Louisville Slugger Field

Infobox_Baseball_Stadium
stadium_name = Louisville Slugger Field
nickname = Slugger Field, LSF


location = 401 E Main St
Louisville, KY 40202
broke_ground = November, 1998
opened = April 12, 2000 |
closed =
demolished =
owner =
operator =
surface = Kentucky Bluegrass
construction_cost = $27.8 million USD
architect = HNTB
luxury suites = 32
seating_capacity = 13,131
former_names =
tenants = Louisville Bats (2000-)
dimensions = Left Field — 325 feet
Center Field — 405 feet
Right Field — 340 feet

Louisville Slugger Field is a baseball stadium in Louisville, Kentucky and is home to the Louisville Bats, the AAA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. It opened in 2000 and with seats for over 13,000 fans. The Ohio River and state of Indiana are visible from the park. Louisville Slugger Field is unique because a train shed was on the grounds of building. Parts of the train shed have been mixed with the stadium. The naming rights for the stadium were purchased by Hillerich & Bradsby, makers of the famous Louisville Slugger baseball bat and The Louisville Slugger Museum is down the street. The stadium is accessible from I-64 and I-65.

The design of Louisville Slugger Field is a joint effort of HNTB Architects of Kansas City, Mo and K. Norman Berry and Associates of Louisville. The field will be financed through a partnership between the city, the Bats, Hillerich & Bradsby, the Brown Foundation, Human Inc. and the Humana Foundation.

The stadium cost $39 million and includes 32 private suites, second-level club seating, a continuous concourse around the field, an outfield seating berm, extensive press facilities, concessions and restrooms, a children's play area, team and administrative offices and numerous retail amenities. And, most importantly for baseball purists, the recessed playing field features natural grass.

History

Groundbreaking

Miniature Louisville Slugger bats were given to the first 500 guests. Architectural drawings of the new park and baseball memorabilia were on display and there was ball park food available--hot dogs, popcorn, caramel corn and soft drinks. "After this ground breaking, we are looking forward to the Bats throwing out the first pitch at Louisville Slugger Field in the spring of 2000," Mayor Jerry Abramson said. "All the elements of the ballpark that we envisioned when we first announced the project last year are included in the design." Patrons will enter the park at the concourse level through the restored "train shed" building, formerly the Brinly-Hardy warehouse. Mayor Abramson said the ballpark would replicate the glory days of baseball. "We believe the combination of the historic train shed building and the modern, comfortable ballpark integrated with it will provide a feel and an aura that could not be replicated anywhere.

External links

* [http://www.ballparkdigest.com/visits/Louisville.htm Ballpark Visit]
* [http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/ballpark/page.jsp?ymd=20051121&content_id=34685&vkey=ballpark_t416&fext=.jsp&sid=t416 Louisville Slugger Website]
* [http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/tickets/page.jsp?sid=t416&ymd=20051118&content_id=34524&vkey=tickets_t416&fext=.jsp Purchase Tickets]