What Does The Fox Say? Cape Fear Unveils New Waterfront Ballpark (2062-02)

[woods]

The Riverwalk in Wilmington, North Carolina is part of the city's famous Historic District, and has been a vibrant hub for tourism for many years. It features stunning views of the Cape Fear River, and plenty of shops, restaurants, and works by local artists. And in 2062, a new centerpiece will be unveiled: Blackwater Field, a baseball stadium directly overlooking the river, and the new home of the Cape Fear Swamp Foxes, as BBA baseball comes to the port city for the first time in its history.

From the outside, the stadium's brick exterior is designed to match the style of the surrounding buildings, to maintain the harmony of the historic district. But even more so, the stadium is seamlessly integrated into the existing Riverwalk, such that it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Food vendors and merchandise shops in the outfield concourse are publicly accessible, and can be enjoyed by ticket-holders and passers-by alike.

And concessions aren't the only thing that you can do in the ballpark without a ticket — you can even enjoy the game! The left field porch opens up directly to the Riverwalk, meaning that anyone strolling by might get a chance to catch a Joshua Ackland home run. So make sure to stay alert, if you're out there.

Visitors to Wilmington's Riverwalk might also be there to see the famous USS North Carolina, a World War II battleship) permanently moored across the river as a memorial and museum.

The North Carolina is already an impressive vessel, and the views from the ballpark's upper deck offer an unencumbered view of its glory, but there's more. This year happens to be the memorial's 100th anniversary, as it was first dedicated in 1962, so it's getting a little upgrade. During home games, the ship will act as the official tailgate lounge, offering drink specials and live entertainment. But the best part: she got some hardware upgrades as well. The North Carolina has been refitted with new cannons that will go off after every Swamp Fox home run. Fans watching from the ship will feel every blast in full force, and had better hold on to their drinks tightly.

Fans attending games and entering from the street side will enter through the historic Murchison Building, on the corner of North Front and Chestnut Streets. The building was an old bank headquarters, and was declared a historic landmark by the city in 2036.

The Murchison Building also houses the team's Hall of Fame, which fans can enjoy with or without a game ticket. It houses many historic exhibits from the history of the Rockville Pikemen, Carolina Kraken, Hackensack Bulls, and the Manhattan Myst. The most-frequented exhibit is the original lineup card from the day after Manuel Aguilar's career-ending injury in 2004. (sorry for that one, @cheekimonk.)

A series of corridors connect the Murchison Building to the main ballpark. Fans who make their way past the ticket checkpoint are invited to partake in the many concession options inside the ballpark, including Carolina-themed establishments such as East Side BBQ, whose offerings reference a favorite Carolina saying, claiming to serve “every part of the hog except the squeal.” The simple vinegar-based sauce is the signature of the region's barbecue style.

Other food options around the main concourse include The Cotton Exchange, a cotton candy vendor and a nod to Wilmington's history as one of the leading exporters of cotton on the east coast. More health-conscious patrons can check out Mix'd Greens, a salad bowl stand offering a Carolina special, the Kudzu Salad, a bowl of dried kudzu leaves mixed with some beetroot and a nice vinaigrette. It's so good, it'll give you a whole new appreciation for the invasive plant.

There's also, of course, four Cook Out locations in the ballpark, with a special new milkshake flavor called Swamp Cobbler. No one quite knows what it's made of, but it's reddish-brown with bits of pie crust mixed in, and it's delicious.

After acquiring snacks, it's time to find your seat for the game, and fans will appreciate the variety of seating options available to them at the 45,000-seat stadium. The lower deck offers the best traditional view of the action, and there are plenty of vantage points from that level, spanning the length of both foul lines. But interestingly, there's a level even lower than lower deck.

In sections 001 and 002, Blackwater Field offers a unique experience for a small group of lucky fans, a seating level that is physically lower than field level, in what they call the Foxhole. They are a pair of dugouts down the left and right field lines, where 27 fans on each side can have free rein to sit, stand, or lean against the railing and yell at the visiting team's outfielders. Each Foxhole comes equipped with a giant tub of bubble gum, the same ones the real dugouts get! The only thing fans won't be able to do is call the bullpen, as much as they might want to.

For those looking for a more scenic view, the upper deck is a great option. It spans only the street side of the ballpark, from third base to down the right field line, so that the view of the riverfront remains unencumbered.

Finally, the bleachers, which sit atop the 14-foot right field wall, are where fans can have the true ballpark honky-tonk experience. The plaza hosts live country music acts which play between innings to amp up the crowd. But the event everyone looks forward to is the line-dancing competition during the seventh-inning stretch, where the winning fans can receive autographed merchandise, gift cards, or free tickets to a future game.

And because the Swamp Foxes want the new stadium to act as a permanent fixture of Wilmington's waterfront, many of its amenities will remain open even while the team is on the road. Fans can still come down to the park, get their BBQ, have their honky-tonk, and watch a live feed of the game on the jumbotron. (The Foxholes remain closed for road games, because it's a lot of bubble gum to clean up.)

Blackwater Field will officially open its doors April 1st (home or road game, it'll be open). The team's promise to the community is to treat fans with the same good old Southern hospitality they get at home. So come on, and bring the whole family!

[swillthough]

It's 2061 now, how many new flavors of Cookout milkshakes have been released?

[Krathan]

This is great. Sounds like a fun ballpark.

[Jwalk100]

The league now has a swamp to go with the slough.

[trmmilwwi]

The Doobie Brothers is played on repeat 24/7/365.

[lordtoffee]

Should be a fun park to visit.