The Ballpark at Harbor Yard
Encyclopedia
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard is a 5,300-seat baseball park
in Bridgeport, Connecticut
that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 21, 1998, as the tenants of the facility, the Bridgeport Bluefish
, lost to the Aberdeen Arsenal
. The stadium is located next to the Arena at Harbor Yard
. It was named "Harbor Yard" as an allusion to Oriole Park at Camden Yards
in Baltimore, Maryland.
Located on Bridgeport's Long Island Sound
waterfront, Harbor Yard is also encircled by Interstate 95
and the Northeast Corridor
rail line. The site also has navigable ingress and egress routes to northern Fairfield County
and the Naugatuck River Valley
via the 8/25 connector.
in October 2001, and the Transit Parking Garage. The demolition of the Pequonnock apartment buildings in 2002 improved the parking situation for fans attending games at the Ballpark, as well as for other places in Bridgeport. The Ballpark and the Arena are accredited for revitalizing the city into a prosperous waterfront attraction and destination.
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard was constructed in between 1997 and 1998, and its $19 million price tag was funded through public and team contributions. It has a seating capacity
of 5,300, with room for 200 more fans for sold-out games. Believing that Harbor Yard would be one of the important pieces of Bridgeport's renewal, team co-founder, Jack McGregor, chose its name as an allusion to Baltimore's renewal of the Camden Yards neighborhood. The stadium occupies an area once home to some of Bridgeport's most notable homes and industries. Before the Ballpark at Harbor Yard was constructed, the site was occupied by the Jenkins Valve Corporation and Sprague Meter Company.
Harbor Yard was also the home field of the Bridgeport Barrage
of Major League Lacrosse
from 2001 to 2003. The Barrage relocated to Philadelphia after the 2003 season.
On October 1, 2009 the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
granted the ballpark the 2009 Atlantic League Park of the Year award.
in 2001, and the 2006 Atlantic League All-Star Game.
Kids at the ballpark can play at the Hi-Ho D'Addario Kids' Cove, which provides entertainment for children with a variety of playground equipment. The party suite is for birthday parties and other special occasions.
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 21, 1998, as the tenants of the facility, the Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, lost to the Aberdeen Arsenal
Aberdeen Arsenal
The Aberdeen Arsenal were an Atlantic League team based in Bel Air, Maryland. For the 2000 season, they played in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
. The stadium is located next to the Arena at Harbor Yard
Arena at Harbor Yard
The Webster Bank Arena is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena at 600 Main Street in Bridgeport, Connecticut, built alongside The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. The Arena opened on October 10, 2001 and is managed by the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Centerplate...
. It was named "Harbor Yard" as an allusion to Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a Major League Baseball ballpark located in Baltimore, Maryland. Home field of the Baltimore Orioles, it is the first of the "retro" major league ballparks constructed during the 1990s and early 2000s, and remains one of the most highly praised. The park was...
in Baltimore, Maryland.
Located on Bridgeport's Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
waterfront, Harbor Yard is also encircled by Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
and the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
rail line. The site also has navigable ingress and egress routes to northern Fairfield County
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The county population is 916,829 according to the 2010 Census. There are currently 1,465 people per square mile in the county. It is the most populous county in the State of Connecticut and contains...
and the Naugatuck River Valley
Naugatuck River Valley
The Naugatuck River Valley refers to the watershed area of the Naugatuck River in the western part of Connecticut. The Naugatuck Valley straddles parts of Litchfield County, New Haven, and Fairfield counties. The Route 8 corridor and Waterbury Branch of the Metro-North railroad line run along the...
via the 8/25 connector.
History
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard opened on May 21, 1998 on the site of the former Jenkins Valve factory, with the success of the Bridgeport Bluefish paving the way for progress in the city of Bridgeport. Improvements to the Bridgeport waterfront in the past few years have included the creation of the Arena at Harbor YardArena at Harbor Yard
The Webster Bank Arena is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena at 600 Main Street in Bridgeport, Connecticut, built alongside The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. The Arena opened on October 10, 2001 and is managed by the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Centerplate...
in October 2001, and the Transit Parking Garage. The demolition of the Pequonnock apartment buildings in 2002 improved the parking situation for fans attending games at the Ballpark, as well as for other places in Bridgeport. The Ballpark and the Arena are accredited for revitalizing the city into a prosperous waterfront attraction and destination.
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard was constructed in between 1997 and 1998, and its $19 million price tag was funded through public and team contributions. It has a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 5,300, with room for 200 more fans for sold-out games. Believing that Harbor Yard would be one of the important pieces of Bridgeport's renewal, team co-founder, Jack McGregor, chose its name as an allusion to Baltimore's renewal of the Camden Yards neighborhood. The stadium occupies an area once home to some of Bridgeport's most notable homes and industries. Before the Ballpark at Harbor Yard was constructed, the site was occupied by the Jenkins Valve Corporation and Sprague Meter Company.
Harbor Yard was also the home field of the Bridgeport Barrage
Philadelphia Barrage
The Philadelphia Barrage were a Men's Field Lacrosse team that was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from the 2004 season until the 2008 season when they became a traveling team. Since the 2001 season, they have played in Major League Lacrosse. They started playing in the American Division, but...
of Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse, or MLL, is a professional men's field lacrosse league that is made up of five teams in the United States and one team in Canada.- History :...
from 2001 to 2003. The Barrage relocated to Philadelphia after the 2003 season.
On October 1, 2009 the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
granted the ballpark the 2009 Atlantic League Park of the Year award.
All-Star Games
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard hosted two different All-Star games in its history: the first MLL All-Star GameMajor League Lacrosse All-Star Game
Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game is the all-star game of the MLL.The inaugural 2001 All-Star Game, was not called the "All-Star Game"; instead it was titled the Major League Lacrosse LacrosseStar Game. From 2001–2003, the All-Star Game had the National Division playing the American Division...
in 2001, and the 2006 Atlantic League All-Star Game.
Ballpark attractions
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard features concessions that feature traditional ballpark fare served at two restaurants: the People's Bank Marina, an all-you-can-eat buffet; and the Harbor Club, restaurant that serves an upscale ballpark menu in a relaxing atmosphere.Kids at the ballpark can play at the Hi-Ho D'Addario Kids' Cove, which provides entertainment for children with a variety of playground equipment. The party suite is for birthday parties and other special occasions.