A huge Christmas display is lighting up the Washington Nationals baseball stadium in the nation’s capital through Dec. 29. Some two and a half million Christmas lights, a 30 meter high artificial Christmas tree, and an ice skating trail have turned the stadium into a glowing winter wonderland. Read more and watch video here. Learn more details here.
Filed under Amenities & Features, Fun & Atmosphere, Stadium Issues
As the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros prepare to meet in Game 1 of the 2019 MLB World Series on Tuesday, Joe Mock from BaseballParks.com has posted his annual comparison of the two ballparks we’ll see in this year’s Fall Classic. Read more here. View World Series game schedule here.
Filed under Uncategorized
The Houston Astros and Washington Nationals are preparing to face off in Major League Baseball’s first World Series between teams that share the same spring training complex — the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach (FL). Off the field, the fall classic opponents are reluctant teammates in a protracted legal fight with the contractors who built their $153 million spring home. More than three years after the complex opened, at least three companies say they’re still owed millions of dollars. Read more here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Legal, Money & Financials
The Washington Nationals this week became the first of 15 Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs to display a Smithsonian-created, interactive statue of astronaut Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 spacesuit. The “Apollo at the Park” program is part of the National Air and Space Museum’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1969 mission that made Armstrong the first man on the moon. Read more here.
Neil Armstrong spacesuit statues are coming soon to a participating ballpark near you: https://t.co/PdRW85UOsX 👨🚀⚾️
When you visit the statues, use your phone for a content activation to learn more about #Apollo11, and make sure to share your photos using #SnapTheSuit. #Apollo50 pic.twitter.com/yps3cClTMY
— National Air and Space Museum (@airandspace) June 4, 2019
Filed under Amenities & Features, Human Interest
Aside from peanuts and Cracker Jacks, fans of the Washington Nationals will be reaching for Korean fried chicken wings and oysters on the half shell at Nationals Park this year. Read more here and here. Read about more new food items around the Majors here.
Filed under Uncategorized
The 2018 MLB All-Star Game is Tuesday at 8:00 pm (Eastern) at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. View details and lineups here. Washington Nationals’ star Bryce Harper won the Home Run Derby in dramatic fashion Monday night. Read more and watch video here.
Filed under Conference & Events
Fitteam, an event brand partnership and organic products firm, has secured the naming rights to the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, the spring training home of the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros. Read more here.
More than a year after the teams’ $152 million shared facility opened, construction still isn’t finished. And it might be June before the city issues a final certificate of occupancy, which will mark the end of a rocky construction process that has faced numerous challenges since work started in November 2015. Read more here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
According to the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer, the bonds used to build decade-old Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals, could be paid off as soon as 2026, a decade earlier than required. Read more here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Money & Financials, Stadium Issues
A new 12-acre park at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches called Lincoln Park — a tribute to the Negro Leagues field in the north end of the city — is expected to open during spring training. Read more and view photos here.
Filed under Amenities & Features
Joe Mock from BaseballParks.com makes a post-completion return to the new spring training facility in West Palm Beach (FL) for the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. Read more and view photos here. As you might recall, Mock visited the complex in December while it was still under construction. Read more and view photos here.
Filed under Amenities & Features, Ballpark Visits, Stadium Issues
A ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, the owners of both teams and other local and county officials highlighted opening festivities for The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Read more and view photos and news report here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches will be ready to play ball for the first time on Tuesday but only because of a late-inning rally by construction crews and city inspectors inside the main stadium. Read more and view photo here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
The first day the general public will be allowed on The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches complex is Feb. 18, the same day the Houston Astros hold their first full-squad workouts with pitchers, catchers and position players. The Washington Nationals hold their first full-squad workouts on Feb. 19. Read more and view complex aerial photo here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
It’ll be easy to spot the new spring training home of the Houston Astros in West Palm Beach (FL) — just look for the team’s giant 30-feet high star logo outside their clubhouse at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. In the coming days, a giant Washington Nationals curly “W” will installed outside their clubhouse. Read more and watch installation here.
Filed under Branding & Marketing, Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches is one step closer to being ready to host the Washington Nationals for spring training. Even though construction is still underway for parts of the facility, two trucks loaded with thousands of pieces of equipment arrived Thursday morning. Read more and watch news report here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
Joe Mock from BaseballParks.com takes an exclusive, sneak peek look at the new spring training facility in West Palm Beach (FL) for the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. Read more and view photos here.
Filed under Ballpark Visits, Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
As anticipation grows around the new Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, Lyssa Goldberg from The Palm Beacher explores how West Palm’s shiny new toy will benefit its neighboring towns — Jupiter to Port St. Lucie — and turn southeast Florida into a spring training hub. Read more and view photos here. Watch news report here. Read here about the first major amateur event scheduled at the facility.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
Naomi Silver, chief executive and chief operating officer of the Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A, International League), said the sale of the Batavia Muckdogs (Single-A, New York-Penn League) fell through because the prospective ownership group was not granted permission from teams and leagues that have territorial rights in Waldorf (MD). Read more here.
Filed under League & Franchise, Market & Location
Initial reports about the latest rumor said a minority-led group purchased the Batavia Muckdogs (Single-A, New York-Penn League) and wants it to move to Waldorf (MD). And that’s where a sort of spider web of overlapping baseball intrigue begins to occur for the potential move. Read more here. Thanks to John Cerone for the link.
Filed under Uncategorized
The new logo for The Ballpark of The Palm Beaches, the new spring-training home for the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros, is blue and green, featuring a diamond and row of palm trees leading into a sun. Read more and watch logo unveiling here.
Filed under Branding & Marketing
Brady Ballard has been hired by the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals as the general manager of The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, the new spring training complex in West Palm Beach (FL). The two-team complex is scheduled to open in January 2017. Read more here.
Filed under Personnel & Operations
Thankfully it’s only temporary, but the construction site of the new spring-training facility for the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros in West Palm Beach (FL) smells like a trash dump. That’s because a team of tractors have been digging up long-buried mounds of trash on the 160-acre site, which was used as a landfill from about 1955 until 2000. Read more and view photo here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred was in attendance Monday at a ground breaking ceremony for the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. The Houston Astros and Washington Nationals are expected to take up spring-training residence at the $144 million facility in 2017. Read more and view photo here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
Palm Beach County (FL) commissioners this morning are scheduled to vote on a series of items that will allow the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals to get started later this week on building their new Major League Baseball spring training complex south of 45th Street. Read more here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
The Palm Beach County (FL) Commission on Tuesday gave its final okay for a $135 million stadium deal nearly two years in the making. The Houston Astros and Washington Nationals have agreed to make West Palm Beach their new spring training home, with plans to move into the county’s planned stadium in 2017. Read more here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
The proposed spring training stadium in West Palm Beach (FL) for the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros cleared its final legislative hurdle Wednesday when Gov. Rick Scott signed into law a key land-use change that had threatened to delay the project. Read more here and here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Legal, Stadium Issues
Some Brevard County (FL) leaders want to bet big on the future of the area’s Space Coast stadium, as the Washington Nationals and possibly the Brevard County Manatees (Single-A, Florida State League) head for the door. Commissioners want to attract a major youth athletic league to the ballpark. It could cost $10 million to do it. Watch news report here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
The Florida Legislature on Wednesday removed a big hurdle to the $135 million spring training complex for the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros by easing restrictions on the West Palm Beach property targeted for the project. Read more here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros submitted preliminary design plans for a new spring-training complex to be built near the intersection of Haverhill and 45th Street in West Palm Beach (FL). Read more and watch news report here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
Building permits have been approved for three of the four buildings slated for the Ballpark Square development near Nationals Park, including a two-story retail building, a 13-story apartment building, and a 12-story hotel. A 235,000-square-foot office building is also on its way and could be permitted soon. Read more here. View aerial rendering here.
Filed under Amenities & Features, Design & Construction
The Palm Beach County Commission on Tuesday approved spending the initial $5 million of a $135 million proposal to build a spring-training stadium for the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals, although the deal has not yet been finalized with the teams. Read more here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Money & Financials, Stadium Issues
The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros took another big step Monday night toward moving their spring training operations to West Palm Beach (FL), winning conceptual approval from the city for a shared stadium. The same so-called spring training “term sheet” – a non-binding agreement unanimously approved by the city — will be considered Tuesday morning by the Palm Beach County Commission. Read more here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
In addition to signing ace pitcher Max Scherzer for $210 million, fans of the Washington Nationals heard more good news this week, as the team has reportedly been told that Nationals Park will be awarded the 2018 MLB All-Star Game. Read more here.
Filed under Conference & Events
Negotiations resumed Wednesday in a bid to bring the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals to a proposed new $135 million spring-training complex in West Palm Beach (FL). A deal could involve a land swap between Palm Beach County and West Palm Beach. Read more here.
The city of West Palm Beach (FL) is ready to talk baseball again, reviving a push to build a new $135 million spring-training facility to lure the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros. Read more here. Watch news report here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
College football bowls games will take center stage today, but don’t forget the National Hockey League’s 2015 Winter Classic at Nationals Park. The Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals will face off in the outdoor game starting at 1:00 p.m. EST on NBC. Get more information here. View Nationals Park makeover here.
Filed under Conference & Events
Palm Beach County (FL) Commissioners voted 5-2 on Tuesday to approve the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals proposal for a $135 million training facility, if the teams can find a site in the next 90 days and close on the site 90 days thereafter. Local hotel tax revenue would be used to help pay for the new complex. Read more here.
The Palm Beach County (FL) Commission on Tuesday will consider the latest proposal to build a new spring-training facility for the Houston Astros and Washington National. The plan trims construction costs but dips deeper into local tourism taxes could help pay for it. Read more here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Money & Financials, Stadium Issues
A 160-acre site in West Palm Beach (FL) coveted by two big-league baseball teams for spring training has a new suitor — a firm proposing a mixed use project including an athletic park. Read more and view rendering here.
Filed under Design & Construction, Stadium Issues
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