Minute Maid Park
Houston, TX
Since its opening in
2000,
Minute Maid Park has become one of baseballs "crown jewels."
Throughout the early and mid 1990s the future of Major League
Baseball in Houston looked bleak as the team struggled to get a new
ballpark built to replace the Astrodome. By 1995 Astros owner
Drayton McLane threatened to sell the team to Bill Collins who would
have moved the club to Northern Virginia. There was also a plan that
had the Astros moving to Orlando. In November
1996, a referendum was placed on the ballot and voters finally
approved it to allow construction of a new ballpark in downtown
Houston and keeping the Astros in town. Located on a 25 acre site in
downtown Houston, construction began October 30, 1997. The ballpark
was constructed with steel and concrete, with the facade consisting
of brick and limestone. The design of the ballpark was greatly
influenced by the surround neighborhood including the 1911 vintage
Union Station that forms the ballpark's main entrance. Part of the
design for the ballpark includes a retractable roof that is
necessary to keep the summer heat out and to keep fans cool. The
retractable roof consists of three panels that can open or close in
20 minutes. For its first two years the ballpark was known as Enron
Field before the company went bankrupt. During part of the 2002
season, the ballpark was known as Astros Field before the naming
rights were sold to The Minute Maid Company purchased the naming
rights.
The Houston Astros played
their first game at Minute Maid Park on April 7, 2000 before 40,950
fans. Three levels of green seats extend from
the left field foul pole to home plate and around to the right field
foul pole. Two levels of seats are located beyond the right field
fence. A 131 foot wide scoreboard is located above these seats. Over
2,500 seats, known as the Crawford Boxes jut out into left field, making the distance to it just 315 feet
at the left field foul pole. Along with
views of downtown Houston, a 57-foot, 24-ton full-size replica of a
19th-century Wild West steam locomotive runs on an 800-foot track
located above left field. Along with the train, Minute Maid Park has
many other attractions.
Tal's Hill, a 20 degree angled hill is
located in dead centerfield, measuring 90 feet at its widest point,
and curving around 100 feet of outfield fence. A flagpole is also
here and is in play. Banners from
Astros championships hang from the archways along the Conoco
Home Run Alley behind left and center field. Fans can buy Astros
merchandise at The Shed, the Astros official gift shop at Union
Station. Original oil paintings, lithographs, bronze sculptures and
other unique memorabilia can be bought at the Gallery at Minute Maid
Park. After the 2010 season, the original scoreboard was replaced
with a 54' x 124' HD video/scoreboard. The Astros hope to bring back
championship baseball to Minute Maid Park after winning the National
League Championship in 2005. |
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FACTS & FIGURES |
-Tenant:
Houston Astros
-Capacity:
40,950-
Surface:
Grass
-Cost:
$250 Million
-Opened:
April 7, 2000
-Dimensions:
315-L, 362-LC, 435-C,
373-RC, 326-R
-Architect:
HOK
-Owner: Harris County Sports Authority
-Former Name(s): Enron Field (2000-'01), Astros Field (2001)
-Naming
Rights: Coca Cola, $6 million/year through 2030
-Public
Financing: 68%: $180million hotel/rental car tax
-Private
Financing: 32%: $52million from Astros, $35million private
investors
-Seating
Chart
-Home Dugout: First Base
-Minute Maid
Park Ground Rules
-Directions & Parking
-Fan Experiences
-Address:
501 Crawford Street Houston, Texas 77002
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ALLIANCE TICKETS |
-MLB
Tickets
-Houston
Astros Tickets
-Minute
Maid Park Tickets |
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PAST ASTROS
BALLPARKS |

Colt
Stadium
1962-1964

Astrodome
1965-1999 |
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MINUTE MAID PARK
HOTELS |
Find Great Hotels Near
Minute Maid Park! |
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MEMORABLE MOMENTS AT MINUTE MAID PARK |
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World Series: 2005
All Star Game: 2004
Barry Bonds 70th homerun
on October
4, 2001.
Craig Biggio
collects his 3,000th
hit on
June 28, 2007.
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2012 ASTROS SCHEDULE |
UPCOMING GAMES |
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MINUTE MAID
PARK
PICTURES |
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