Victory Field
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 Victory Field | |
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| Location | 501 West Maryland Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46225 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°45′54″N 86°10′6″W / 39.76500°N 86.16833°W |
| Owner | Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board |
| Operator | Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board |
| Capacity | Baseball: 12,230 (fixed seats) 14,230 (Lawn + Standing Room) |
| Field size | Left field – 320 ft Left Center – 418 ft Center Field – 402 ft Right Center – 362 ft Right field – 320 ft |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | December 16, 1994[1] |
| Opened | July 11, 1996 |
| Construction cost | $20 million ($38.9 million in 2023 dollars[2]) |
| Architect | Populous (then HOK Sport) |
| Project manager | Geupel DeMars Hagerman[3] |
| Structural engineer | Fink Roberts & Petrie, Inc.[3] |
| Services engineer | Bredson & Associates, Inc.[4] |
| General contractor | Huber, Hunt & Nichols, Inc.[3] |
| Tenants | |
| Indianapolis Indians (IL) (1996–present) | |
Victory Field is a minor league ballpark in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is home to the Indianapolis Indians of the International League.
History
Victory Field opened on July 11, 1996, with the Indians falling to the Oklahoma City 89ers, 5–3, in front of 14,667 fans. It replaced Bush Stadium, which had also been called Victory Field for 25 years.[5] The new park seated 13,300 fans (15,696 with lawn seating) when it was opened. However, in 2005, a 1,000 seat bleacher section was removed to make room for a picnic area. The name reflects the victory of the United States in World War II. The opening of Victory Field in 1996 was the catalyst for a revitalization of downtown Indianapolis.[6]
A record 16,168 fans were in attendance on July 22, 2000, to witness the Indians lose to the Columbus Clippers 6–5.[5]
The stadium hosted the 2001 Triple-A All-Star Game in which the Pacific Coast League All-Stars defeated the International League All-Stars, 9–5.[7]
The Indiana Hoosiers baseball team have played one game each year at Victory Field since 2015.
The IHSAA uses Victory Field for its state final baseball matches.
Features
Victory Field has been recognized as the "Best Minor League Ballpark in America" by Baseball America and Sports Illustrated. Recently, it was ranked the sixth-best by Baseball America in their 2015 survey.[8]
The stadium has 12,230 permanent seats and room for 2,000 more fans on the outfield lawn. On popular days such as Independence Day, attendance has exceeded 15,000 including standing room only. Victory Field also features 28 luxury suites, five suite-level party areas, and two picnic areas.
Seating sections include:[5]
- Box Seats (Field and View): 7,557
- Reserved Level (Upper and Lower): 3,765
- Lawn: 2,000
- The Coors Light Cove: 125
- Suite level: 543
- Wheelchair: 240
Sports venues Lucas Oil Stadium, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the Indiana University Natatorium, and the Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium are located nearby.
Seating capacity
The seating capacity has changed over the years:
- 13,500, 15,696 with lawn seating (1996–2004)[9]
- 12,500, 14,500 with lawn seating (2005–2010)[10]
- 12,200, 14,200 with lawn seating (2011)[11]
- 12,202, 14,202 with lawn seating (2012)[12]
- 12,230, 14,230 with lawn seating (2013–present)[5]
Improvements
Several changes were made to the ballpark between the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Most notably, crews installed a new HD video display that spans the left field wall and measures 6+1⁄2 feet (2.0 m) tall by 120 feet (37 m) wide. The new digital board, which has the highest resolution (16mm) of any display in Minor League Baseball, features interactive messages, advertisements, and live scores and statistics. The Indians invested approximately $600,000 in the new digital display which was designed by Brookings, South Dakota-based Daktronics.[13]
References
- ^ "Indianapolis Begins Work On Its New Baseball Stadium". The News-Sentinel. Fort Wayne. December 17, 1996. p. 7S. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Victory Field". Emporis.com. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
- ^ "Pro Baseball Sports Facilities". Bredson & Associates, Inc. Archived from the original on April 10, 2002. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "2014 Indianapolis Indians Media Guide: Victory Field & Media" (PDF). Indianapolis Indians. April 27, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ "Indianapolis' Nationally Lauded Downtown Renaissance Continues". Indianapolis Downtown Inc. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ "Triple-A All-Star Game Results (1998–2002)". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
- ^ Schoettle, Anthony (June 3, 2015). "Victory Field keeps pace with newer, more expensive venues". ibj.com. Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ "Downtown Stadium Should Be Pursued". Louisville Business First. October 7, 1996. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ "2007 Indianapolis Indians Media Guide" (PDF). Indianapolis Indians. April 7, 2007. p. 130. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ "2011 Indianapolis Indians Media Guide" (PDF). Indianapolis Indians. April 5, 2011. p. 192. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ "2012 Indianapolis Indians Media Guide" (PDF). Indianapolis Indians. April 27, 2012. p. 154. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ "Indians Add New Video Board At Victory Field". Our Sports Central. Indianapolis Indians. April 5, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
External links
- Info from the official site
- Ballpark Digest's Visit to Victory Field
- Victory Field Views – Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues
| Events and tenants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Home of the Indianapolis Indians 1996 – present |
Succeeded by current
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