PETCO Park

From SoSH

Contents 1 Stadium History 2 Field Dimensions 3 Wall Height 4 Ground Rules 5 Trivia 6 External Links

Stadium History

On November 3, 1998 the voters of San Diego approved Proposition C, which approved the city's share of a new $411 million dollar downtown ballpark for the Padres. The ballpark is a part of a larger Ballpark District, featuring offices, retail, hotels, and residential units that promises to transform a derelict section of downtown into a popular year-round destination.

However, in October of 2000, construction stopped because of a lack of money. There were no funds because the city had not sold bonds approved in the election while it defended itself against lawsuits brought by tax protesters. Construction began again, but the delays pushed the stadium’s opening from 2002 to 2004.

PETCO Park differentiates itself from other MLB ballparks built in the same era by eschewing "retro"-style red brick and green seats. The stadium is clad in Indian sandstone and stucco; its exposed steel is painted white and the 42,445 fixed seats are dark blue. The design is meant to evoke the sandy color of San Diego cliffs and beaches, the blue of the ocean, and the white sails of boats on the nearby bay.

An excellent example of adaptive reuse, the Western Metal Supply Company Building, a hundred-year old structure that had been scheduled for demolition to make way for PETCO Park, was saved and incorporated into the design of the ballpark. The building was renovated and contains the team store, private suites, a restaurant and rooftop seating. The corner of the building serves as the left field foul-pole.

Field Dimensions

Left Field	Left Center	Center Field	Right Center	Right Field
334'	367'	396'	402'	322'

Wall Height

Left Field	Center Field	Right Field
4’	7’	12’

Ground Rules

In addition to adhering to the Universal Ground Rules, Petco Park employs the following ground rules:

DUGOUT AND PHOTOGRAPHERS' AREAS

• Ball enters warning track adjacent to either side of the dugout seats: In Play.

OUTFIELD

• Left Field:
  • Ball strikes east (right) side of the Western Metal Supply Building: Home Run.
  • Ball strikes anything attached to east (right) side of the Western **Metal Supply Building: Home Run.
  • Ball strikes south (left) side of the Western Metal Supply Building: Foul Ball.
• Right Field:
  • Ball strikes spectator rail at the Right Field Porch and rebounds onto the playing field: In Play.
  • Ball in flight strikes the top of the spectator rail at the Right **Field Porch and bounds into the stands: Home Run.
  • Ball strikes padded Right Field wall and then bounds over the higher spectator rail at the Right Field Porch: Two Bases.

BULLPEN AREA

• Ball lodging on, under or in the bullpen seating area: Out of Play.

• Ball enters the bullpen seating area and rebounds out of the seating area: In Play.

Trivia

• Seats feature computer technology.
• On March 18 and 20, 2006, the ballpark hosted the Semi-Finals and the Finals of the first World Baseball Classic.
• The stadium's first concert came on November 11, 2005, when it hosted The Rolling Stones.

External Links

• Update