Charlotte Sports Park facts for kids
Charlotte Sports Park in January 2009, nearing completion of renovation
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| Location | 2300 El Jobean Road Port Charlotte, FL 33948 |
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| Coordinates | 26°59′57″N 82°10′54″W / 26.99917°N 82.18167°W |
| Owner | Charlotte County |
| Operator | Charlotte County |
| Capacity | 7,670 |
| Field size | Left Field: 343 ft Left-Center Field: 384 ft Center Field: 414 ft Right-Center Field: 384 ft Right Field: 343 ft |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | July 20, 1986 |
| Opened | March 6, 1987 |
| Renovated | 2008–09 |
| Construction cost | $5 million ($12.9 million in 2022 dollars ) $27.2 million (renovation) ($37.1 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Populous |
| Structural engineer | Bliss & Nyitray, Inc (renovation) |
| General contractor | Gilbane Building Co. |
| Tenants | |
| Tampa Bay Rays (MLB) (Spring Training) (2009–present) Charlotte Stone Crabs (FSL) (2009–2020) GCL Rays (GCL) (2009–present) Texas Rangers (MLB) (Spring Training) (1987–2002) Charlotte County Redfish (SCL) (2007) Charlotte Rangers (FSL) (1987-2002) |
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Charlotte Sports Park is a cool baseball stadium in Port Charlotte, Florida. It used to be called Charlotte County Stadium and Ranger Stadium. This stadium is the main place where the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team gets ready for their season. This is called spring training.
It's also home to their younger, "Rookie-class" team, the Gulf Coast Rays. From 2009 to 2020, another team, the Charlotte Stone Crabs, also played here.
The stadium was first built in 1987. It got a big update in 2009, which cost about $27 million. Before the Rays, the Texas Rangers used the stadium for their spring training games. Their minor league team, the Charlotte Rangers, also played here.
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What Makes Charlotte Sports Park Special?
Charlotte Sports Park has lots of fun things to see and do!
- There's a special playground area for kids.
- You can walk all the way around the field on a boardwalk.
- There are grassy hills where you can sit and watch the game.
- You can even find a cool tiki bar.
The stadium also has four fancy, air-conditioned rooms on the second floor. There's also a team store where you can buy souvenirs. On the third floor, there's a special area for reporters and broadcasters. This includes a press box and broadcast booths.
Outside the main stadium, there are five full practice fields. There's also a half-field for special drills and indoor batting cages. In 2014, readers of USA Today voted Charlotte Sports Park the best place for spring training!
A Look Back: History of the Park
Famous Baseball Moments
Many famous baseball players have visited Charlotte Sports Park.
- In 1993, legendary pitcher Nolan Ryan announced he was retiring from baseball right here.
- In 1994, the Texas Rangers played against the Chicago White Sox. This game was special because basketball superstar Michael Jordan was playing for the White Sox! It brought a huge crowd to the stadium.
- In 2000, a famous player named Alex Rodriguez signed a huge deal with the Texas Rangers. He held a press conference at the stadium. So many reporters came that they had to hold the press conference on the roof of the dugout! This showed that the Rangers needed a bigger stadium. They moved away two years later.
The Rays Arrive
The Tampa Bay Rays started their spring training at the newly updated stadium on February 14, 2009.
- Their first game was on February 25, 2009, against the Cincinnati Reds. The Rays lost 7-0.
- Their first win at home came on February 27. They beat the Boston Red Sox 12-4!
The stadium is also used for other fun events in the community. It has hosted concerts, festivals, and expos. Famous musicians like Kenny Rogers and The Beach Boys have performed here.
Retired Number 405: A Special Tribute
At Charlotte Sports Park, the number 405 is "retired." This means no one else will ever wear it. This number was the radio call sign for Sgt. Michael Wilson. He was a police officer with the Charlotte County Sheriff's Department for 21 years.
Sadly, Sgt. Wilson was killed while on duty in 2013. The community showed huge support for his family. Thousands of people lined the streets for his funeral. On August 13, 2014, the Charlotte Stone Crabs baseball team honored Sgt. Wilson. They retired his number 405 in a special ceremony before a game. His family helped to show the jersey-shaped sign. You can now see the number hanging inside the Home Plate gate.
