Baco wins 2013 Whitecaps Food Vote

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. (WOOD) - The winner of the fourth annual West Michigan Whitecaps food contest is the Baco.

This taco in a specially-made bacon shell was the top vote-getter in the annual contest to determine Fifth Third Ballpark's next culinary delight. It will be on the menu for fans to purchase at Whitecaps games this season, according to a news release.

Whitecaps officials narrowed a list of more than 150 fan-submitted menu ideas, plus the dozens of ideas that came out of the Gordon Food Service Test Kitchen, down to a Top 10 list earlier this year. Fans then chose the winner.

The Baco received 30% of the online votes.

The Bad Joke -- a corn dog covered in cheese with two strips of duck bacon on a bun -- received 27% of the votes for second place.

Third place was a tie between Rascal Chow (popcorn, bacon and Reese's) and Teeny Weenies (little hot dogs served in mini helmets), with 9% each.

The Baco will replace last year’s winner, the Westside Po’ Boy, on the Ballpark's menu, and will be served at the Sweet Meats Smokehouse, located at the end of the third base concourse. It will share the spotlight with the internationally famous Fifth Third Burger.

Previous winners of the food contest include Chicks with Sticks, the Cudighi Yooper Sandwich and the Declaration of Indigestion. All have been retired from the menu.

The Fifth Third Ballpark menu will feature 17 new food items in 2013. Five are suite specialty items, and 12 of them are available to all fans on the concourse level.

The Whitecaps open the 2013 season at home April 4 against the Dayton Dragons at 6:35 p.m. Season, group and individual game tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the Whitecaps' front office at 616.784.4131, by visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com, or in person at the Fifth Third Ballpark ticket office.