Class AAA Photo Album

Pacific Coast League

There are some very striking parks in the PCL -- most of which are fairly new with a lot of modern touches. Here is a photo album of all 16 of the league's ballparks, with the added twist that they are listed in order from my favorite to my least favorite. Note that over the years, we've done a number of in-depth reviews of parks, usually when they first opened. The PCL parks with in-depth reviews and/or photo essays elsewhere in BASEBALLPARKS.COM are listed with a link to those pages.

By the way, you might be interested to know the ranking of another attentive observer. I asked a broadcaster with one of the PCL teams to give me his ranking of the 16 parks in the league, since he's seen (and called games from) all of them. It's funny to me that his list isn't all that different from mine (and we both have the same "bottom two"): 1. Memphis; 2. Albuquerque; 3. Oklahoma; 4. Fresno; 5. Round Rock; 6. Sacramento; 7. Salt Lake; 8. Portland; 9. Iowa; 10. Tucson; 11. New Orleans; 12. Tacoma; 13. Omaha; 14. Colorado Springs; 15. Las Vegas; 16. Nashville.

AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma

On the left is the view from the upper deck in right field at The AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, which has arguably the nicest design of any park in the Minor Leagues.  The home of the Oklahoma RedHawks sits atop our ranking of the parks of the Pacific Coast League. After over three decades as the Oklahoma City 89ers, the team changed its name for the '98 season, the first in their new park.  The shot to the right is looking up toward the very impressive entryway behind third base.  The photo was taken from the canal that is part of the incredible urban-renewal project in the city's Bricktown district.  By the way, fans pass by a statue of the pride of Oklahoma, Mickey Mantle, as they enter the park here (statues of fellow Oklahomans Johnny Bench and Warren Spahn adorn the stadium's other two entry plazas). The park is so nice that Minor League Baseball selected it to host the annual championship game of Triple-A baseball.

AutoZone Park, Memphis

I don't think you'd get much debate if you made the assertion that AutoZone Park in Memphis is the most ambitious baseball stadium below the Major League level. From the incredibly impressive entryway (and entry plaza just behind it) to the large seating capacity and endless things for kids to do, it is a marvel. It also features a great setting (the fabulous nightlife of Memphis is within a couple of blocks) and wonderful food. No wonder the Redbirds' attendance is at or near the top of all of Minor League Baseball year after year -- whether the team is a winner or a loser.

Isotopes Park, Albuquerque

If it's been awhile since you attended a Minor League ballgame in Albuquerque, then you wouldn't even recognize the city's baseball stadium. The old park was demolished, and a modern -- if somewhat whimsical -- ballpark was constructed in its place. Where else will you find a concave incline at the center-field wall, colorful stained glass in a stairwell and a team nickname adopted from an episode of the Simpsons? This might be the most fun ballpark in Triple-A baseball!

Dell Diamond, Round Rock

After conquering Double-A baseball with five record-shattering attendance totals in the Texas League, the Round Rock Express' Dell Diamond moved to the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 2005. The result? Another upsurge in attendance, topping 700,000.

Moving up to Triple-A necessitated some enlargement of the seating capacity, and this was achieved with a new "home run deck" in left field (see the far right of the right-hand photo above). The beautiful aesthetics of the park -- which features a swimming pool, sport court, rock climbing and a gorgeous exterior made of Texas limestone -- didn't suffer in the least. If anything, the so-called "game day experience," already at the top of the Minor League heap, became even better (causing it to sweep the fan-voted 2007 awards at Minor League News).

Franklin Covey Field, Salt Lake

Salt Lake City's Franklin Covey Field is a nice stadium.  It has an impressive entryway and an attractive design.  But what really sets this park apart from anything else in AAA is its outstanding, breathtaking view of the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains.  Watching the hometown Bees playing their game becomes secondary with a view like this.  That's why this park shows up at the top of the A Seat With A View ranking here at BASEBALLPARKS.COM.

Raley Field, Sacramento

They do a lot of things right in California's capital city, one of America's premier sports towns. Along with Memphis, Sacramento's River Cats are always at the top of the attendance race in the Minors. Their ballpark, which technically is in West Sacramento across the river from downtown Sacramento, is large and modern, with a nice view of the scenic Tower Bridge (an integral graphic element in the team's logo) and some of the skyline. Attending a game here is a little pricey, though, as parking costs either $7, $9, $10 or $12, depending on the lot you select, and tickets can run you up to $18. It sure hasn't put a dent in the team's attendance, though, as fans here love coming out to the ballpark. In fact, Sacramento is always at or near the top of the attendance rankings in all of the Minors.

Tucson Electric Park, Tucson

Tucson Electric Park sits smack dab in the middle of the spring-training complexes of the White Sox and Diamondbacks.  The Southwestern color scheme is very pretty -- plus it has a wonderful view of the mountains northeast of Tucson.  This is the home of the PCL Sidewinders, as well as the Major League White Sox and D-backs for spring-training exhibitions. It is likely, though, that this won't be a PCL venue much longer, as the franchise appears to be headed to a new park in Reno, NV.

Grizzlies Stadium, Fresno

This fine ballpark joined the ranks of the PCL's impressive list of new facilities in 2002. I can't say that its location is the best (surely there were nicer places in Fresno to build such a stellar stadium), but its design is superb and its fan amenities, like the swimming pool and group areas, are outstanding.

Principal Park, Iowa

The Chicago Cubs' Triple-A affiliate plays in a lovely park in an interesting setting (at the confluence of two rivers) with a pretty exterior and a wonderful view of the state's spectacular capitol building. The Iowa Oaks play their home games at Principal Park. On this same site in Des Moines, the local pro-baseball team played at Pioneer Park from 1947 through 1991 (it was called Sec Taylor Stadium starting in 1959). The old structure was torn down and the current facility constructed between the 1991 and 1992 seasons. In 2004, the stadium adopted its current name, and following the 2005 season, Principal Park received a $6.8 million facelift which included a new scoreboard and the replacement of all the seats. The photos, by the way, are from 2007.

Zephyr Field, New Orleans

The New Orleans Zephyrs have been playing their home games here since 1997.  The park, appropriately called Zephyr Field, has all of the features you'd want, including a swimming pool in right field and a House Of Blues area beyond first base.  In this shot, the sun is setting behind the third-base stands while a moderately sparse crowd watches a game.

In a way, the ballpark's setting is somewhat historic, as its vast parking lots were used as a staging area during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. And don't worry . . . you can bring the kids here because it is in a completely different part of town than the bawdy French Quarter!

Rosenblatt Stadium, Omaha

Here's an example of bad news and good news. The bad news is that even though the Omaha Royals play at Rosenblatt Stadium from April through August, the team is overshadowed by an event that occurs here in the middle of June each year (you probably already know that it's the College World Series). That means that the pro team has to play in a stadium that is much larger (i.e., less intimate) than it would like. The good news, though, is that because the CWS is played here, quality of the facility is a good bit higher than it might be otherwise, especially the stunning, huge, high-res video screen/scoreboard in left field. By the way, if you'd like to experience what it's like to attend the incredible College World Series in Rosenblatt, check out the photo essay in our sister site, CollegeBallparks.com.

PGE Park, Portland

When Portland was successful in luring the PCL back to town in 2001, a lot of energy and money ($37 million, to be exact) went into getting the 75-year-old Civic Stadium ready for Triple-A baseball. A spruced-up exterior and scads of improvements on the inside, like luxury boxes and natural turf, were made. One thing that was not done, oddly, was supplying a real press box. That means that the play-by-play broadcasters have to work from temporary tables.

By the way, the shape of PGE Park has always struck me as rather like a large bathtub, as the playing field is well below street level and the large oval shape lends itself well to sports like soccer.

Security Service Field, Colorado Springs

I've said often that Colorado Springs is the most beautiful city in the continental United States. Its ballpark, though, isn't up to what you'd expect. The home of the Sky Sox sits in a curious portion of town, not near downtown and not oriented so that you can see the spectacular scenic beauty of the Rockies west of the city (although the area surrounding the park has sprouted numerous neighborhoods and shopping options in the last couple of years). In the right-hand photo above, Pike's Peak is visible behind the first-base stands, but it is not visible from any of the seats in the ballpark.

To be fair, the team has expended considerable money on improvements, such as the large structure on the left side of this same photo. It houses a beautiful banquet area on the top level, and scads of outdoor tables in front of it. There is also an exceptional candy store near the main gate. The chocolate creations there are unbelievable. Even with the nice touches and improvements to the facility, I'd still like to see Colorado Springs move toward building a new ballpark somewhere close to downtown. Without a doubt, it would help the Sky Sox move out of the lower reaches of the PCL in attendance.

Cheney Stadium, Tacoma

Not quite old enough to be considered a "classic" park, and certainly not new enough to feature niceties that today's fans want, Cheney Stadium comes from the era whose parks are being replaced at a rapid pace. In fact, the Tacoma Rainiers are often rumored to be the team moving to any city wanting to build a park and attract a PCL team.

Interestingly, several broadcasters in the PCL have told me that they really like the unique atmosphere at Cheney. By the way, if you're lucky enough to stand on the roof of the park on a very clear day, you'll be able to see Mount Rainier in the distance.

Cashman Field, Las Vegas

Maybe it's because the city has expended so much effort in planning for a new Major League stadium to lure the Marlins to town, but Las Vegas' current Minor League ballpark is certainly not up to snuff. A market that is this large and vibrant certainly warrants a nicer baseball facility than this. Cashman Field, home of the oddly named Las Vegas 51's ("Area 51" of flying saucer fame isn't far away), was probably nice in the 1980s when it was built, but it really has the feel that it has been a very long time since any structural improvements or fan enhancements have been made (it reminds me of Charlotte in that regard). It does have a novel and effective misting system that helps keep fans cool on those blistering desert days, but when it comes to the look of the exterior, the concessions, the souvenir shop or the architectural design, Cashman Field doesn't measure up to the level one would expect in a city as showy as Vegas.

Greer Stadium, Nashville

When your guitar-shaped scoreboard is your stadium's most redeeming feature, you know there's a problem. The Nashville Sounds' aging (and not aging gracefully) Greer Stadium trails the entire rest of the 16-team PCL. The setting, exterior, interior, features -- well, just about everything -- falls short of the rest of the league. This is a shame, because Nashville has emerged as one of America's most attractive and progressive cities. Their hockey arena and football stadium are both beautiful and state-of-the-art. It's a real shame that their baseball team has been shoved to the back of the bus for so long ... and it's even more depressing because a wonderful concept to build a beautiful, new park on the banks of the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville has fallen apart. One has to wonder if the franchise will remain in Nashville in the long run. If a new stadium is ever built here (or in nearby Franklin, TN), I do hope that its scoreboard will again be shaped like a guitar ...

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