Three Strikes and We’re…In!

Mike at Fumo Santo writes about a developing trend that…well…brings a song to my heart.

“…buy me some peanuts and a Montecristo white, I don’t care if I never . . . “

Okay, maybe I’d better stick to writing prose. Rhyming is for professionals.

The real news is that there are plans by Pittsburgh Pirates management to install a cigar and martini bar called the Montecristo Club at PNC Park for season ticket holders next year. As you might predict, there is the expected protest by militant non-smokers who don’t want the stadium air sullied by smoke from high-priced cigars while they watch baseball.

The protests are falling on deaf ears for a very interesting reason. Plans for the Montecristo Club cigar bar are going ahead anyway.

Why?

Because the management of the Pirates baseball franchise knows that the cigar bar idea will work. It will fill seats.

PNC Park tested the idea last season with a half dozen special “cigar nights,” where an area was set aside for cigar aficionados to enjoy the game and a smoke at the same time. There were no complaints, and the events drew crowds who might not otherwise have attended. Also, the rest of the stadium will remain no-smoking except for the single cigar bar.

“It was kind of a test of whether or not it was a viable opportunity to draw additional customers to PNC Park,” said Laurie Silverman of CX2, a New Castle distributor of premium cigars. Mrs. Silverman helped organize the events. “There’s a huge consumer interest in having this type of venue done.” she said.

It is not unique. Comerica Park in Detroit and Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay, Florida, currently have cigar bars. It is part of a growing trend in major league baseball. For those of us who enjoy fine cigars, it is a welcome trend. Check out the story at Fumo Santo along with a link to the original article.

Posted on Tuesday, November 29th, 2005 at 6:24 pm.