Tuesday night brings a prominent facility debut in Minor League Baseball, as the Las Vegas Aviators (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) will open Las Vegas Ballpark.
The Aviators franchise–known as the 51s until rebranding in December–spent years pushing to replace Cashman Field in downtown Las Vegas, and that is culminating in their Las Vegas Ballpark opener on Tuesday against the Sacramento River Cats. Located in Downtown Summerlin, the $150 million Las Vegas Ballpark features several distinct amenities, including a pool beyond the outfield wall, a splash pad, a 3,930-square-foot videoboard, 4Topps Premium Seating’s AirFlow Mesh seats–which are designed to provide relief from the heat–and concessions with an emphasis on local fare.
Given those amenities, Las Vegas Ballpark’s opening has drawn has considerable anticipation, and now the Aviators are gearing up for the facility’s first game. Not only does the team expect that the new ballpark will represent a significant upgrade over Cashman Field, but that its features will provide a true attraction for fans. More from the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Aviators President Don Logan said the new stadium is “apples and oranges” compared with Cashman and a “must-see attraction” for fans.
“I want them to be proud of it because it’s Las Vegas’. I want it to be a ‘wow’ factor, and there will be,” he said.
In putting together a modern, “major league” home for their new-look franchise, the Aviators sought out what has worked elsewhere in baseball, he said.
Enter a heated pool behind center field similar to that of Chase Field in Phoenix, a 14-foot “Green Monster” wall in left and an entertainment area next to the pool geared toward millennials, Logan said. Modeled after the “The Band Box” inside the Nashville Sounds stadium, the Corona-branded area will feature foosball and cornhole, along with food and beer.
We are planning to be at Las Vegas Ballpark in early May, and will have more details on the facility after our visit. The Aviators are opening Las Vegas Ballpark with a seven-game homestand that kicks off with Tuesday’s game against Sacramento, and will wrap up with the final of a four-game series against the Fresno Grizzlies on April 15.
Image courtesy Las Vegas Aviators.
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