We sense a little Schadenfreude in the air: Birmingham Mayor William Bell is seeking to eliminate two local architects from the design team for a new downtown Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) ballpark. The Birmingham News is reporting the mayor’s office is working to remove Giattina Aycock Architecture Studio and Hoskins Architecture from the […]
Tag Archives | hks
Oakland: One last gasp at keeping A’s
Oakland will take one last run at keeping the Athletics by paying $3.5 million on an attempt to persuade private investors to upgrade facilities at the Coliseum sports complex. The city will pay $1.6 million to JRDV Architects, Forest City Enterprises and HKS Sports and Entertainment to determine the long-term feasibility of the complex, which […]
Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park renovations to be unveiled this week
The new athletic facilities at Texas A&M University’s Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park will be unveiled at the Aggie baseball team’s first game on February 17 against Illinois-Chicago. The $24-million project, spearheaded by a $7 million pledge from Blue Bell Creameries in nearby Brenham, Texas, has been two years in the making. Blue Bell […]
Hagerstown Suns sign letter of intent for Winchester move
The ownership of the Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League) has signed a letter of intent to move the team to a new Winchester (Va.) ballpark for the 2013 season under the terms of a pretty sweet lease proposal. The new ballpark, to be built at Jim Barnett Park, will be designed by HKS. […]
New for 2013: Regions Field
Regions Bank will keep its naming-rights deal with the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League), as the team’s new downtown ballpark will be known as Regions Field when it opens in 2013. The Barons had a naming-rights/branding deal with Regions Bank at their current home, Regions Park in suburban Hoover. That relationship will continue at […]
2011 Ballpark of the Year: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick
In the final round of the yearly Ballpark Digest Awards, we honor our 2011 Ballpark of the Year: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the spring home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. In a year that saw several noteworthy new ballparks, one stood out as a way that fundamentally rethought how a spring-training […]
Preview: Uni-Trade Stadium / Laredo Lemurs
The new home of the Laredo Lemurs (independent; American Association) is slated to open for the 2012 season. Capacity: 6,000 (3,940 fixed seats; berm space for 1,700; picnic space for 370), with club seatingSuites: 11 suites and a party suiteYear Opened: 2012 Cost: $18 million Owners: City of Laredo Architect: HKS, DallasConstruction: Leyendecker Construction, LaredoDimensions: […]
New for 2012: Uni-Trade Stadium
The new home of the Laredo Lemurs (independent; American Association) has a name after the sale of naming rights: Uni-Trade Stadium. Terms of the deal were not released. “I am so proud and excited that one of Laredo’s own most prominent businessman, Mr. Eduardo Garza, and his company, leaders of industry in their own right, […]
Prepping Chase Field for the All-Star Game
Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, has always been an underrated ballpark, in our view. Now fans across the country will be exposed to its many charms during the All-Star Game this week. When it opened in 1998, Chase Field — then Bank One Ballpark — was a fairly subtle facility with a […]
Solar structure going up on Chase Field
Another improvement to Chase Field as the Arizona Diamondbacks prepare for a big season: an addition that will generate 75 kilowatts of solar power and also provide needed shade for fans as they enter and exit the ballpark. A product of a partnership between the D-backs, Maricopa County Stadium District and APS, the structure will […]
Blair Field renovation cost now pegged at $20M
It will take $20 million — not the $8-$12 million initially predicted — to renovate Blair Field, the home of the Long Beach State Dirtbags, if the current remodeling plan is implemented. The new numbers come from Long Beach State officials and HKS, architect on the project. Officials say they won’t hit up students for […]
Renovations pitched for Blair Field
Long Beach State is looking at an ambitious renovation of historic Blair Field that would include expanded fan facilities, a second-level concourse with expanded press facilities and suites, and a new practice field. The plan, outlined by HKS and presented to university officials this week, is expected to cost between $8 million and $12 million. […]
Feeding frenzy expected for Cubs spring facility work
When the city of Mesa releases a “request for qualifications” notice in coming weeks, we’ll see a feeding frenzy as architectural and construction firms jockey for position — and we hear the process is expected to be wide open. Discussions of the new facility were fast and frequent at the Winter Meetings, as lots of […]