Sovereign Bank Stadium
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| Sovereign Bank Stadium | |
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| Location | 160 Roosevelt Avenue York, Pennsylvania 17401 |
| Broke ground | September 29, 2006 |
| Opened | May 15, 2007 |
| Owner | York County Industrial Development Authority |
| Operator | York Professional Baseball; York Revolution |
| Construction cost | $32.5 million |
| Tenants | |
| York Revolution (2007-present) | |
| Seats | |
| 5,306 | |
| Dimensions | |
| Left Field: 300 ft (91.44 m)
Center Field: 405 ft (123.444 m) Right Field: 326 ft (99.3648 m) Wall: 37.7 ft (11.490 96 m) |
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Sovereign Bank Stadium will be a 5,200-seat baseball-only stadium in York, Pennsylvania that will open in 2007. It will be the home of the York Revolution baseball team, the first in the city of York in 38 years. As ground broke for the new stadium, a Philadelphia-based banking company, Sovereign Bank, purchased the naming rights.[1] The stadium has been in the planning stages since 2003, but local politics and funding temporarily halted plans for the stadium. The city of York has initiated the demolition of 20 buildings in the Arch Street neighborhood, which began in June 2006. The actual stadium construction began in September 2006, with a projected opening for July 2007.[2]
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[edit] History
The city of York has been trying to pursue the construction of a baseball stadium for ten years. It seemed to be coming together in 2003, until politics and financial pressure prevented the ballpark from being built.[3] Many Yorkers hoped to see a team fielded in the same inaugural season as the neighboring Lancaster Barnstormers, but that opportunity slipped away. The ballpark was originally slated to be located at Small Athletic Field, on York City School District property. The district board vetoed the stadium as they believed that their money could be better used for a more practical renovation plan for Small Athletic Field.[4] Over the span of three years, ballpark planning weathered many inclines and declines until a hard-fought agreement was made to build in the Arch Street neighborhood. Other locations that were considered but never came to fruition were Hoffman Field, the home of the former York White Roses, and the Ohio Blender site.
Prior to the ballpark's opening, a Philadelphia-based banking institution called Sovereign Bank purchased the naming rights for $2.7 million over ten years.[5] In June 2006, the Banco Santander Central Hispano from Spain purchased almost 20% of Sovereign in June for $2.4 billion. As Banco Santander owns 25% of Sovereign Bank, it has the right to buy the bank for $40 per share for one year beginning in the middle of 2008. The potential sale will not change Sovereign's commitment to the city of York regarding Sovereign Bank Stadium.[6]
[edit] Ballpark Attractions
[edit] Brooks Robinson Plaza
Sovereign Bank Stadium will feature the Brooks Robinson Plaza at the homeplate entrance of the ballpark. The plaza will feature a statue of Brooks Robinson, along with information related to his 23-year career in professional baseball. In 1955, Robinson played with York's previous team, the White Roses, and at the end of the season was signed by in the Baltimore Orioles.[7]The ballpark itself will resemble Oriole Park at Camden Yards[8], in tribute to Brooks Robinson and the Baltimore Orioles, the local Major League favorite. The dimensions will be the same as those of the former Memorial Stadium, the Orioles' previous home.[9]
[edit] A Monster in the Vault
When Sovereign Bank Stadium opens in 2007, the ballpark will have a feature that will distinguish it from every other Major or minor league baseball venue. At 37 feet, 8 inches, the left field wall of Sovereign Bank Stadium will be taller than the famous Green Monster at Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox. The Green Monster is 37 feet, 2 inches high, and the wall at York's stadium will be six inches taller. The reason for the ballpark's tall left field wall is because of space limits. Ballpark architects had difficulty fitting a ballpark between North and Arch streets. The left field foul pole will be about 300 feet from home plate, an easy home run for most professional baseball players. Most architects simply expand the ballpark's outfield dimensions to accommodate a tight space in an effort to decrease the ease of hitting a home run. But York's stadium designers were restrained because of the proximity of Arch Street behind the left field fence. Unable to increase the distance from home plate, they increased the height of the fence.[10]
| Preceded by: Bob Hoffman Stadium 1932–1969 |
Home of the York Revolution 2007–future |
Succeeded by: Future |
[edit] References
- ^ Sovereign Bank purchases naming rights. York Daily Record. Retrieved on August 5, 2006.
- ^ SBS Groundbreaking. York Daily Record. Retrieved on October 1, 2006.
- ^ York seeks Baseball. York Daily Record. Retrieved on June 3, 2006.
- ^ York City School Board vetoes Ballpark Plan. WGAL.com. Retrieved on June 3, 2006.
- ^ Sovereign Bank purchases naming rights. York Daily Record. Retrieved on August 5, 2006.
- ^ Banco Santander Central Hispano to own Sovereign Bank. York Daily Record. Retrieved on September 19, 2006.
- ^ Brooks Robinson Plaza. Keystone Professional Baseball. Retrieved on June 2, 2006.
- ^ Sovereign Bank Stadium pays tribute to Camden Yards. York Daily Record. Retrieved on June 3, 2006.
- ^ Sovereign Bank Stadium pays tribute to Memorial Stadium. York Revolution. Retrieved on August 5, 2006.
- ^ Sovereign Bank Stadium wall to be taller than the Green Monster. York Daily Record. Retrieved on September 7, 2006.
| Stadiums of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball |
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| North Division: The Ballpark at Harbor Yard • Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium • Citibank Park South Division: Campbell's Field • Clipper Magazine Stadium • Commerce Bank Ballpark • Sovereign Bank Stadium Future Stadiums: Regency Furniture Stadium |
