Overall stadium capacity will shrink to 10,500. The A's will replace left- and right-field bleachers with shaded plazas that can host large groups, barbecues and other events. The main gate will move to Hohokam's southwestern corner, and the large interior concourse will be brightened with new lighting and displays.īig changes also are in store for the stadium bowl, which has an intimate feel despite its current 13,000-fan capacity. "It's consistently branded with city of Mesa and Oakland Athletics vibe."
#Hohokam stadium schedule skin
"The entire skin of the building changes color and complexity," Boyer said. The A's aim to change that with the bold use of color and signage. The A's will add a dramatic entrance unmistakably signaling their presence.Īs for the stadium, almost nothing in its generic design or remaining decor suggests it was the home of a particular major-league team. At present it's a blandly designed building with no visual cues that it's a baseball hub. The clubhouse will get an external makeover as well. It gives them a best-in-class training facility which will really serve them well." The 55,000 square feet of clubhouse space will seem like a palace compared with the 17,000 square feet the A's now have at Papago Park.Īrchitect Jason Boyer said the Fitch work "puts the A's from a training-center standpoint within the top half of the Cactus League. A smaller "agility field," partly sod and partly artificial turf, is being added. The four existing full-size baseball fields are bare dirt now in preparation for new drainage, irrigation and surfaces.
The clubhouse will more than double in size, with new weight-training and hydrotherapy facilities, meeting and dining space and revamped team offices. Much of the heavy work is under way at Fitch. When Hohokam - Mesa's second baseball stadium to bear that name - opened in 1997, the construction price tag was $18 million. Of Mesa's share, $8 million eventually will be repaid from regional tourism taxes funneled through the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority. Mesa is spending $17.5 million in public money, and the A's about $4 million, for the renovations. The A's trained in Mesa four decades ago when they put together one of Major League Baseball's last great dynasties, and they'll be back for at least a 20-year run beginning next year.
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