Another top-notch college-baseball facility emerges, as the University of Washington puts the finishing touches on a renovated Husky Ballpark.
The new ballpark is set to open March 21, but it looks like most of the work is already finished, as judging by photos taken there last week. The $19-million renovation includes a new grandstand, a mix of backed metal bleachers and three sections of reserved theater-style seating, new restrooms (no more porta-potties!), a FieldTurf surface on the entire field (except for a dirt pitching mound), new scoreboard, new concessions and a new practice facility.
The reconstructed stadium, with an outer brick structure that is similar to the facade at Husky Stadium, is a significant improvement from the wooden bleachers and portable toilets of its predecessor.
“It’s a huge upgrade and it looks great,” said senior outfielder and first baseman Brian Wolfe, a 2009 graduate of Snohomish High School. “It’s going to be an awesome place to come watch a game. I can’t think of another ballpark as cool to watch a game in terms of the view (of Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains) and the stadium itself, which is beautiful.”
“It’s top-notch,” agreed junior third baseman Alex Schmidt, a 2011 graduate of Mukilteo’s Kamiak High School. “(The old stadium) was kind of sub-par, but now with the new stadium … I might be biased toward my own school, but I think it’s going to be one of the best. It looks really good.”
Images courtesy of the University of Washington.
—-
Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us at editors@augustpublications.com.
Are you a subscriber to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter? You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.
Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!
Follow Ballpark Digest on Google + and add us to your circles!