It’s one of the most underrated ballparks in the majors: Minute Maid Park marks the tenth season of hosting Houston Astros baseball.
It’s been an eventful nine years for the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. To celebrate the team’s 10th season, Lyle Lovett will sing the National Anthem at tonight’s home opener: he was also on hand to sing the National Anthem when the ballpark opened as Enron Field in 2000.
Not everyone was ecstatic to see Minute Maid Park open in 2000. It replaced the Astrodome, one of the most unique sporting venues ever created, one that gave Houston a strong identity. That it still stands is a testament to how strongly the locals feel about the Eighth Wonder of the World.
Still, it was probably time for the Astros to find a new home: for pro baseball, the Astrodome had reached the limits of its functionality. Minute Maid Park is really the vision of Astros owner Drayton McLane, and it does mirror his personality: it’s big, bold and solid without being over the top.
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