Chevrolet Centre places 2nd

YOUNGSTOWN — Chevrolet Centre, home of the Central Hockey League’s Youngstown Steelhounds and afl2’s Mahoning Valley Thunder, took second place in a national contest for best minor league sports venue.

The Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas, a baseball stadium for a triple-A team, was recognized as the best venue for minor league or professional independent sports in North America for 2007. However, the June 2007 edition of MLN Sports Zone (Minor League News) reported that Chevrolet Centre beat out all the others.

In the “Vote4TheBest 2007” poll conducted by Minor League News in May, fans voted on the best of more than 135 venues that host minor league or independent baseball, hockey, basketball or football. Fans selected the best overall ballpark or arena, then chose the facilities with the best food, entertainment and special features.

The Dell Diamond swept all categories, while Chevrolet Centre and the Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif., placed second and third, respectively, in the overalls.

Beyond which stadiums and arenas fans liked most, the MLN poll also asked what food and beverages were their favorites, what entertainment was tops and what special places, such as children’s play areas or in-ground pools in the outfield, make their venues unique.

This was the first year that the MLN Top Ten Ballparks award was opened to all sports and venues as part of the expanded MLN “Vote4TheBest” competition. To learn more about the contest, go to minorleaguenews.com.