The Ballpark at Harbor Yard

The Ballpark at Harbor Yard
Harbor Yard
Exterior of ballpark from parking lot
Ballpark exterior on opening day April 26, 2012
Location 500 Main Street
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Coordinates 41°10′19″N 73°11′15″W / 41.17194°N 73.18750°W / 41.17194; -73.18750Coordinates: 41°10′19″N 73°11′15″W / 41.17194°N 73.18750°W / 41.17194; -73.18750
Owner City of Bridgeport
Operator Bridgeport Bluefish
Capacity 5,500
Field size Left Field: 325 feet (99 m)
Center Field: 405 feet (123 m)
Right Field: 325 feet (99 m)
Surface grass
Construction
Opened May 21, 1998
Construction cost $19 million
Tenants
Bridgeport Bluefish (ALPB) (1998–2017)
Bridgeport Barrage (MLL) (2001–2003)
Sacred Heart Pioneers (NCAA) (2001–2017)[1]
Bridgeport Purple Knights (NCAA) (1998–2017)[2]
Website
bridgeportbluefish.com/stadium/

The Ballpark at Harbor Yard is a 5,500-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 Webster Bank Arena. 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 encircled by Interstate 95 and the Northeast Corridor rail line. The site has navigable ingress and egress routes to northern Fairfield County and the Naugatuck River Valley 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. The demolition of the Pequonnock apartment buildings in 2002 improved the parking situation for fans attending games at the Ballpark. The Ballpark and Webster Bank Arena are accredited for revitalizing the city into a prosperous waterfront attraction and destination.[3]

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 5,500. 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.

On October 1, 2009 the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball granted the ballpark the 2009 Atlantic League Park of the Year award.[4]

On August 8, 2017, Mayor Joe Ganim announced that city would not renew the Bluefish's lease, ending their 20 year stint at the ballpark at the end of the 2017 season. The ballpark is expected to be converted to a concert venue, hosting 29 events a year.[5] The Bluefish played their final home game at the park on September 17, 2017, losing by a score of 9–2 to the Somerset Patriots.[6]

Lacrosse

Harbor Yard was the home field of the Bridgeport Barrage of Major League Lacrosse from 2001 to 2003. The Barrage relocated to Philadelphia after the 2003 season. The MLL All-Star Game in 2001

All-Star Games

The Ballpark at Harbor Yard hosted three All-Star games in its history: 1999, 2006 and 2015 Atlantic League All Star games.[7]

Attractions

The park has concessions with traditional ballpark fare served at two restaurants: the People's Bank Marina, an all-you-can-eat buffet; and the Harbor Club, a restaurant that serves an upscale ballpark menu.

Children at the ballpark can play on the playground equipment at the United Way Kids' Cove. The party suite is for birthday parties and other special occasions.

The Bluefish added the Two Roads Beer Garden for the 2015 season, sponsored by the Two Roads Brewery from Stratford.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Sacred Heart Pioneers at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard". Retrieved 2015-10-03.
  2. ↑ Guinness, Meredith (October 30, 2017). "Batter Up! Bridgeport, UB Unveil Field Of Dreams In Seaside Park". Bridgeport Daily Voice. Retrieved January 18, 2018. ...the Ballpark at Harbor Yard, home to the Bridgeport Bluefish for 20 seasons. The Purple Knights played at Harbor Yard for all of those years, too.
  3. ↑ "History of the Ballpark at Harbor Yard". bridgeportbluefish.com. Bridgeport Bluefish. Archived from the original on November 14, 2006. Retrieved January 2, 2007.
  4. ↑ "The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball: HARBOR YARD NAMED BALLPARK OF THE YEAR". atlanticleague.com. Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. October 1, 2009. Archived from the original on April 27, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  5. ↑ "City To Turn Bluefish Ballpark Into Concert Venue". bridgeportbluefish.com. Bridgeport Bluefish. August 8, 2017. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Bridgeport Plays Final Game At Harbor Yard". bridgeportbluefish.com. Bridgeport Bluefish. September 17, 2017. Archived from the original on September 18, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Official Site of the Bridgeport Bluefish: Bluefish Announce All-Star Event Schedule". June 8, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Two Roads Beer Garden Coming to The Ballpark at Harbor Yard". 22 April 2015.
Preceded by
None		 Home of the Bridgeport Bluefish
1998 – present		 Succeeded by
Current
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