Almost exactly one year from today, the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Class AA; Southern League) will open their new ballpark and anticipation for team’s arrival to Madison, AL remains strong.
Located in the Town Madison development, the new Trash Pandas ballpark is under construction in anticipation of a 2020 opening. The $46 million ballpark is being built for the current Mobile BayBears–who are set to relocate after the 2019 season–and will feature amenities that include a 360-degree concourse, bar/restaurant area in the outfield, and other amenities.
The Trash Pandas’ first home opener at the ballpark is scheduled for April 15, 2020, putting the milestone just under one year away from today. With a busy time ahead of the franchise between now and the first game, Trash Pandas managing partner Ralph Nelson says that he and other team officials will be working to ensure that the ballpark offers a strong fan experience when it opens. More from AL.com:
“This market deserves a major league operation even though it’s a minor league team,” Nelson said. “So that’s what we’re going to give them.”
It’s a reflection, Nelson said, of how the community has responded to the Trash Pandas – the team currently doing business as the Mobile BayBears who will relocate to Madison next year as a reinvented baseball team.
The team has been overwhelmed by its popularity, by the soaring sales of its merchandise, by the fact that almost 900 season tickets – every home game for three years – have been sold.
“I can tell you that what I’m told is nobody in the history of our business has sold 900 full season tickets, three-year commitments, more than a year out from opening day,” Nelson said. “And what’s amazing about the season tickets is we have just started to make sales calls on people. The vast majority, all but maybe five of those tickets, people have walked into the (team’s merchandise store at Bridge Street Town Centre) and said they want to buy tickets. It’s amazing.”
Town Madison is located just west of Huntsville, making the Trash Pandas the first professional baseball team to call the Huntsville Metropolitan Area its home since the Huntsville Stars (Class AA; Southern League) played their final full season at Joe Davis Stadium in 2014. That franchise is now known as the Biloxi Shuckers.
Rendering courtesy Breland Companies.
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