Knology Park /
Dunedin Blue Jays / Toronto Blue Jays
(click on the image
for a larger photo)
Year Opened |
1990 |
Capacity |
6,106 |
Dimensions |
335L, 380LC, 400C, 363RC, 325R |
Playing Surface |
Grass |
Last Visit |
March
2005 |
Phone |
727/733-9302 |
League |
Florida
State League |
Web Site |
dunedinbluejays.com |
Online Broadcasts? |
No |
Online Tickets? |
No |
Ticket Prices |
Reserved, $7; General Admission, $5 |
Address/Directions |
311
Douglas Av., Dunedin. Take Hwy. 19 north from St.
Petersburg, take Sunset Point Road (Route 588) west for
two miles, and then head north on Douglas Avenue for a
half mile. |
Written by: |
Kevin
Reichard |
Rating |
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(click on the image
for a larger photo)
Tucked away in the corner of a Tampa/St. Pete suburb, Knology
Park (formerly known as Dunedin
Stadium) is a facility designed for spring-training needs, not
to serve the audience of a Class A Florida State League team.
As a result, there's not a lot of excitement surrounding a
Dunedin Blue Jays game: the team is perennially next-to-last
in Florida State League attendance (trailing the
Lakeland Tigers), and the
team doesn't exactly overwhelm their potential audience with a
flood of promotions.
Still, this ballpark isn't a total waste on a warm Florida
evening. As stated, it was really built as the spring-training
home of the Toronto Blue Jays, so the facilities are in pretty
good shape. And the Blue Jays stress player development, so
their minor-league teams are pretty good. And let's just say you won't be
fighting huge crowds for a good seat.
(click on the image
for a larger photo)
Knology Park replaced 3,417-seat Grant Field,
which was one of the oldest stadiums used in the
Grapefruit League, dating back to 1930. The
Toronto Blue Jays opened their formal history by
training at Grant, but Grant Park didn't keep up
with the many new spring-training facilities that
were popping up in Florida in the 1980s. By 1989
the Blue Jays were working on a plan to replace
Grant Field with a new stadium and spring-training
facility. As a result, the city of Dunedin
invested $2.4 million into a new stadium at the
site of the old stadium, and Knology Park became
the new spring-training home of the Toronto Blue
Jays in 1990.
Three years ago Dunedin spent $12 million on a new
spring-training complex for the Blue Jays, which
include new training facilities, offices, new
hitting cages, and five full fields at the Cecil
P. Englebert Recreational Complex. As a result,
the Blue Jays signed a 15-year lease to stay in
Dunedin.
(click on the image
for a larger photo)
Concessions
Routine. There's really nothing out of the
ordinary.
(click on the image
for a larger photo)
For the Kids
There's no specific play area for kids.
Parking
There are lots within a short walk of the
ballpark.
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