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Pirates Shut Cigar Bar

Posted: Tuesday, March 20, 2007

By Michael Moretti

Inside the Montecristo Club at last year's launch party.
The Pittsburgh Pirates' home field of PNC Park is closing its Montecristo Club cigar lounge and making the entire stadium smoke-free.

The Pirates teamed with Altadis U.S.A. Inc. to open the club in April 2006. The luxurious club-level space overlooking right field featured Montecristo cigars and other Altadis brands, high-end spirits, humidor lockers for members and a state-of-the-art air-filtration system. When the Allegheny County Council, which has jurisdiction over Pittsburgh, passed a comprehensive smoking ban in October, the outlook for the club was radically reversed.

"It was really a first class venue and we of course are saddened by the ban and the forthcoming closing," said Janelle Rosenfeld, vice president of advertising for Altadis U.S.A.

At first, Pittsburgh seemed like an ideal town for a ballpark cigar venue. Pennsylvania had no tobacco tax or statewide smoking ban, and the Pittsburgh area enjoyed strong cigar sales. The inspiration for the club came from a group of fans and back-office people who had started a tradition of gathering for cigars under the Southwest Flight Deck in left field.

"Even though the general seating area has been smoke-free since the ballpark opened, we always tried to responsibly accommodate those fans who choose to smoke with designated smoking areas," said Patty Paytas, the Pirates' vice president of communications. "However, like many other businesses in the county, we had to make the appropriate adjustments and PNC Park will now be a completely smoke-free facility."

All cigarettes and cigars will now have to be extinguished before entering PNC Park, and those fans wishing to exit, have a smoke and re-enter will not be permitted to do so. Upon entering the ballpark, all fans will receive an informational pocket card outlining the countywide ordinance.