Kino Sports Complex
 Kino Stadium prior to a Spring Training game, March 2005 | |
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| Former names | Tucson Electric Park (1998-2010) |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°10′36.03″N 110°56′0.12″W / 32.1766750°N 110.9333667°W |
| Owner | Pima County |
| Operator | Pima County Stadium District |
| Capacity | 11,500 (8,000 metal seats, lawn seating for 3,000, 500 standing areas) |
| Field size | Right/Left F. - 340 ft (103.6 m) Center F. - 405 ft (123.4 m) |
| Surface | grass |
| Opened | 1998 |
| Tenants | |
| Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB spring training) (1998-2010) Chicago White Sox (MLB spring training) (1998-2008) Tucson Sidewinders (PCL) (1998-2008) Tucson Padres (PCL) (2011- ) | |
Kino Stadium is a stadium in Tucson, Arizona. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox formerly utilized the park for Cactus League games each March and had their minor league complexes on-site. It was also home to the Tucson Sidewinders of the Pacific Coast League for the team's last decade in Tucson, running from the stadium's 1998 opening season to the 2008 season. It will play host to the Tucson Padres (formerly the Portland Beavers) of the Pacific Coast League for at least the 2011 season as they await a decision on approval of a new stadium in Escondido, California. The stadium was named for the local electric utility, Tucson Electric Power until 2010. It seats 11,500 fans. Concerts are often held at the stadium as well.
Trivia
- Kino Stadium was the site where Randy Johnson threw a pitch that fatally hit a bird. The pitch was ruled no pitch.[1]
After baseball
The Chicago White Sox had an agreement to move to Glendale in a stadium that was completed in the 2009 season. However, the Sox' lease on Kino was to last through 2012. In order to leave Kino early, the Sox proposed a youth baseball academy backed by Major League Baseball surrounding Kino. On November 18, 2008 the Pima County Board of Supervisors agreed to the White Sox's revised offer of $5 million, thus allowing the team to move Glendale in time for the 2009 season.[2] The Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies, spring training occupant of Tucson's Hi Corbett Field, indicated that they would both need Tucson to have 3 teams in order to continue playing there.[3] The Diamondbacks and Rockies will share the new Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in 2011 near Scottsdale, The San Diego Padres Triple-A affiliate will play the 2011 season at the Kino Stadium. They were formally known as the Portland Beavers. They will play in Tucson for an indeterminate time as the San Diego Padres organization tries to arrange for a stadium to be approved and constructed in Escondido, California.[4]
The Pima College Aztecs football team will play its entire home schedule at Kino Stadium starting in 2010.
References
- ^ ESPN.com News Services (2001-03-26). "Bird 'explodes' after flying in path of fastball". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2009-03-06.
- ^ http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/2008/11/18/20081118gl-soxbuyout1118.html
- ^ http://www.pima.gov/current/White.Sox.economic.development.proposal.pdf
- ^ http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/sports/report/121810_tucson_padres
External links
Media related to Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium at Wikimedia Commons
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