Baseball City Stadium
Encyclopedia
Baseball City Stadium was a stadium
located in Davenport, Florida
that was in use from 1988-2002. It was a portion of the Boardwalk and Baseball
theme park. The two facilities adjoined at the intersection of Interstate 4 and Route 27, about 25 miles southwest of Orlando
. The facility had five practice fields in addition to the stadium. It was primarily used for baseball
and was the spring training
home of Kansas City Royals
prior to the team moving to Surprise Stadium
in 2003. The ballpark had a capacity of 8,000 people.
in Fort Myers, Florida
as their spring training home. However when Baseball City Stadium was built Terry Park had gone 32 years since its last renovations. The Royals were quick to jump at the opportunity to play in a brand new stadium and signed on for a 15 year contract. The stadium's first event was the 1988 Pizza Hut All-Star Softball game, played in front of 4,700 fans. The Royals played their first spring training game at the ballpark on March 4, 1988 in front of 3,281 who saw them lose 9-7 to the Houston Astros
. The Royals also moved their Single A Florida State League
affiliate, re-named The Baseball City Royals
into the park for the 1988 season.
However, the Boardwalk and Baseball theme park was very rapidly becoming a financial disaster. The owners and developers of the park, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (now Harcourt, a division of Reed Elsevier
) put very little money into the park and almost all money went into the Baseball Stadium. The property was originally a failed park called Circus World and HBJ simply renovated and re-opened the park, without adding new rides, hoping that the re-naming along with the stadium would allow it to compete with nearby Disney World. Quickly the park started to cut costs, including closing at dusk and laying off several employees. In September 1989 HBJ sold the theme park and stadium to Anheuser-Busch
. In 1990 Anheuser-Busch closed the theme park and by 1993 almost the entire park had been torn down. Following the 1992 season the Baseball City Royals pulled out of the Florida State League and moved to Wilmington, Delaware
.
Kansas City would continue to use the Stadium as it was a very modern spring training facility and still drew very solid attendance numbers. Anheuser-Busch kept the stadium open rather than break their contract that they had with the Royals. In 2001 the Royals would also move their Rookie League team, The Gulf Coast League Royals
into the stadium. However, when the contract finally ran out at the end of the 2002 season the Royals moved all of their spring training and rookie league operations West to Surprise, Arizona
where a brand new $20 million dollar park was being built and was offered to any team willing to leave Florida
. Soon after, the stadium and the IMAX Theater, which were the only remaining parts of the original theme park, were demolished.
, a retail complex with several big box stores, opened on the site in 2008.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
located in Davenport, Florida
Davenport, Florida
Davenport is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,925 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,994. While the city of Davenport itself is very small, the area north of the city close to Interstate 4 and US 27 is...
that was in use from 1988-2002. It was a portion of the Boardwalk and Baseball
Boardwalk and Baseball
Boardwalk and Baseball was a theme park built near Haines City, Florida, United States, on the east corner of the intersection of US 27 and Interstate 4. It replaced Circus World at the same location, and was owned by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich...
theme park. The two facilities adjoined at the intersection of Interstate 4 and Route 27, about 25 miles southwest of Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. The facility had five practice fields in addition to the stadium. It was primarily used for baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and was the spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
home of Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
prior to the team moving to Surprise Stadium
Surprise Stadium
Surprise Stadium is a baseball field located at the Surprise Recreation Campus athletic facility in Surprise, Arizona. The stadium was designed by HOK Sport, built in 2002 and holds 10,714 people. It is the spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers and the home of the...
in 2003. The ballpark had a capacity of 8,000 people.
History
The stadium opened on February 7, 1988, it was designed to be the cornerstone of the Boardwalk and Baseball theme park. Kansas City had previously been using Terry Park BallfieldTerry Park Ballfield
The Terry Park Ballfield is a historic site in Fort Myers, Florida, United States. The park is named after the family that donated the land in the 1920s. For years the stadium has hosted Major League Baseball spring training as well as a dozen years of Florida State League baseball...
in Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
as their spring training home. However when Baseball City Stadium was built Terry Park had gone 32 years since its last renovations. The Royals were quick to jump at the opportunity to play in a brand new stadium and signed on for a 15 year contract. The stadium's first event was the 1988 Pizza Hut All-Star Softball game, played in front of 4,700 fans. The Royals played their first spring training game at the ballpark on March 4, 1988 in front of 3,281 who saw them lose 9-7 to the 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...
. The Royals also moved their Single A Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
affiliate, re-named The Baseball City Royals
Baseball City Royals
The Baseball City Royals was a farm team for the Kansas City Royals from 1988-1992.The Baseball City Royals joined the Florida State League in 1988...
into the park for the 1988 season.
However, the Boardwalk and Baseball theme park was very rapidly becoming a financial disaster. The owners and developers of the park, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (now Harcourt, a division of Reed Elsevier
Reed Elsevier
Reed Elsevier is a publisher and information provider operating in the science, medical, legal, risk and business sectors. It is listed on several of the world's major stock exchanges. It is a FTSE 100 and FT500 Global company...
) put very little money into the park and almost all money went into the Baseball Stadium. The property was originally a failed park called Circus World and HBJ simply renovated and re-opened the park, without adding new rides, hoping that the re-naming along with the stadium would allow it to compete with nearby Disney World. Quickly the park started to cut costs, including closing at dusk and laying off several employees. In September 1989 HBJ sold the theme park and stadium to Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
. In 1990 Anheuser-Busch closed the theme park and by 1993 almost the entire park had been torn down. Following the 1992 season the Baseball City Royals pulled out of the Florida State League and moved to Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
.
Kansas City would continue to use the Stadium as it was a very modern spring training facility and still drew very solid attendance numbers. Anheuser-Busch kept the stadium open rather than break their contract that they had with the Royals. In 2001 the Royals would also move their Rookie League team, The Gulf Coast League Royals
Arizona League Royals
The Arizona League Royals are a minor league baseball team in Surprise, Arizona, USA. They are a Class R team in the Arizona League and have been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2003. The Royals play home games at Surprise Stadium. Opened in 2002, Surprise Stadium seats 10,500...
into the stadium. However, when the contract finally ran out at the end of the 2002 season the Royals moved all of their spring training and rookie league operations West to Surprise, Arizona
Surprise, Arizona
Surprise is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. The population was 30,848 at the 2000 census; however, rapid growth has boosted the city's population to 117,517 at the 2010 census, an increase of 281%...
where a brand new $20 million dollar park was being built and was offered to any team willing to leave Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Soon after, the stadium and the IMAX Theater, which were the only remaining parts of the original theme park, were demolished.
Present day
After sitting idle for over a decade, the land was sold to developer Victor Posner in 2001. The ballpark was torn down in 2005 to make way for the new Posner ParkPosner Park
Posner Park is a $500 million dollar mixed-use development in Polk County, Florida. It is located at the intersection of Interstate 4 and US Highway 27, about 6 miles north of Haines City...
, a retail complex with several big box stores, opened on the site in 2008.