel will be deployed to certain intersections to help mitigate traffic issues. Since the game is pretty much sold out, the 50,000 fans that descend on Elysian Park will certainly cause some heavy traffic before and after the game, so plan appropriately!

As we mentioned, the LAPD will be out in full force to keep everyone under control – it’s been just over a year since Bryan Stow was beaten to near death by some trouble-makers in Dodger gear, so we hope the same tragedy won’t be made again.

Be sure to call the Neighborhood Focus line at 323.224.2636, or the command post at 323-344-5707 if you any issues.

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Bobbleheads and blankets: 2012 Dodgers promo schedule

Opening Day is upon us, make sure you mark your calendars and take advantage of the goody give-aways for kids and adults! We’ve definitely got our share of Dodger gear – the “sleeved fleece,” blankets, bobble heads, and more!

Friday Night Fireworks are also back – so every home game on a Friday there will be fireworks for everyone to enjoy (we have a super secret spot near our house where we watch the show!). There will also be fireworks for the 4th of July celebration.

A Dodgers "sleeved fleece." Yes please!

Opening Day / 50th Anniversary of Dodger Stadium
Tuesday, April 10 at 1:10 pm vs. The Pirates

Clayton Kershaw Cy Young Replica (Cy Young Award Presentation)
Wednesday, April 11 at 7:10 pm vs. The Pirates

Dodger Stadium Replica
Saturday, April 14 at 6:10 pm vs. The Padres

Kids Jackie Robinson Sweatbands
Sunday, April 15 at 1:10 pm vs. The Padres
Also: Kids Run the Bases, Viva Los Dodgers

Sleeved Blanket
Tuesday, April 24 at 7:10 pm vs. The Braves

Bobblehead #1: Don Drysdale and Maury Wills
Saturday, April 28 at 6:10 pm vs. The Nationals

Kids Clayton Kershaw Replica Jersey
Sunday, April 29 at 1:10 pm vs. The Nationals
Also: Kids Run the Bases, Viva Los Dodgers

Read more

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Flyover and parachute jump performance at tonight’s Dodger game

Flickr photo by reddawg31

In conjunction with Navy Week in Los Angeles, tonight’s Dodgers game against the Arizona Diamondbacks will feature a flyover and parachute jump performed by the US Navy team, the Leap Frogs. The demonstration is also part of the Navy Appreciation theme that will be taking place at the Stadium this evening.

The game starts at 7:10 pm, so keep your eyes on the sky around 6:50 pm.

Also, in preparation for tonight’s event there will be a similar flyover and parachute jump earlier in the day between 10:30 am to 11:30 am.

Call the Neighborhood Focus Line at (323) 224-2636 with questions or concerns.

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Dodgers’ Throwback Days to kick off with WWII flyover

photo from the Dodgers website

Next Wednesday’s game (June 15) vs. the Reds at Dodger Stadium will kick off the first day of Dodgers Throwback Days, where the team will sport a rendition of the 1940s Brooklyn uniform (we say rendition, because it’s not quite an exact replica of the originals). To tempt you further – the stadium is also offering half off all food and drink that do (and no, alcohol doesn’t count).

Prior to the start of the game, which is 12:10 pm, will be a flyover by several World War II planes in conjunction with Throwback Days.

As usual, there are a few tickets for neighbors in the Echo/Elysian Park and Solano Canyon communities. They are on a first-come, first-serve basis. You can email the Neighborhood Relations Manager Noel Pallais at noelp@ladodgers.comwith your name, the number of tickets you want, your address and phone number. If you want free tickets – make sure to send your request by noon on Friday, June 10th!

If you have any issues with the Stadium, call the Neighborhood Focus Line at (323) 224-2636.

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Echo Park Night at Dodger Stadium smoked out

So we’re at the Echo Park Night at Dodger Stadium on the Reserve level, enjoying talking to locals like Bennett Kayser (who just won a School Board seat the other day), neighbors, and other EPIA members when all of a sudden this plume of smoke comes barreling down on us. Not too long after, an officer announces to our section that we should all move seats toward the other part of the stadium.

As it turns out, a “cinder block storage room away from public” on the upper level had caught fire, according to the LA Times. Thankfully, there was a helicopter nearby to shine its big bright light on the smoke. Soon thereafter, firefighters arrived – but at the 7th inning, the crowd was distracted, confused, and the Dodgers were losing 6-1 to the Marlins.

According to the announcement at the Stadium (just before we left due to the choking burnt plastic smell), the fire was under control. Thankfully, no panicking, no evacuation, but the Dodgers couldn’t pull it through. Hopefully the next Echo Park night out will be more successful!

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Last chance for tix to Echo Park Night at Dodger Stadium

Last year’s Echo Park Night at Dodger Stadium (aka Community Night) was a lot of fun – we got to meet new friends who live in the community and watch a Dodgers game. This year’s community night is coming up fast – Saturday, May 28 at 7:10 pm.

Hosted by the Echo Park Improvement Association, Community Night is an annual tradition you shouldn’t miss out on! Plus, half of the proceeds to the Echo Park Historical Society to aid in the restoration of the Jensen’s Recreation Center sign.

Tickets are just $10 for reserve seats.

Click here to contact the EPIA to reserve your tickets, or email epiamail@yahoo.com. You can also call the message line at 877-860-EPIA.

Please provide your full name, phone number, email address, and the number of tickets you’d like to purchase. The EPIA will follow up with directions on how to pick up/receive your tickets.

See you there!

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Dodgers fundraiser for Brian Stow – happening now!

The Dodgers are in San Francisco tonight for another round against the rival team, while the stadium hosts a fundraiser today for Giants fan Brian Stow, who was critically injured in the Dodgers parking lot on opening less than two weeks ago. In addition to the tragic incident (Stow remains in critical condition in the hospital), this has been a bit of a PR issue for the Dodgers franchise and Los Angeles, as owner Frank McCourt and our own mayor have been criticized for not handling the issue very well.

Today, until 3:00 pm, the Dodgers are hosting a “drive-through” relief event for Bryan Stow. All collections going directly towards the trust fund established by the Stow family to benefit Bryan and his children. Assisting the Dodgers in the relief effort will be American Medical Response, the club’s media partners (KCAL 9, Prime Ticket, KABC 790 and Univision Radio), and the Los Angeles Times.

Please drive to the Stadium and donate, in Parking Lot 1. At noon, several community supporters are scheduled to be on hand.

Monetary donations of cash and checks will be accepted, with checks being made out to the “Bryan Stow Fund.” Contributions will also be accepted via PayPal and online at sfpcu.org.

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Prepare for Opening Day at Dodger Stadium

Since the Dodgers are at this moment kicking the Mariners you-know-whats, it’s time for a Dodgers update.

Thursday, March 31, is D-Day – that is, Opening Day (and the 54th season in Los Angeles!). If you have lived around Echo Park long enough to know how completely insane Opening Day is, well you know how to avoid getting caught up in the traffic. Here’s the deal:

The past couple of years, Opening Day started in the early afternoon. This year, it starts at 5:00 pm. This could be either a good thing or a bad thing:

Good: Fans won’t be blasting music and starting the day off with a little buzz at 7:00 am in Elysian Park. (Trust me, you can hear it pretty early)

Bad: Fans will be blasting music and catching a little buzz starting at 10:00 am in Elysian Park.

Good: 50,000 people across Southern California won’t “mysteriously” call in sick on the same day, instead they’ll be able to take a half day to enjoy the game!

Bad: Traffic, traffic, traffic. Even the non-arteries to the stadium are jam-packed, so expect a bit of a parking lot outside your front door for a little while.

Good: The Dodgers are going to win their first game, and it’s against the Giants (returning from their, uh uhm, win in the world series last season)

There will be a pregame ceremony at 4:30 om, which will include displays on the field and a military flyover. All parking gates will open at 1:00 pm (much earlier than they usually open the gates to accommodate the crowds) and the stadium gates will open at 1:30 pm.

There will be some street closures on Thursday from 1:00 am – 11:00 pm for “staging purposes and game preparations.” Closures include:

  • Scott Avenue between Stadium Way and North Boylston Street
  • North Boylston between Academy and Stadium Way
  • Lilac Terrace between Stadium Way and Lookout to Stadium

And lastly, the Dodger Stadium Express is back! You can get transit service to and from Dodger Stadium using the Metro and the Metrolink trains. Transit from Union Station starts 45 minutes before the start of the game and will stop running one hour after the last out.

That’s it for now – since we have to work all day Thursday, we won’t be planning on getting home until after all the traffic has gone through. Good luck out there! See you at the games.

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Tsunami relief fundraising at Dodger Stadium today

All day today, you can stop by Dodger Stadium to help raise money for the American Red Cross Japan earthquake and tsunami relief effots.

According to a press release, Dodger alumni Bobby Castillo, Kenny Landreaux, Rudy Law, Al Ferrara, Jimmy Campanis, Derrel Thomas and NBC LA on-air personalities will be on hand to take donations. Donors who give $20 or more will each receive two tickets to an upcoming Spring Training exhibition game at Dodger Stadium.

The event started at 5:00 this morning, and ends tonight at 7:00 pm at Dodger Stadium, in parking lot 1.

Monetary donations of cash and checks will be accepted. Checks should be made out to American Red Cross with “Japan Tsunami Fund” in the memo line.

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Job Fair at Dodger Stadium on Saturday

Rain or shine, check out the 16th annual Community Job Fair Saturday, February 26. Over 100 companies from the public and private sector will be present to greet the over 10,000 expected job seekers.

Some of the companies looking to hire include Amtrak, El Super, Excel Paving, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles Fire and Police Departments, Levy Restaurants, Los Angeles Unified School District, Pacific Asian Consortium & Employment, Southern California Gas Company, University of Southern California, United States Secret Service, W Hollywood Hotel and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Participants are encouraged to dress in business attire and bring multiple copies of their current résumé.  On-site interviews will occur and many companies will be hiring on site. Additionally, the Southeast Community Development Corporation will have their Mobile Technology Unit on site to provide assistance to the job seekers including formatting and printing their résumés.

Here are the details:

Saturday, February 26, 2011 (rain or shine)
Kick-off event at 9:30 am
Event from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
At Dodger Stadium at the Field Level Concourse
Parking in Lot 6: Parking at Dodger Stadium and admission to the job fair are free. Free shuttle service will also be provided into the stadium from the corner of Elysian Park Avenue / Sunset Blvd. and Elysian Park Avenue/Stadium Way.

The 16th Annual Community Job Fair at Dodger Stadium is hosted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in cooperation with The Employment Development Department, City of Los Angeles, Youth Opportunity Movement, Worksource California, City of Los Angeles Workforce Investment Board, Central City Action Committee, Levy Restaurants, Congressman Xavier Becerra, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Senator Kevin De León, Senator Carol Liu, Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, Assemblymember Gil Cedillo, Assemblymember Anthony J.  Portantino, Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles City Councilmember José Huizar, Los Angeles City Councilmember Ed P. Reyes and Los Angeles Unified School District President Mónica García.

Click here if you’d like to download the flyer.

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Monster truck show this weekend at Dodger Stadium

The stadium floor is covered in dirt as they prep for the Monster Truck course

Dodger Stadium is ready for the final show of the Motocross/Monster Truck exhibits before the start of the baseball season.

On Saturday, February 19th, the Stadium is hosting a monster truck show from 2:00 pm – 10:00 pm. Here’s the full announcement from Dodgers Community Relations Manager, Noel Paillas:

This is a friendly reminder that this upcoming Saturday, February 19th, Dodger Stadium will host a monster truck show. This family-friendly event will occur on the field within the Stadium and will showcase racing, as well as skills of individual drivers and their respective trucks.

The exhibition and racing will begin by 2:00PM and be completed shortly before 10:00PM. This event is expected to be a sell-out and all parking gates used for games will be used for inbound, as well as outbound traffic. As such, this will be handled like all other major games/events at the Stadium. Therefore, to minimize the impact on the community a complete complement of LAPD/LADOT officers will be deployed in the community

And, like the Motocross event, there will be a limited number of first come, first serve tickets available for community members:

Finally, as has been our standing offer, we have a limited number of tickets available for members of the Echo/Elysian Park and Solano Canyon residents who are interested in attending the event. *Please understand these tickets are on a first-come, first served basis* Therefore, if you are a resident of either community and are interested in attending as our guest, you may contact me at noelp@ladodgers.com with interest (including total ticket request), your address and telephone number (additionally, since these tickets will be left under your name they are not-transferrable).  Requests must be received by 9:00AM on Wednesday, February 16th.  Tickets will be available for pick-up from our front desk starting at noon on Wednesday to 3:00PM on Friday (the day before the event) since Will-Call will not be available on the day of the event. Our Club-Level offices are located in parking lot D. Finally, if your request is granted, you will receive a follow-up confirmation email.

Should you have any questions, require additional information on this event, you may contact our Neighborhood Focus line at 323.224.2636.

Anyone thinking about going?

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