It is the dawn of new day in New York City, the morning of April 16, 2009. Crowds in excess of 50,000 pour to the Bronx via expressways and subway trains in eager excitement of the day to come. As the gates open and fans take their seats, the day shapes up much like every other home opener the New York Yankees have ever experienced with one major exception. For the first time in over 85 years, the Yankees would open their season at a different home.

Completed in time for the 2009 season, Yankee Stadium opened its gates for the first time to take the place of its predecessor of the same name. It was a long-time dream of outspoken Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to open a new, state-of-the-art stadium, a dream that would finally be realized, but not without controversy. Steinbrenner made plans to leave New York without a new stadium as early as the 1980s. Successive mayors of New York City then produced plans for renovations to Yankee Stadium, each of which fell through due to lack of public interest or Steinbrenner’s unhappiness with the plans. Ground was finally broken on a new stadium across the street from the original in August of 2006. The final cost of construction exceeded $2 billion

If you have a bit of time to spend in New York City, spread your wings beyond the confines of Manhattan. Taking a ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty provides a richly historical experience. Making the hike to the top of Lady Liberty is a very rewarding experience and boasts some incredible views of lower Manhattan. I would also recommend taking a walk down the historic Brooklyn Bridge. Finish up the day by hitting Coney Island. Take a walk down a classic boardwalk and take a spin on the Wonder Wheel. For dinner, grab a famous Nathan’s Hot Dog at the site of the annual Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.

The new incarnation of Yankee Stadium has faced high praise and criticism alike. Older Yankee fans, partial to the original stadium, reacted adversely to the stadium’s newer features such as the more global and upscale nature of concession stands. For a fan like me, this is the stadium of my generation. Upon my first visit to Yankee Stadium, I was amazed by the grandeur and classical touches of the stadium, yet was impressed by its fresh new feel. It carried over some features of the original stadium, including Monument Park and the iconic white-frieze facade, yet it sought to define its own identity. Since it is truly a stadium for a different era of Yankees fans, myself included, the new Yankee Stadium ranks among my favorite stadiums of all time.

Gate 4 of Yankee Stadium. Like the interior, much of the exterior emulates its predecessor.
Photo Credit: me

The interior of the stadium during batting practice. The large Jumbotron in center field is one of the largest in the world.
Photo Credit: me

The Statue of Liberty. The statue, along with Ellis Island, are accessible via a ferry that departs from Lower Manhattan.
Photo Credit: me