Ballpark Changes in the Affiliated Minors
Where else can you find the skinny on this many Minor League ballpark
changes? Below, you'll find
descriptions of the parks that opened in 2005. If you want to review
the parks that opened in the affiliated Minors in 2004, click
here.
Ballpark changes for 2005 . . .
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HKS of Dallas created a
unique design for Stockton's new park.
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STOCKTON Folklore has it that the legend of Casey At The Bat began in the 1880s at a baseball park that used to sit on Banner Island in Stockton, CA. Well, in 1999 that fine city hoped to construct a beautiful, 19th Century double-deck ballpark in that same part of town, but a series of events -- including environmental studies in the Banner Island area -- killed those plans. The city, undaunted, pressed forward with a different plan, and an HKS-designed ballpark opened on April 28 as part of a $100 million redevelopment project near downtown Stockton. This means the Ports of the California League moved out of 77-year-old Billy Hebert Field after the 2004 season. We've visited the new facility, called (probably temporarily) Banner Island Ballpark, and you can now read our full review and see what the place looks like. |
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The architects for Springfield's new park created an impressive entry and interior |
SPRINGFIELD This Missouri city is fortunate to have a resident rich enough to build an expensive ballpark with his own money -- one that was originally slated to cost $20 million but according to published reports, ended up costing $32 million. And for making such an investment, hotel-mogul John Q. Hammons named the park after himself. Hammons Field, which hosted only college baseball in 2004, is now the home of a franchise in the Texas League, as the El Paso Diablos moved from west Texas to southwest Missouri for 2005. The architects carrying out Mr. Hammons wishes are Pellham-Phillips-Hagerman. Check out my rave review (and 15 photos!) of this impressive facility. And perhaps the most incredible aspect of this park isn't the park ... it's the phenomenal staff that works there. |
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Fisher Cats Ballpark in Manchester still has a little bit of "unfinished" feel to it. |
MANCHESTER Drew Weber, the owner of the Lowell, MA franchise in the Class A New York Penn League, purchased the New Haven Ravens franchise, and obtained permission from the Red Sox (who own the territorial rights to Manchester) to move the Ravens to Manchester, New Hampshire for the 2004 season. The team changed its name to "The New Hampshire Fisher Cats" (don't laugh -- the team originally announced that their nickname was going to be "The New Hampshire Primaries"), and they played in temporary quarters -- quaint Gill Stadium -- in Manchester in 2004. A brand-new stadium, built with private funds, was ready for the team's opener on April 7, 2005. Since a naming-rights deal hadn't been completed, the facility is known temporarily as Fisher Cats Ballpark. HNTB was the architectural firm for both the $4-million renovation to Gill and the new $20-million ballpark. See our full review here.
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Trustmark Park, the home of the Mississippi Braves, features lots of areas for picnickers. |
PEARL You'd never heard of Pearl, Mississippi? I bet you're hearing of it now! The Atlanta Braves moved their Class AA affiliate in the Southern League out of Greenville SC to a new ballpark in Pearl. The town is just east of Jackson, which used to have a team in the Texas League. The ballpark cost $28 million to build, and is part of a 150-acre retail development by Bloomfield Equities that they expect to bring many visitors to the area. Trustmark Park, as it is known now that a naming-rights deal has been struck, made its debut on April 18th. See our in-depth review and 16 photos of Pearl's pearl of a park! |
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The stunning Wasatch Mountains provide one of the nicest views of any ballpark in the country. |
OREM The Provo Angels of the Pioneer League had been renting the fancy-but-small ballpark on the campus of Brigham Young University for their home games. With an eye toward a permanent arrangement, the team partnered with a nearby college -- Utah Valley State College -- on a new park. The venture called for the college to build a very nice ballpark on the grounds of an old ballfield on campus, which they did for the surprisingly low sum of $3 million. The team, now renamed the Orem Owlz, rents the facility that features 2,464 fixed seats and a total capacity of 4,900. Check out our full review of the park. |
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A lot of brick was used in the exterior of Greensboro's new park. This is the beautiful entry plaza beyond first base, complete with fountains and sculptures. |
GREENSBORO The South Atlantic League baseball team in this North Carolina city had been utilizing one of the oldest parks in the sport, World War Memorial Stadium, built in 1926. That changed in 2005, when First Horizon Park opened. The park, designed by Moser Mayer Phoenix Associates, was built to meet Class Double-A standards, so perhaps the city is thinking of moving up to, say, the Southern League one day. Along with the new park in 2005, the franchise has also changed the team nickname from the Bats to the Grasshoppers. Read all about this big, fancy park in our in-depth review which features 17 photos! |
| GREENEVILLE No, not the former Southern League city in South Carolina. We're talking about the town of Greeneville in eastern Tennessee where the Houston Astros moved their rookie-level Appalachian League franchise in 2004. The former Martinsville Astros played the 2004 season in a ballpark on the campus of Tusculum College. Prior to the 2005 campaign, though, this already impressive facility was converted further into a beautiful $5-million stadium with 2,400 seats. John Fisher was the architect. |
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Now that "The App" is open, gone is the cramped, dark and crumbling look of Watt Powell Park |
CHARLESTON West Virginia's capital city hoped to move its South Atlantic League franchise into a new ballpark in 2004. The architect had been chosen (HNTB) and a site in downtown Charleston was selected. Delay after delay arose, though, and the opening was pushed back to 2005. The original set of delays by the way, gave a one-year reprieve to 54-year-old Watt Powell Park, where I spent many enjoyable evenings during my teenage years. But the old park was crumbling, and when Appalachian Power Park finally opened on April 14, 2005, the fans of West Virginia were thrilled -- as was I, as you'll see from my review and photos. The entire project cost around $23 million, with $5 million coming from the (new) owner of the team, another $12 million coming from the state and the rest from the city. The team has also adopted a different nickname as they moved into the new facility. Gone is "the Charleston Alley Cats" and replacing it is "the West Virginia Power." |
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The Corpus Christi Hooks' new park features great burgers and a great view. Here, fans line up prior to the park's first game on April 17th. |
CORPUS CHRISTI Nolan Ryan and his son Reid, who is the president of the parent company of the ultra-successful Round Rock Express, put their support behind a sales-tax referendum in the city of Corpus Christi, TX in 2002. Once it passed, with money earmarked for a new ballpark, the full extent of the Ryans' plan unfolded. They then purchased an existing AAA franchise in the Edmonton Trappers of the Pacific Coast League to move to Round Rock in 2005. The AA Texas League franchise was then free to relocate to Corpus Christi. The new park in Corpus Christi cost $27 million to construct, and was designed by HKS, who were also the architects in Round Rock. Whataburger Field opened on April 17 and its location near a shipping channel and Corpus Christi Bay means the fans inside the park are treated to some great views. Read our detailed review of Whataburger Field. |
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