When I'm asked in an interview which minor league has the nicest parks, my response is an enthusiastic "the Texas League!" Seven of the eight ballparks are absolutely gorgeous, and the other one will soon be replaced with a newer model.
Because of the excellence of the top parks in the TL, it is really, really difficult to rank the top ones (I'm inclined to put the top six in a six-way tie), but I'll suffer the slings and arrows from the fans of the parks that aren't at the top of the list and move forward with a one-through-eight ranking. By the way, where you see that the park name is a link, you can click on it to see our in-depth review of that stadium.
Yes, newer parks have opened in the Texas League since this beauty made its debut just outside of Dallas in 2003, but none can surpass the unique design and breathtaking aesthetics of this one. Looking more like a resort condominium community -- complete with incredible landscaping -- than a baseball facility, the RoughRiders' home also features the prettiest swimming pool in all of baseball (see above right). Both inside and out, this striking ballpark is a winner.
Dickey-Stephens Park, Arkansas
Talk about a culture shock! In 2007, the Arkansas Travelers moved out of a park that was built in 1932, venerable Ray Winder Field, into Dickey-Stephens Park, a spectacular facility with a throw-back look but wonderful, modern conveniences. I attended the first game in the new park, and I was struck by how many wide-eyed, jaw-dropped looks were on the faces of the fans that were taking in the park's features after so many decades in the aging Ray Winder. One of my favorite aspects of Dickey-Stephens is the train-station theme that is carried out so well throughout the park. This is especially true of the exterior, which has a clock tower that is reminiscent of the one in Little Rock's station.
Hammons Field, Springfield
John Q. Hammons, who'd made a fortune in hotel development, decided that his hometown of Springfield, MO needed pro baseball. While most of the sports world thought that the affiliated Minors would never come to this market, Mr. Hammons would hear none of it. In fact, he made it all happen virtually by himself, spending his own money to build one of the nicest ballparks in all of pro baseball. And he kept the project within his "family," using the architects who design his hotels to create this wonderful facility. Like the two facilities above it on our ranking of Texas League parks, Hammons Field was named BASEBALLPARKS.COM Ballpark of the Year the season it opened.
Whataburger Field, Corpus Christi
This fine ballpark is only a tiny notch below the top three parks in the Texas League. In fact, if it were in the Southern League, it might be the top stadium in the circuit! Even though I'm not ranking it atop the TL, it might do the best job of taking advantage of its surroundings. While its setting near a shipping channel and the Corpus Christi Bay provide wonderful vistas, it's the fact that it sits within a cluster of long-abandoned cotton warehouses that makes this park really special. By incorporating parts of those warehouses, including their massive cotton presses (see the structure to the left of the scoreboard in the photo above left), the facility truly embraces both its surroundings and the history of the city. In fact, even the impressive entryway of the park (above right) is meant to resemble these cotton warehouses. And fans across the country were impressed enough with it that it was the top vote-getter for Best Overall Minor League Venue (yes, folks, that means in all sports) in the 2008 readers poll by Minor League News. By the way, the same architect that designed Frisco's and Arkansas' new parks, HKS of Dallas, designed Whataburger Field.
Arvest Ballpark, Northwest Arkansas
Yes, it seems almost brutal that a fabulous new park like this one would only be the fifth best in the eight-team Texas League, but that's how high the bar is set here. Of course, Arvest Ballpark is a gargantuan leap ahead from this franchise's former home, Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita. The new facility in Springdale, Arkansas features a gorgeous stone exterior and one of the prettiest roofs on a ballpark anywhere. Its surroundings are still quite rural, but at the pace of development in this part of the Natural State, it will no doubt be surrounded by hotels and restaurants in no time.
Citibank Ballpark, Midland
The ballpark in Midland, TX features a gorgeous exterior and a wonderful, open design on the inside. You'll also find one of the very best restaurants in all of the Minors right behind home plate. Citibank Ballpark (which was called First American Bank Ballpark when it opened, but that was before Citibank purchased First American) is yet another Texas League facility that was named Ballpark of the Year by BASEBALLPARKS.COM the year it opened.
Nelson Wolff Municipal Stadium, San Antonio
Whenever I'm speaking with an architect about ballpark design, without exception I mention one aspect of the San Antonio Missions stadium that is one of my very favorite design elements at any Minor League facility. It's the roof. The way the underside of the curved structure is illuminated is just beautiful when the sun goes down. Now armed with a high-resolution video screen and more picnic and concession choices, The Wolff (as the locals call it) has re-emerged as a first-rate ballpark. Photo on the left is by Joseph Mock (Jr.)
Drillers Stadium, Tulsa
Well, you can't say that Tulsa's stadium is even close to being the nicest in the league. Or that it has the nicest setting or concessions. You can correctly say, though, that it is the biggest in the Texas League! With room for, it seems, half of the state of Oklahoma, it has the largest capacity in the TL. With the Wranglers moving out of ancient Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita after 2007, Drillers Stadium is now by far the oldest in the league (which is odd, since it's only two-and-a-half decades old) -- and, unfortunately, that means that it now occupies the cellar in our TL rankings. Truly, it lacks most of the creature comforts -- or comfortable seats -- of today's newer parks, and a market like this deserves better.
It seems almost certain, I should point out, that a new ballpark will be coming soon somewhere in the Tulsa metro area.
