What’s new at Camelback Ranch for 2015

By Jon Weisman

A host of new enhancements are being unveiled at the Dodgers’ Spring Training home at Camelback Ranch-Glendale.

Dodger senior vice president of planning and development Janet Marie Smith and her team (including Younts Design) paved the way for the new amenities and attractions, which will be on view at the Dodgers’ Major League practice fields at Camelback. Here’s an overview:

• A mini Dodger scoreboard, resembling the Dodger Vision scoreboard at Dodger Stadium, will welcome fans as they enter the Major League practice fields and provide a photo opportunity.
• The scoreboard on the Dodger replica practice field has been transformed to resemble the look of the scoreboard at Dodger Stadium.
• Ten All-Star card panels, celebrating Dodger players and managers who made All-Star appearances,  line the Legends Walk that surrounds the lake. One image has been chosen for each position: manager Tommy Lasorda, Fernando Valenzuela, Mike Piazza, Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Ron Cey, Tommy Davis, Duke Snider and Shawn Green. Each Dodger All-Star to date in every respective position will be listed on the cards, which will be updated annually.
• An LA logo sculpture, similar to what’s seen at the Loge entrances at Dodger Stadium. will be located near the Dodger practice fields, adjacent to the waterfall at the lakes’ edge.
• The Legends Walk will feature 3-foot diameter baseballs that pay tribute to Dodger MVPs from Jake Daubert in 1913 to Clayton Kershaw in 2014.
• Tommy Lasorda Bobblehead, sitting adjacent to the Dodger Major League building.
• Inside the stadium at Camelback, retired numbers for the Dodgers and their co-residents, the White Sox, will be displayed over each team’s bullpen.

• A sign in the center-field courtyard will include the names and distances from Glendale, Arizona of each of the Dodgers’ minor league affiliate. The opposite side of the sign will include each of the White Sox minor league affiliates.
• The Montejo Patio, located on the first-base concourse, will feature an enlarged patio area (up from 2,000 to 5,000 square feet) and is highlighted by a shade structure covering 3,500 square feet and rising to 17 feet. The Montejo Patio features an 800-square-foot bar with tables, chairs and drink rails. Designed to fit the desert architecture of the stadium, the area will also provide fan-favorite food options.
• New to Camelback Ranch’s food menu will be an 18-inch slice of pizza, bacon-on-a-stick, kabobs and frozen yogurt.
• An additional merchandise option will be located on the left-field side of the stadium, featuring ’47 Brand Dodger caps and White Sox caps for each team’s home games (both when the clubs play against one another). Under Armour will join Nike, New Era, Majestic and others to provide a wide variety of new team merchandise.

Several fan favorites features back at Camelback in 2015 include:

• Weekends at the Ranch: At all Friday-Sunday home games, indicated as Weekend Premier games on the schedule, fans can enjoy exclusive photo opportunities, live music, special activities for kids and much more.
• Weekend Eighteen|76 Legends Deck: An all-inclusive experience at Weekend Premier games that includes a deluxe ballpark menu served from stadium opening until the end of the sixth inning. Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are available throughout the game. A former Dodger or White Sox player will visit the Eighteen|76 Legends Deck during the game.
• Senior Stroll: Seniors can stroll the bases following every Wednesday game.
• Uptown Alley Family Sundays: Children 12 and under receive a lawn seat for only $3 at all Sunday games, courtesy of Uptown Alley-Surprise. There is a limit of four discounted lawn seats for each full-price adult ticket. The $3 lawn tickets are available on the day of the game only at the ticket office. Following the game, children can run the bases.

Record attendance is expected this season at Camelback Ranch, after sales increased 20 percent from 2013 to 2014. The Dodgers have 15 home games, compared with 12 last year. Single-game tickets are on sale now. The Dodgers-Giants game March 27 is already sold out, and three games have limited availability: March 13 vs. the Reds, March 14 vs. the Indians and March 19 vs. the Angels. Tickets can be purchased online at dodgers.com/spring or by calling (800) 905-3315.