When built in 1992 Oriole Park at Camden Yards broke new ground as a retro styled ballpark. OPACY combined the latest in technology with old era ballpark features such as brick and cast iron building materials and asymmetrical field dimensions. In addition, Camden Yards had many fan friendly elements including no obstructed views, wide open concourses with plenty of rest rooms, and larger seats.
The location of Camden Yards also played a huge part of its success. The downtown location has helped the revitalization of Baltimore, particularly the inner harbor area where it sits just West of. There are many activities and attractions nearby that can complement a trip "to the Yard"
The success of Camden Yards with baseball fans sparked a trend in new stadium construction that continues to this day in all major league sports. Although the park is no longer the new kid on the block, it is still considered one of the finest in the country. The architect designers that worked on the project, HOK Sport, are now the leading firm for the development of sporting venues in the world due in part to their work on Camden Yards.