ShoreTown Ballpark explained

ShoreTown Ballpark
Former Names:FirstEnergy Park (2002–21)
GPU Energy Park (2001)
Logo Image:ShoreTown Ballpark.png
Pushpin Map:USA New Jersey#USA
Pushpin Relief:yes
Address:2 Stadium Way
City:Lakewood, NJ 08701
Coordinates:40.0751°N -74.187°W
Broke Ground:April 17, 2000[1]
Opened:[2]
Owner:Shore Town Baseball
Surface:Grass
Cost:$20 million
($ in dollars)
Architect:HNTB[3]
Project Manager:Hill International[4]
Services Engineer:Henderson Engineers, Inc.[5]
General Contractor:Epic Group, Inc.[6]
Capacity:6,588 reserve seats plus additional space on berms
Dimensions:Left: 325feet
Center: 400feet
Right: 325feet
Tenants:Jersey Shore BlueClaws (SAL/High-A East) 2001–present

ShoreTown Ballpark[7] [8] is a stadium in Lakewood, New Jersey. It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws South Atlantic League baseball team, affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team. It is also used for outdoor concerts, featuring touring musical artists such as Bob Dylan. It was built in 2001 and has 6,588 fixed seats with extended additional space on grass berms and at picnic tables around the 360-degree concourse.

History

The stadium opened as GPU Energy Park, named for the former General Public Utilities, Inc. After GPU merged into FirstEnergy Corporation in 2001, the stadium took the new corporate name in 2002.[9]

The team attendance record is 13,003, set on August 26, 2002.[10] FirstEnergy Park had 13 crowds over 9,000 and 81 crowds over 8,000 in its first eight years of play.

The stadium was featured in Baseball Americas 2009 Great Parks calendar.[11] It was the second time that the home of the BlueClaws was highlighted in the calendar.

FirstEnergy Park has hosted the South Atlantic League All-Star Game twice, in 2002 and in 2013. The 2002 attendance of 8,571 was a record for the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.[12]

In 2022, the BlueClaws changed the stadium's name from FirstEnergy Park to ShoreTown Ballpark.

Features

The ballpark features two general admission, grass seating areas, one in left field and another in right, 16 luxury suites, two party decks, the Monmouth Medical Center Champions Club, two picnic areas, and a full video board, with a 1,587 square foot high-definition display.[13]

The stadium also features the nine-hole Manasquan Bank Mini Golf Course which opened in 2018. Open during all home games, the course features holes named after former BlueClaws players.

In centerfield, FirstEnergy Park also includes the Toyota World of Lakewood Boardwalk area. This space features many traditional boardwalk games such as a Ring Toss, Goblet Toss, Balloon Darts, and Cat Rack.

In 2022, the BlueClaws announced the addition of a new hospitality space for patrons to enjoy during games at the stadium - The Blue Wave Bar.[14]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Lakewood Builds It; Hopes Fans Will Come . Wilford S. . Shamlin . . April 18, 2000 . September 16, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121108004906/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/app/access/1845111771.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+18%2C+2000&author=WILFORD+S+SHAMLIN&pub=Asbury+Park+Press&desc=Lakewood+builds+it%3B+hopes+fans+will+come&pqatl=google . November 8, 2012.
  2. News: Claws' Comeback Falls Short . . April 7, 2001 . September 16, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307022517/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/app/doc/437400196.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr%2007,%202001&author=&pub=Asbury%20Park%20Press&edition=&startpage=&desc=Claws%27%20comeback%20falls%20short . March 7, 2016.
  3. News: Coming Attractions . SportsBusiness Journal . May 8, 2000 . September 14, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011910/http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2000/05/20000508/No-Topic-Name/COMING-ATTRACTIONS.aspx . March 5, 2016.
  4. Web site: Sports Facilities . Hill International . March 8, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120108233414/http://www.hillintl.com/?fa=market&marketSidebarId=52&show=fp . January 8, 2012.
  5. Web site: Sports/Recreation . Henderson Engineers, Inc. . March 8, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140610083844/http://www.hei-eng.com/Portfolio/SportsRecreation . June 10, 2014.
  6. Web site: GPU Energy Park. Epic Group, Inc.. March 8, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20050205063414/http://epicbuilds.com/entertainment/GPU%20Energy/GPU.htm. February 5, 2005. dead.
  7. News: Shore Town Is Your Town! BlueClaws Home Re-Christened as ShoreTown Ballpark . MiLB.com . March 20, 2022 . March 18, 2022 . en.
  8. News: New for 2022: ShoreTown Ballpark . Ballpark Digest . March 20, 2022 . August Publications . March 19, 2022.
  9. News: Local baseball fans enjoy atmosphere at ballpark . Mike . White . Tri-Town News . April 11, 2002 . July 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200704020810/https://archive.centraljersey.com/2002/04/11/local-baseball-fans-enjoy-atmosphere-at-ballpark/amp/ . July 4, 2020.
  10. News: Claws Close a Banner Year . Dan . Cichalski . . August 27, 2002 . May 30, 2014 . A1 . May 31, 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140531010101/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/app/doc/437518715.html?FMT%3DABS%26FMTS%3DABS%3AFT%26type%3Dcurrent%26date%3DAug%2B27%2C%2B2002%26author%3DCICHALSKI%2C%2BDAN%26pub%3DAsbury%2BPark%2BPress%26edition%3D%26startpage%3D%26desc%3DCLAWS%2BCLOSE%2BA%2BBANNER%2BYEAR%2B13%2C003%2Bfans%2Bcram%2Bseats%2C%2Blawn%2C%2Bfor%2Bhome%2Bfinale%2B%2D%2Ba%2B3%2D0%2Bwin. subscription.
  11. News: At Home With the BlueClaws . Benjamin . Hill . MiLB.com . February 12, 2009 . March 20, 2022.
  12. News: Hemlin . Ilya . Lakewood BlueClaws Host 2013 South Atlantic League All Star Game . April 25, 2019 . . June 21, 2012 . en.
  13. Web site: FirstEnergy Park Lakewood, New Jersey. Brian. Merzbach. Ballpark Reviews. March 8, 2014.
  14. News: January 25, 2022 . BlueClaws to unveil new Blue Wave Bar hospitality space in 2022 . Ballpark Digest . August Publications . January 29, 2022 . en-US.

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