Huntington Park (Columbus, Ohio)
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Huntington Park is a baseball stadium located in
Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...
, United States. It primarily serves as the home of the
Columbus Clippers The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy Merchant ship, merch ...
of the
International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...
, the Triple-A
minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...
affiliate of the
Cleveland Guardians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. Since , the team has played its home gam ...
since 2009. Groundbreaking for the ballpark took place on August 2, 2007, with construction being completed in April 2009. Designed by 360 Architecture and developed by Nationwide Realty Investors, the 10,100-seat stadium is part of a $70 million project. The stadium is at the corner of Neil Avenue and Nationwide Boulevard in the
Arena District The Arena District is a Mixed-use development, mixed-use planned development and neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio. The site was developed through a partnership between Nationwide Realty Investors, Ltd. (a subsidiary of Nationwide Mutual Insurance ...
of Columbus and replaced the Clippers' former home, Cooper Stadium. In February 2006, the naming rights for the park were purchased by Huntington Bancshares Inc. for $12 million over 23 years. On April 18, 2009, the park opened to the public, with the Columbus Clippers playing the Toledo Mud Hens in the stadium's first game. On August 12, 2009, Huntington Park was named the Ballpark of the Year by Baseballparks.com, beating out all other new or significantly renovated baseball stadiums in the country, including such Major League parks as the new
Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx in New York City. It is the home field of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. The stadium opened in April 2009, replacing the Yankee S ...
and
Citi Field Citi Field is a baseball park, baseball stadium located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, in the Boroughs of New York, borough of Queens, New York City, United States. Opened in 2009, Citi Field is the home of Major League Baseball's New York M ...
. The award is given to the new stadium with the "best combination of superior design, attractive site selection and fan amenities." The ballpark's attendance record was set on July 26, 2010 when 12,517 fans saw the Clippers defeat the Pawtucket Red Sox, 11–7. In 2023, the Clippers drew an average home attendance of 7,847 in 71 home games, the 3rd highest in Minor League Baseball. The coldest game played in the history of the stadium saw Clippers take on the Pawtucket Red Sox on April 16, 2018, amidst snow flurries and 35 degree weather. The ballpark was built adjacent to the old Ohio Penitentiary site.


Construction issues

The selection of the construction firms to build the ballpark was a contentious issue. On November 5, 2007, Lithko Contracting of
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filed suit against Franklin County. At issue was the fact that the contract for pouring concrete was awarded to Baker Construction despite Lithko's bid coming in $17,500 lower. It was alleged that the Franklin County Commissioners had favored Baker over Lithko because Baker employed union labor and Lithko did not. Because the Commissioners did not want to face delays due to a lawsuit, they awarded the contract to Lithko on November 9, 2007. The county was subsequently sued two more times by firms after they were denied the contracts despite being low bidders. In those cases, the county rejected the low bid due to allegations of "prevailing wage" violations by the low bidders. State Representative Larry Wolpert (R-23) had asked the state controlling board not to release $7 million in funds until the low bidders were selected.


Features

The ballpark includes 32 suites, 42 loge boxes, and 650 club seats. The Left Field Building includes a 110-foot bar with six open patios overlooking the field on the second story. The third story is The AEP Power Pavilion, an open air rooftop with bleachers reminiscent of Wrigley Field. The Picnic Terrace in left field will offer fans a place to relax and take in a ballgame 325 feet down the line. The Pedialyte Porch in right field overlooks a 22-foot wall that is only 318 feet down the line.


Other uses

The park hosted the
2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
,
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
, and
2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
Big Ten Conference baseball tournaments. The park has also hosted the
OHSAA The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio. The OHSAA governs eligibility of student athletes, resolves disputes, organizes levels of comp ...
High School Baseball state championship games since its opening in 2009. The stadium hosted both the Triple-A All-Star Game and the Triple-A National Championship Game in 2018.


Concerts

On June 22, 2010 Huntington Park held its first major concert. Dave Matthews Band performed on a stage in center field. On June 14, 2012
REO Speedwagon REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. Speedwagon), or simply REO, was an American Rock music, rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial suc ...
performed a concert at Huntington Park.


See also

* '' The Father of Columbus Baseball'' (2009)


References


External links

*
Columbus Clippers: Huntington Park
{{International League baseball venue navbox 2009 establishments in Ohio Arena District Baseball venues in Ohio Columbus Clippers Sports venues completed in 2009 Sports venues in Columbus, Ohio International League ballparks