Minute Maid Park (formerly known as The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, and Astros Field) is a baseball stadium located in Downtown Houston, Texas. It is the home of Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros. Minute Maid Park was built by HOK Sport in 2000 and opened on April 7th of that year.
It was constructed with an estimated cost of $248 million dollars. The ownership rights to the ballpark are held by Harris County-Houston Sports Authority which leases it to the Astros for use as their home field for 81 regular season games each year.
Minute Maid Park, formerly known as Enron Field, is the home of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Houston Astros. It was opened in 2000 and has a capacity for over 40,000 fans. The stadium is actually owned by Harris County-Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA), which is funded through taxes from both the city and county of Houston.
This public ownership allows Minute Maid Park to be used for various events such as concerts and other large scale gatherings throughout its year-round schedule.
30 Fields in 30 Days: Minute Maid Park
Is Roof Open at Minute Maid Park Today
Today, the roof at Minute Maid Park is closed. The stadium has a retractable roof which can be opened or closed depending on the weather conditions, but today’s forecast calls for cloudy skies and rain showers, so the roof will remain shut.
How Much Money Does Minute Maid Park Make?
Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros, is one of the most profitable stadiums in Major League Baseball. In 2019 alone, Minute Maid Park generated $191 million in total revenue while hosting 81 regular season games and 11 postseason games. That total included ticket sales, merchandise sales from its three retail stores and food/beverage sales from its concession stands.
The team also earned additional money through the sale of luxury suites and premium seating options. With attendance at Minute Maid Park averaging around 37 thousand per game during the 2019 season, it’s no surprise that this stadium makes so much money each year for both the Astros organization as well as MLB as a whole.
How Much Did Astros Stadium Cost?
The cost of the Astros stadium was an expensive endeavor for Houston. The total construction costs came in at $248 million, with a significant portion coming from public funds. The majority of the funding for the stadium came from Harris County and City of Houston taxpayers through a hotel occupancy tax increase, as well as other revenue sources such as parking fees and naming rights.
In addition to the construction costs, there were also additional expenses related to infrastructure improvements surrounding the area that added to the overall price tag. All told, it cost over $400 million when all was said and done. It’s widely regarded as one of baseball’s premier stadiums due in large part to its excellent design work by HOK Sport Venue Event (now Populous).
When Did Enron Field Become Minute Maid?
On March 9, 2000, Enron Field (formerly known as The Ballpark at Union Station) was officially renamed Minute Maid Park. This marked the completion of a multi-million dollar renovation project begun in 1998 and paid for by the Houston Astros’ owner Drayton McLane. At this time, Minute Maid also became the exclusive naming rights holder for the stadium until its closure in 2002.
The park had been named after former chairman of Enron Corporation Ken Lay who had resigned from his position shortly before it was renamed. It is now owned by Shell Oil Company and is home to Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros and Minor League Baseball’s Sugar Land Skeeters. With an iconic train running through center field just beyond left-center wall standing 109 feet high, along with a retractable roof that covers every seat during inclement weather, no other ballpark can compare to Minute Maid Park when it comes to fan experience and atmosphere!
Who Sits behind Home Plate at Minute Maid Park?
At Minute Maid Park, the person who sits behind home plate is the umpire. The umpire’s job is to call balls and strikes as well as other plays throughout the game. This requires them to be positioned in a way that allows them to get an accurate view of each pitch and its location relative to the strike zone.
They are also responsible for making sure both teams adhere to all rules and regulations set forth by Major League Baseball. Umpires wear protective gear such as helmets and chest protectors to ensure their safety during play, particularly when pitchers throw hard fastballs or batters swing for contact with power. Furthermore, they must remain focused on every pitch while simultaneously taking in information from both teams’ benches about potential calls or rule changes that might come into effect during play.
All in all, it takes a highly trained individual with strong decision-making skills to sit behind home plate at Minute Maid Park!
Conclusion
In conclusion, Minute Maid Park is a major asset to the City of Houston and has hosted some of the most memorable professional baseball games in history. It has been owned by several different entities since it was first built, but the Major League Baseball team Houston Astros are currently its proud owners. The stadium continues to evolve with new features and improvements being added each year to enhance fan experience.
As long as there is an Astros team playing in Houston, Minute Maid Park will remain a beloved landmark for sports fans around Texas and beyond.