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Coca-Cola Park

Coordinates: 40°37′34″N 75°27′9″W / 40.62611°N 75.45250°W / 40.62611; -75.45250
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Sahlen Field, which was previously known as Coca-Cola Field from 2009-2018..

Coca-Cola Park
Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Map
Location1050 Iron Pigs Way
Allentown, Pennsylvania
U.S.
Coordinates40°37′34″N 75°27′9″W / 40.62611°N 75.45250°W / 40.62611; -75.45250
Public transitBus transport LANta bus: 102 (at Union Boulevard)
OwnerLehigh County
OperatorLehigh County/L.V. Baseball LP.
Capacity10,178 (8,278 seats)
Field sizeLeft field: 323 ft (98 m)
Left-center field: 374 ft (114 m)
Deep left-center: 387 ft (118 m)
Left of center field: 409 ft (125 m)
Center field: 400 ft (120 m)
Right of center field: 398 ft (121 m)
Right-center field: 369 ft (112 m)
Right field: 325 ft (99 m)
SurfaceKentucky bluegrass
Construction
Broke groundSeptember 6, 2006[1]
OpenedMarch 30, 2008
Construction cost$50.25 million[2]
($71.1 million in 2023 dollars[3])
ArchitectPopulous
Structural engineerBrinjac Engineering, Inc.
Services engineerBrinjac Engineering, Inc.[4]
General contractorAlvin H. Butz Inc.[5]
Tenants
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (IL/AAAE) 2008–present

Coca-Cola Park is a baseball park in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It is the home field for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A level Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Coca-Cola Park accommodates 10,178 fans, including auxiliary areas, Capital Blue Cross Lawn, Dugout Suites, and Red Robin Tiki Terrace, and cost $50.25 million to build.[2] On March 7, 2007, naming rights to the stadium were awarded to The Coca-Cola Company Bottling Co. of the Lehigh Valley.[6]

Features

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The infield of Coca-Cola Park in Allentown prior to a Lehigh Valley IronPigs game against the Pawtucket Red Sox in April 2009
Coca-Cola Park infield as seen from field-level seats in 2015
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs playing the Buffalo Bisons in a night game at Coca-Cola Park in April 2015

The stadium features the Majestic Clubhouse, which houses all team apparel. The Bud Light Trough is an area immediately behind the right field wall that provides patrons the opportunity to stand and socialize during the game. The team's name is drawn from pig iron, used in the manufacturing of steel, a vital industry in the Lehigh Valley for most of the 20th century. References to the "pig" theme are used in the majority of concession stands and stores. The Berks Picnic Patio is immediately adjacent to left field that features buffet style food and can be booked for group outings. The club level of the stadium features an indoor concourse with access to the club level seats, the suites and the two PenTeleData Party Porches.

VIP Dugout Suites are situated immediately behind home plate and provide a unique viewing experience. Lehigh Valley Health Network Children's Hospital KidsZone features a free playground area. Children can take advantage of a number of games, including speed pitch, slides, and more.

In 2012, the park added the Capital Blue Tiki Terrace in Left Field over the bullpens which features large group seating, tables for four, and a bar area accessible to all ticketed fans.[7]

The stadium maximum capacity is 10,178, which includes 8,278 seats plus seating for 1,900 on the grass berm in center field. There is one main scoreboard which is located at the 400' mark on the field. The scoreboard consists of a 20' × 50' high definition video board, a 76' × 4' LED ribbon board, as well as the park's iconic classic Coca-Cola bottle, which also serves as a firework launcher when a run is scored.[8]

In addition to its traditional stadium seating, Coca-Cola Park has a wide variety of seating options, including the grass berm, picnic benches, fold-down seats, and standing room. The initial estimate of the IronPigs stadium was $48.4 million. Its final price tag of $50.25 million, just four percent over the estimate, makes Coca-Cola Park one of the most expensive Minor League Baseball stadiums in the nation.[2]

History

[edit]

2006 groundbreaking

[edit]

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new ballpark were held on September 6, 2006,[9] and construction was completed in February 2008. Coca-Cola Park was built on land formerly owned by LSI Corporation.[10] The field dimensions and wall heights are the same as those of Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia except left field is six feet closer (323 feet, with the addition of the new "Pig Pen" seating section in 2015, to the foul pole compared to 329), center field is one foot shorter and the right field foul pole is five feet closer (325 feet in Allentown compared to 330 feet at Citizens Bank Park).[11]

With its completion, Coca-Cola Park is Allentown's newest stadium, but it is not the city's largest. That distinction belongs to J. Birney Crum Stadium, which has a seating capacity in excess of 15,000,[12] and is the second largest outdoor high school stadium in Pennsylvania.[citation needed]

The layout of Coca-Cola Park is slightly different from most ballparks with the main entrance located on the right field line rather than the common location behind home plate. Fans with club seating tickets, however, have a designated entrance behind home plate.

John Mayer foul ball

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A surprising moment of the park's opening season came on July 2, 2008, when musician John Mayer attended a Lehigh Valley IronPigs game and caught a foul ball. Mayer had kept a low profile until the television cameras spotted him with the ball. Mayer eventually autographed the ball, which now sits in the Majestic Clubhouse Store.

Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and John Mellencamp concert

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The park hosted its first major non-sporting event on July 14, 2009 with a concert headlined by Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and John Mellencamp. More than 10,000 people attended the five-hour show, which was sold out. Following the event's success, Coca-Cola Park management indicated there was a good possibility other concerts would be held at the park in the future.[13]

2010 Triple-A All Star Game

[edit]

The stadium hosted the 2010 Triple-A All-Star Game in which the International League All-Stars defeated the Pacific Coast League All-Stars, 2–1,[14] and the stadium served as the Philadelphia Phillies' alternate training site in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season and abbreviated the Major League Baseball season.[15]

Bryce Harper rehabilitation stint

[edit]
Further information: Bryce Harper

In August 2022, as Phillies' star right fielder Bryce Harper was designated to the IronPigs in a final step in his rehabilitation stint as part of his comeback from a fractured thumb, IronPigs' fans in Allentown greeted Harper's appearance enthusiastically, and games featuring Harper against the Gwinnett Stripers at Coca-Cola Park quickly sold out to the stadium's 10,100 capacity. In his August 23 appearance with the IronPigs at Coca-Cola Park, Harper homered twice against the Stripers.[16]

Seats and pricing

[edit]

Tickets for seats at Coca-Cola Park are much less expensive than those at major league ballparks.

  • Capital Blue Cross Oasis "Island": $64/game (Price includes four tickets. Each "island" includes a circular half-table, cocktail-style seating for the four fans in the party and wait service.)
  • Hot Corner: $21/game
  • Club Level: $18/game ($16 Advanced Purchase)
  • Field Level: $13/game ($11 Advanced Purchase)
  • Bacon Strip: $11/game
  • Pig Pen (new in 2015): $21/game ($18 Advanced Purchase)
  • General Admission Value*: $11/game (include a General Admission ticket as well as $5 of loaded value that can be redeemed for food, beverages or merchandise at Coca-Cola Park)
  • General Admission*: $8/game
  • General Admission ticketing allows fans access to the Capital Blue Cross Lawn, the KLYR Rum Bar area, the Capital Blue Cross Tiki Terrace Bar and all standing room drink rail areas on the concourse.[17]

Location and transportation

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The stadium is located on the east side of Allentown. The eastern segment of American Parkway provides access to the main entrance to the stadium and is accessible from U.S. Route 22. Union Boulevard and Airport Road serve as local arterials to the stadium.[18][19] Parking is available on several on-site lots; the cost is $5.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Hart, Jay (September 7, 2006). "A Closer Look at the Lehigh Valley Ballpark". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Isherwood, Darryl R. (October 25, 2008). "Stadium's Final Cost Hits $50.25 Million". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved October 25, 2008.
  3. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  4. ^ "Sports Projects". Brinjac Engineering. Archived from the original on March 20, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
  5. ^ Knight, Graham (September 20, 2010). "Coca Cola Park". Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  6. ^ Schuler, Jeff (March 8, 2007). "Play Ball at...Coca-Cola Park". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. p. A1. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
  7. ^ Schuler, Jeff (January 10, 2012). "Tiki Terrace Shaping Up Nicely". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  8. ^ "New: Massive LED Ribbon Board in 2012". Minor League Baseball. February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
  9. ^ "Ceremonial Groundbreaking for Stadium". WFMZ. Allentown, Pennsylvania. September 6, 2006. Archived from the original on March 28, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  10. ^ Bull, John M.R.; Micek, John L. (November 19, 2004). "Governor Kills Stadium Funding Plan". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. p. A1. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
  11. ^ "About Citizens Bank Park". About.com: a part of The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on January 12, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
  12. ^ "J. Birney Crum Stadium". Northampton Laurels F.C. Archived from the original on July 16, 2007. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
  13. ^ Moser, John J. (July 15, 2009). "A Great Time Was Had With Bob Dylan at Coca-Cola Park". The Morning Call.
  14. ^ "Triple-A All-Star Game Results (2008–2012)". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  15. ^ Dykstra, Sam. "Roundup: Major League alternate training sites," Minor League Baseball, Thursday, July 16, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2020
  16. ^ "Lehigh Valley is embracing Bryce Harper for as long as he's there", Philly Voice, August 25, 2022
  17. ^ "Seating Chart". The Official website of the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  18. ^ "Ballpark Visits". Ballpark Digest. Archived from the original on January 9, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  19. ^ "Directions to Coca-Cola Park". Minor League Baseball. November 8, 2010. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  20. ^ "Parking". Minor League Baseball. November 22, 2010. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
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