The Tacoma Rainiers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and Cheney Stadium will be selected to host the 2017 Triple-A All-Star Game, reports the Seattle Times. This news will be made official as part of a press conference in Tacoma this afternoon that will include Pacific Coast League (PCL) president Branch Rickey III and team officials.
Cheney Stadium first opened in 1960, and has continually hosted PCL action. The ballpark underwent major renovations before the 2011 season that affected several areas, including suites and other premium seating options, the main entrance, dugouts and fencing, and much more. Completed in just 210 days at a cost of $30 million, the project resulted in Cheney Stadium winning our 2011 Renovation of the Year Award for the $20M+ category.
For a closer look at how these improvements have affected the ballpark, check out this story from our own Mark Cryan, who visited the facility last summer as part of his Baseball Across America tour.
More details about the game, including dates and additional festivities, will likely be announced at today’s press conference. This will mark the first time that the facility has hosted the Triple-A All-Star Game, which was first played in 1988.
Photo by Mark Cyran.