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ATT Park: Home of the Solar Powered and World Series Champion San Francisco Giants
As a former resident of the San Francisco Bay Area for 25 years, former little league baseball coach while I was there ... and being in SF during the 1989 world series earthquake, I want to send my personal congratulations to the San Francisco Giants for winning the 2010 World Series. This is the first ever World Series win for San Francisco and I know from first hand experience -- they do know how to party there. Unfortunately, living in Europe I didn't get to see the games so I hope when they broadcast the wonderful views from the AT&T Park, they also showed some of the installed solar panels and mention the SF Giant's leadership position in introducing solar energy to Professional Baseball. If you don't know by now, San Francisco's AT&T Park features a 120-kW solar array, which easily powers the Giants’ major league-sized scoreboard during baseball season.
The San Francisco Giants and PG&E partnered to install a solar system at AT&T Park, the first ballpark in Major League Baseball to install a solar system. PG&E installed 590 Sharp solar panels in three areas of AT&T Park—on the Port Walk along McCovey Cove, on a newly erected canopy over the Willie Mays pedestrian ramp, and on the roof of the Giants Building. PG&E connected the 120 kilowAT&Ts of power generated from the solar panels into San Francisco's power grid. One hundred kilowAT&Ts of solar energy is enough to power the Giants' new state-of-the-art Diamond Vision scoreboard for the baseball season. Here is a photo of the PV installation along McCovey Cove. 
According to the team's web site: "The port walk is a signature location of the ballpark," said Peter Magowan, Giants president and managing general partner. "We will showcase solar power in one of the most visible locations on the waterfront. In turn, we hope to send a message to our fans, television viewers and the greater community about the importance of using energy wisely and efficiently." Since its inception, the Giants have made energy conservation a priority in the Park's design and daily operations. The Park was designed to be an energy efficient facility—utilizing fluorescent lighting, motion sensor lighting, and energy management systems. The Giants and PG&E are also working together to identify other ways to create energy-saving opportunities. For example, the new Diamond Vision scoreboard will use 78% less energy than the ballpark's original scoreboard. Additionally, PG&E and the Giants launched a five-year public awareness campaign to educate and encourage Giants fans to use energy responsibly. As in other entertainment industries, the world of sports is recognizing the value of greening itself.
AT&T Park, with its breathtaking views and classic design, received rave reviews throughout the country as one of the smash hits of 2000 when the new stadium was opened. The first privately financed ballpark in Major League Baseball since Dodger Stadium (1962), the Giants' new home features an inspiring nine-foot statue of America's greatest living ballplayer, Willie Mays, at the public entrance; Portuguese water dogs who fetch home runs that splash into McCovey Cove (named after another Hall of Fame Willie); an 80-foot Coca-Cola bottle with playground slides and miniature AT&T Park behind left field that has become a magnet for kids of all of ages; and mass public transit that rivals any sports complex in the world. Columnist Peter Gammons wrote: "The view from even the worst seats in the house still gives you a view of the Bay Bridge and the marina. As great as Camden Yards, Turner Field, The Jake and Coors Field are, this is the best fan's ballpark because it was conceived, built and paid for by Giants owner Peter Magowan, a legitimate baseball fan." 
AT&T Park, with its breathtaking views and classic design, was chosen as the 2008 Sports Facility of the Year by Sports Business Journal and Sports Business Daily as part of the inaugural Sports Business Awards program. The first privately financed ballpark in Major League Baseball since 1962, the Giants' home has many incredible features. Originally named Pacific Bell Park, then renamed SBC Park in 2003, as a result of the SBC acquisition of Pacific Bell, the stadium was ultimately christened AT&T Park on March 3, 2006, just two years after it had adopted the SBC Park name. SBC Communications, the flagship sponsor of the park, merged in 2005 and the new AT&T Inc. took the more iconic name for its company. This marked the third official name for the park since its opening in 2000.
Starting in 2004, the Giants installed one hundred and twenty-two 802.11b wireless internet access points, covering all concourses and seating areas, creating one of the largest public hotspots in the world at the time.
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