There was a time when going to an MLB game meant eating peanuts, hot dogs, and Cracker Jacks, which you could wash down with a soda or a beer, depending on your age and preference. Over time, the typical ballpark hot dog was accompanied by sausages and brats, and popcorn became a fan favorite.
Right now, somewhere in the United States, a city is trying to attract or retain a major league sports team with the promise of a state-of-the-art stadium. At the same time, municipal officials are busy crunching numbers for bond issues and tax increases, trying to raise public money to sweeten the deal for the team owners who are their quarry. How many public dollars will be enough?
The past 25 years have been a boom period for new baseball venues. Starting with Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992, major league teams have opened 21 new ballparks, with another joining the list this season, when the Atlanta Braves start playing at SunTrust Park.
The Rockies on struck an “11th hour” deal with Colorado after four years of difficult negotiation designed to keep the team at Coors Field for 30 more years. The Rockies agreed to a $200 million, 30-year lease with the Metropolitan Baseball Stadium District, the state division that owns Coors Field. In trade, the Rockies will be allowed to lease and develop a valuable plot of land directly south of the stadium for 99 years.
The Astros hosted a grand opening of Minute Maid Park’s renovated center field on Wednesday, showing off the good eats, venues and amenities available to fans in the area where Tal’s Hill once stood. Many of the new features in center field appeal to groups looking for an exclusive experience at the ballpark.
Next week will mark the 11th anniversary of Jackson County voters approving a measure to fund upgrades for the stadiums at the Truman Sports Complex. It’s been eight years since the renovations were finished at Kauffman Stadium, but the Royals noticed last season that things needed to be spruced up at their home. So when fans arrive at the stadium this season, they may notice a few changes.
Turner Field is a thing of the past. While a lot of the old signage is still up, there’s a pretty prominent reminder on the back of the scoreboard what is to come: college football. Georgia State began construction on the former home of the Atlanta Braves in February.
We got a sneak peek at the almost-finished, brand-spanking new baseball stadium situated over the city of Marietta; SunTrust Park. You’ve probably seen it while traveling down southbound Interstate 75 or in our stories on its development. Now, we will get a chance to have an in depth look at what us baseball fans have been waiting for since its groundbreaking in September 2014.
The Braves completed the installation of grass on SunTrust Park’s playing field Sunday. Workers laid approximately 109,000 square feet of sod over the weekend, transforming the surface into a photogenic expanse of green.
The Braves’ new stadium is about to get an important finishing touch: grass on the field. “The sod goes in this week at SunTrust Park,” Greg Maffei, CEO of Braves owner Liberty Media, said Tuesday in a news release announcing the company’s financial results, “and we look forward to the Braves’ opening day (there) on April 14.”