Safeco Field
From SoSH
| Location: | Seattle, Washington |
| Opened: | July 15, 1999 |
| Owner: | Washington-King County Stadium Authority |
| Surface: | Grass |
| Architect: | NBBJ (Seattle) |
| Current Capacity: | 46,621 |
| Build Cost: | $517.6 Million |
| Tenants: | Seattle Mariners (1999 - Present) |
Contents |
Stadium History
Seattle's new ballpark for the Mariners was built to resemble the great ballparks of yesteryear. It is open-air and has real grass. It also features a retractable roof that covers the ballpark, but does not enclose it. The roof keeps fans, 47% of whom come from outside the immediate Puget Sound area, protected from the wind and rain. 46,621 fans are able to enjoy a ballgame from seats that are closer to the field and offer great sightlines. A team store, picnic area, kids play area, on-site restaurant and a baseball museum are just a few of the fan amenities that make the ballpark a unique experience. A two-level modern press box is located behind home plate. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held March 8, 1997 and the ballpark opened on July 15, 1999.
Trivia
- Public financing: $340 million from a one-half-cent prepared food tax in King County and rental-car tax.
- Private financing: $75 million from Mariners owners. Cost overruns of over $100 million are still being settled.
- Safeco Field hosted the 2001 All-Star game.
- Other events that have been held at Safeco Field, include the 2001 college football Seattle Bowl and WWE WrestleMania XIX, which set a Safeco Field attendance record of 54,097 in 2003.
Field Dimensions
| Left Field | Left Center | Center Field | Right Center | Right Field |
| 331' | 390' | 405' | 386' | 326' |
Wall Height
| Left Field | Center Field | Right Field |
| 8’ | 8’ | 8’ |
Ground Rules
In addition to adhering to the Universal Ground Rules, Safeco Park also employs the following ground rules:
OUTFIELD AREA
- Fair ball (either in flight or on bounce) striking net under hand operated scoreboard in left field, and lodging behind padded wall: Two Bases.
- Ladder and handle attached to and to right of scoreboard are beyond wall. Batted ball in flight striking ladder or handle: Home Run.
- Netting in right field corner in foul territory is above and beyond the wall. A batted ball that bounds into the netting is a dead ball whether or not it rebounds onto the playing field: Two Bases.
ROOF TRUSSES
- Batted ball strikes roof truss over fair territory:
- Ball to be judged fair or foul in relation to where it strikes the ground or is touched by a fielder.
- If caught by fielder, batter is out and runners advance at own risk.
- Batted ball strikes roof truss over foul territory: Dead Ball
MOVEMENT OF ROOF
Refer to Retractable Roofs
External Links
- Update
