Demolition work is underway at Drillers Stadium, spelling the demise of the former home of the Tulsa Drillers (Class AA; Texas League).
Drillers Stadium opened in 1981 on the grounds of the Expo Square complex. The Drillers would play there continuously for the next few decades, but the facility had become increasingly outdated leading up to its final season in 2009. It has not hosted MiLB action since, as the Drillers opened downtown Tulsa’s ONEOK Field in 2010.
Though initially used for other events after the Drillers departed, Drillers Stadium’s condition deteriorated over time and items such as seats were removed from the ballpark several years ago. That had made demolition of the facility increasingly inevitable, and the process of bringing it down began last month. It is currently expected that the demolition work will wrap up by mid-April. More from Tulsa World:
Mark Andrus, president and CEO of Expo Square, said Saturday that plans also call for removing the old Tulsa County Health Department building next door to the stadium.
Work began in mid-January and will be done by April 15, Andrus said.
“There is a reason the Drillers moved out of that stadium,” Andrus said. “Every year it was getting older and older, and we had some issues with vandalism and graffiti, and with some people using it as an overnight stay.”
For now, the ballpark’s site is slated to be used for parking and as a staging area, but there could be interest in a more elaborate redevelopment plan down the road.
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