Rainiers Fined for ‘Epic’ Roof Stunt

This past June, the Tacoma Rainiers (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) brought reindeer mascot Rhubarb and local icon “Epic Sax Gorilla” up onto the roof of Cheney Stadium, where the club plays, for a routine crowd-pleasing stunt.  Read more here.  Watch performance here.

Mobile Pitching Mound Makes Soccer Possible at Cheney Stadium

Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma Rainiers (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League), will host the Seattle Sounders FC 2 (United Soccer League) for 17 games this season, starting Friday, March 16.  A mobile pitching mound makes hosting soccer possible.  Read more and watch video here.

Sounders Partner with Rainiers to Bring USL to Tacoma

The Seattle Sounders FC (Major League Soccer) and Tacoma Rainiers (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) have reached a preliminary deal on building a 5,000 seat soccer-specific stadium in Tacoma (WA) to host the Sounders 2 USL team.  The Rainiers would run the business side of the team, while the Sounders would handle soccer operations.  Read more here.

Huskies and Cougars Get Rainier Love

The Tacoma Rainiers (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) will recognize the University of Washington Huskies and Washington State University Cougars this weekend with Paint the Park Purple Friday and Color Cheney Crimson on Saturday.  The celebrations will include the team donning college-themed jerseys.

Ballpark Visit ALERT: Cheney Stadium (Tacoma, WA)

Graham Knight from BaseballPilgrimages.com has posted a review of his recent ballpark visit to Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma Rainiers (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League).  Read more and view photos here.

Rainiers Unveil New Logos, Unis

PRESS RELEASE – The Tacoma Rainiers today unveiled new logo marks and additions to the club’s official uniform set in preparation for the start of the upcoming 2015 season.

Sustainability Project to Begin at Cheney Stadium

Phase II of the Cheney Stadium Sustainable Stormwater Project will begin as soon as the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers (Pacific Coast League) wrap up their season on Sept. 2.   Over the fall, crews will install more porous asphalt in the parking lot, a large rain garden (called a bioretention facility), pervious concrete sidewalks,  and 2.5 acres of landscaping with 263 shade trees.  Read more here.

Rainiers Announce Ivar’s as Concessions Providers

PRESS RELEASE – The Tacoma Rainiers today announced the signing of Ivar’s, Inc. as the exclusive concessions provider for Cheney Stadium as part of a new multi-year partnership between the two organizations.

Ballpark Visit ALERT: Cheney Stadium (Tacoma, WA)

MLB.com reporter Benjamin Hill visits renovated Cheney Stadium, home of the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers (Pacific Coast League).  Read more and view photos here.

Mortenson Construction Receives Award for Cheney Renovation

Mortenson Construction has received a national design-build award from the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) for the renovation of Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Wash. The award was presented on Oct. 20 during the National Design-Build Conference and Expo in Orlando, Fla.

Steel Subcontractor Sues Contractor, City Over Unpaid Ballpark Work

Montana-based Roscoe Steel Company, a subcontractor on the $30 million Cheney Stadium renovation project, is suing M.A. Mortenson Company and the City of Tacoma for more than $400,000 allegedly still owed for work done on the facility.  Mortenson, the general contractor, blames Roscoe for the dispute.  Read more here.  View claim here.

Rainiers Break Attendance Record, Two Games Remain

With two games remaining on the 2011 schedule, the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers (Pacific Coast League) have broken their single-season attendance record with 364,092 fans entering the gates at renovated (new) Cheney Stadium.  Read more here.

User Fee for New Rainiers Ballpark to Take Effect Next Year

A long-planned 50-cent user fee (tax) 0n tickets to games and events at the new home for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers (Pacific Coast League) will go into effect next season.  It is expected to raise $220,000 per year, which will be used for facility maintenance and stadium debt relief.  Read more here.

Rise of the Ballpark Proletariet?

The News Tribune’s staff writer Lewis Kamb tries to make a big deal out of the $357,500 the City of Tacoma (WA) recently spent on furniture, fixtures, and equipment for luxury suites, clubhouses, and team offices at the new Cheney Stadium, home of the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, that the paying masses in the cheap seats will never see.

Cheney Stadium: Looking 50 Years Back, 50 Years Forward

Old Cheney Stadium in Tacoma (WA) opened on April 16, 1960 after $945,000 and 100 days of construction.  After $30 million in renovations this past off-season, the new Cheney Stadium readies for its grand re-opening on April 15, 2011 and another 50-year run.  Read more here.

Cheney’s New ‘2×4 Burger’

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A new 5 1/2-pound, $35 burger will makes its debut this season at the new Cheney Stadium, home of the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers.  It consists of four (4) ½-pound hamburger patties stacked double high, married with (8) slices of cheese, eight (8) slices of bacon, (8) slices of tomato, all topped off with a mound of blue cheese coleslaw on a one-pound ciabatta loaf.  You’ve been challenged, Adam Richman!

The New Cheney Stadium Readies for Debut

The $30 million renovation of Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma (WA) Rainiers, is wrapping up in time for the facility’s debut on April 2.  The stadium will sport new and more everything, although a point of contention is the length of the roof overhang.  It will be smaller than it was before, despite a provision in the original bidding specifications calling for the coverage to remain the same.  Read more and view photo here.

All About the Ballpark Transformations in Tacoma, Reading and South Bend

MLB.com reporter Benjamin Hill takes a close look at the ballpark renovations underway at Cheney Stadium, home of the Triple-A Tacoma (WA) Rainiers, FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Double-A Reading (PA) Phillies, and Coveleski Stadium, home of the Single-A South Bend (IN) Silver Hawks.  Read more here.

Cheney Renovations Continue, Sale of Rainiers on Deck?

While Cheney Stadium is in the midst of a major facelift, the Baseball Club of Tacoma, a local group of investors led by Trilogy Equity Partners co-founder Mikal Thomsen, plans to begin negotiations to buy the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers from SDL Baseball Partners.  Thomsen is part owner of the summer collegiate West Coast League’s Walla Walla Sweets and previously owned a piece of the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics.  Read more here.

Cheney Stadium: Thanks for the Memories!

The Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers played there last game at the current Cheney Stadium on Thursday night.  The News Tribune staff writer John McGrath takes looks back at the 50-year-old stadium that brought Triple-A ball back to Tacoma after a 55-year hiatus.  No need to cry though, the field will remain as Cheney is renovated in the off-season.  Read more here.

Pre-Season Party a Success, Ballpark Redesign Front and Center

An estimated 1,700 fans showed up on Saturday for the Tacoma Rainier’s pre-season party at Cheney Stadium.  Fans gobbled up 2,300 free hot dogs and had a chance to see first-hand the renderings for the $26.5 million Cheney rebuild that will take place over the next year.  Read more here.

Cheney Stadium Open for Business on Saturday

PRESS RELEASE – On Saturday, March 20th, from 11AM to 2PM, the Tacoma Rainiers will be holding a pre-season party at Cheney Stadium. Admission to the party is absolutely free. Activities will include – ticket sales, tag-a-seat, ballpark tours – including access to the dugouts and the clubhouses, national anthem tryouts, and more.

Rainiers, Loons, Keys Unveil New Websites

The websites for the Tacoma Rainiers, Great Lakes Loons, and Frederick Keys have received makeovers for 2010.

Design Wins Out Over Price

Concerns have been raised in Tacoma about the design-selection process for the $30 million baseball stadium rebuild in Tacoma.  On Tuesday, the Tacoma City Council is expected to consider awarding the contract to the design-build team of Mortenson Construction and Populous (formerly HOK).  The local team of Turner Construction and PCS Structural Solutions lost out in the process, despite coming in $2 million cheaper.  Who had the  better design? 

Sneak Peek at Cheney Stadium Renovation

PRESS RELEASE – In today’s Tacoma City Council study session, the Cheney Stadium Advisory Panel, with its chosen design team, Mortenson, Populous, and Belay, revealed details of Cheney Stadium’s first full renovation in 51 years.

Populous (HOK), HKS, and TCF Compete for Cheney Design Rights

Three designers have submitted plans the City of Tacoma for a $30 million renovation of Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma Rainiers.  The designers, which include Populous, HKS, and local architects TCF, have each partnered with a builder to put together the bids.  To protect proprietary information, formal presenations of the plans will be made behind the scenes in January to a six-person selection panel.  Read more here.

Bonds Approved for Cheney Upgrades

The Tacoma City Council on Tuesday approved $28 million in bonds to fund improvements to Cheney Stadium, the home of the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers.  The deal will keep the Rainiers in town until 2041.  Read more here.

Rainiers Lock in Long-Term Lease

The Tacoma Rainiers will be staying put at Cheney Stadium for the next 32 years, provided major upgrades are done to the city-owned facility by March 2011.  The city unanimously approved the lease deal this week, and an affirmative vote on a $30 million bond package to cover ballpark improvements is expected next week.  The Rainiers will repay most of the debt over the next 25 years.  Read more here.

$30 Million Bond Package for Tacoma Ballpark on the Docket

Later this month, the Tacoma City Council will consider a $30 million bond package to spruce up 50-year old Cheney Stadium, home of the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers.  Read more and view renderings here.

Ballpark Visit ALERT: Cheney Stadium

Digital Ballparks visits Cheney Stadium, the home of the Tacoma Rainiers.  View photos here.