Toyota Field has been awarded its certificate of occupancy, marking the official end of construction ahead of the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Class AA; Southern League) debut at the ballpark in April. The CO marks the official end of construction at the ballpark and certifies that the facility conforms to the requirements of Madison, AL’s building codes.
Hoar Construction broke ground on the new stadium in November 2018 and achieved all target milestones on time and within the budget approved by the project’s development team. The ballpark will serve as the new home for the Trash Pandas, owned by BallCorps, LLC.
The Trash Pandas will play their inaugural home game against the Mississippi Braves on April 15. The first official contest at Toyota Field will be a collegiate game on March 20 between the University of Alabama-Huntsville and Montevallo College.
“This is a landmark moment that was made possible through the remarkable commitment and creativity displayed by all of the design and construction professionals who turned our vision into reality,” said Ralph Nelson, Managing Partner of BallCorps, LLC and CEO of the Rocket City Trash Pandas. “Hoar Construction has been a trusted partner throughout this journey, and we’re pleased to have reached a successful conclusion together. Our fans can now see for themselves that baseball is officially back in North Alabama.”
“The day our team has been waiting for has finally arrived, and it’s extremely gratifying to see the transformation from a dirt field to a top-shelf ballpark in just 14 months,” said Michael Raymond, Assistant Project Manager at Hoar Construction. “BallCorps and the City of Madison have been fantastic to work with and provided the flexibility Hoar and its trade partners needed to successfully execute a very complex construction job. Without question, this is now one of the finest minor league ballparks in America.”
The new 82,328-square-foot, $40 million ballpark is the anchor facility for the Town Madison mixed-use development, a 563-acre modern and walkable urban community that provides a variety of experiences for living, shopping, dining, working and entertainment. Toyota Field will have a capacity of approximately 7,500 fans, including a combination of fixed seating, premium suites, a stadium club, party decks, picnic areas and standing room only areas.
Project partners include the City of Madison (ballpark owner), BallCorps LLC (tenant/team owner), Hoar Construction (general contractor), Populous (architect), Thorton Tomasetti (structural engineers), Henderson Engineers (MEP), Mullins LLC (civil engineers), and Turner Construction (construction management agency).
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