Cocoa Expo Sports Center
Encyclopedia
The Cocoa Expo Sports Center is a multi-sport complex located near Cocoa, Florida
. It was originally built in 1964 by the city of Cocoa as the spring training home for Major League Baseball
's Houston Astros
(then the Colt 45's).
It was purchased by private ownership in 1984 and turned into a center for amateur sports. The complex, consisting of 70 acres (28.3 ha), has the original 5,000 seat Cocoa Stadium and 6 additional baseball fields, four multi-purpose athletic fields, a 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) arena that can accommodate three basketball courts and four volleyball courts, a 100-room air-conditioned athletes dormitory, cafeteria and meeting space. The 40 acres (16.2 ha) main section of the property is valued at $3.5 million according to the county appraiser's records.
The center again hosted Major League Baseball in the spring of 1993 when the Florida Marlins played their inaugural spring training season games in Cocoa Stadium. In addition to Major League Baseball, the complex has been home to the Joe Brinkman
Umpire School, Clint Hurdle
's Big League Experience Camp, youth baseball, soccer, basketball and volleyball tournaments and is the home field for the Cocoa Expos
professional women's soccer team.
The center went into receivership in 2011. The state fair, which had been held there for a number of years, moved to another Brevard site.
Cocoa, Florida
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 16,412 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 16,478. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Cocoa was...
. It was originally built in 1964 by the city of Cocoa as the spring training home for Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
(then the Colt 45's).
It was purchased by private ownership in 1984 and turned into a center for amateur sports. The complex, consisting of 70 acres (28.3 ha), has the original 5,000 seat Cocoa Stadium and 6 additional baseball fields, four multi-purpose athletic fields, a 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) arena that can accommodate three basketball courts and four volleyball courts, a 100-room air-conditioned athletes dormitory, cafeteria and meeting space. The 40 acres (16.2 ha) main section of the property is valued at $3.5 million according to the county appraiser's records.
The center again hosted Major League Baseball in the spring of 1993 when the Florida Marlins played their inaugural spring training season games in Cocoa Stadium. In addition to Major League Baseball, the complex has been home to the Joe Brinkman
Joe Brinkman
Joseph Norbert Brinkman is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1973 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues from 2000 until his retirement during the 2006 season....
Umpire School, Clint Hurdle
Clint Hurdle
Clinton Merrick Hurdle is a former Major League Baseball outfielder whose 10-year career was spent with the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals. After retiring from playing baseball, Hurdle became a manager...
's Big League Experience Camp, youth baseball, soccer, basketball and volleyball tournaments and is the home field for the Cocoa Expos
Cocoa Expos
Cocoa Expos was an American soccer team, founded in 1993. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2007, when the team left the league and the franchise was terminated.The team played its home matches at...
professional women's soccer team.
The center went into receivership in 2011. The state fair, which had been held there for a number of years, moved to another Brevard site.