Citizens Bank Park facts for kids
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| Location | One Citizens Bank Way Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19148 |
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| Coordinates | 39°54′21″N 75°9′59″W / 39.90583°N 75.16639°W |
| Owner | The City Of Philadelphia |
| Operator | Philadelphia Phillies Comcast-Spectacor Global Spectrum Division |
| Capacity | 43,647 with standing room at least 46,528 (2007–present) 43,308 (2006) 43,500 (2004–05) |
| Field size | Left field foul pole 329 feet (100 m) Left field power alley 374 feet (114 m) The "Angle" (left of CF to LCF) 409 feet (125 m) - 381 feet (116 m) - 387 feet (118 m) Center field, straightaway 401 feet (122 m) Right field power alley 369 feet (112 m) Right field foul pole 330 feet (101 m) |
| Surface | Kentucky Blue Grass |
| Scoreboard | Left Field HD display Video Board, 76 feet 0 inches (23.16 m) × 97 feet 0 inches (29.57 m), 7,372 square feet (680 m2) Daktronics left field scoreboard message board, baseline message boards, HD displays and out-of-town scoreboards |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 28, 2002 |
| Opened | April 3, 2004 |
| Construction cost | $458 million |
| Architect | EwingCole (formerly Ewing Cole Cherry Brott) (Philadelphia) Populous (formerly HOK Sport Kansas City) |
| Project manager | John Stranix |
| Main contractors | L. F. Driscoll Co Hunt Construction Synterra, Ltd. Don Todd Associates, Inc. |
| Tenants | |
| Philadelphia Phillies (MLB) (2004–present) | |
Citizens Bank Park is a baseball stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the home field for the Major League Baseball team, the Philadelphia Phillies. The park opened on April 3, 2004. The very first game played there was on April 12, when the Phillies played against the Cincinnati Reds.
The stadium can hold 43,647 people. It replaced the old Veterans Stadium, which was torn down. Citizens Bank Park is part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, a big area with several sports venues.
The ballpark has a real grass and dirt field. You can find many Philadelphia-style food stands there. These stands sell famous local foods like cheesesteaks and hoagies.
The Phillies team first wanted a stadium in the middle of the city. But they decided to build it at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex instead. This area used to be an old food warehouse. Even though some people wished it was downtown, the stadium became very popular. In 2010, it set records for the most fans attending games and the most sold-out games.
When it first opened, Citizens Bank Park was known for a lot of home runs being hit. More than half of these home runs went to left field. After the 2005 season, the left-field wall was moved back 5 feet (1.5 m) to make it a bit harder to hit home runs. Even with this change, the park is still known as a "hitter-friendly" stadium. This means it's a good place for batters to hit home runs.
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Contents
Cool Stuff at Citizens Bank Park
Ashburn Alley: A Fun Place to Explore
Ashburn Alley is a special area behind the center field. It is named after Richie Ashburn, a famous Phillies center fielder. He played for the team from 1948 to 1959. Later, he became a Phillies broadcaster until he passed away in 1997. Many fans wanted the whole stadium to be named after him, so Ashburn Alley is a way to honor him.
The original "Ashburn Alley" was a patch of slightly overgrown grass at the old Shibe Park. Richie Ashburn was famous for hitting baseballs that would stay fair in that area. The new Ashburn Alley at Citizens Bank Park is a walkway. It has restaurants, games, and cool stuff from Phillies history. You can also find a souvenir shop and a large bronze statue of Richie Ashburn there.
Here are some cool things you can find in Ashburn Alley:
- All-Star Walk — This path has granite markers that honor Phillies players. These are players who have played in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game since 1933.
- Bull's BBQ — This barbecue spot is named after former Phillies outfielder Greg Luzinski, also known as "The Bull." It serves southern-style barbecue like ribs, turkey legs, and sandwiches.
- Seasons Pizza – This pizza place started serving at the park in 2008.
- Planet Hoagie – This local shop makes delicious hoagies. They even name a hoagie after a Phillies player for each game series!
- Campo's — This spot sells famous Philadelphia cheesesteaks. The original Campo's opened way back in 1947.
- Tony Luke's — Here you can get Tony Luke's famous cheesesteaks and roast pork sandwiches.
- Games of Baseball — This interactive area is sponsored by Citizens Bank. You can play a video trivia game to win prizes. There's also a game where you can run the bases with the Phillie Phanatic, the team's mascot. Another game lets you throw baseballs at targets.
- Harry The K's Bar and Grille — This restaurant is named after the late Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas. It's built into the bottom of the scoreboard. It serves snacks and sandwiches, including a famous one called "The Schmitter."
Other Fun Spots
- Diamond and Hall of Fame Clubs — These are special seating areas. The Diamond Club is right behind home plate. It has an indoor area with air conditioning, special food, and souvenir shops. You can even watch batting practice from inside! The Hall of Fame Club is on a second level. It also has air conditioning, special food, and souvenirs. This club also displays cool items from the Phillies' history, going back to the 1880s.
- High and Inside Pub — This pub is located on the Terrace Level behind home plate. It's a great spot for groups before the game. Once the game starts, it's open to everyone.
- Liberty Bell Home Run Celebration — This huge, mechanical Liberty Bell replica is 102 feet (31 m) above the street. It is 52-foot-tall (16 m) and 35-foot-wide (11 m). It "rings" and lights up every time the Phillies hit a home run or win a game!
- Majestic Clubhouse Store and Mitchell & Ness Alley Store — The Clubhouse Store is open all year. It's where tours of the ballpark start. It sells regular team merchandise and items with the Phillie Phanatic. The Alley Store is open during home games. It sells cool old Phillies jerseys and caps.
- McFadden's Bar and Grille — This restaurant is open all year. It's a popular place to go after games or other events at the nearby Wells Fargo Center and Lincoln Financial Field.
- Phanatic Phun Zone — This playground is near the First Base Gate. It's a fun area for kids eight years old and younger. It has slides and places to climb and play. There's also a separate area for toddlers three years old and younger.
A Green Stadium
The Philadelphia Phillies team is the first Major League Baseball team to join the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership Program. This program encourages organizations to use clean energy to help the environment.
In 2008, the Phillies announced that Citizens Bank Park would be powered by 100% renewable energy. This means they buy special certificates for 20 million kilowatt-hours of green energy. The EPA said this was the biggest purchase of 100% renewable energy in professional sports!
The stadium also recycles glass, cardboard, and plastics used during games. They even recycle frying oil to make bio-diesel fuel. Plus, they use products that are biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable.
Concerts at the Park
Citizens Bank Park isn't just for baseball! It also hosts concerts. The first concert there was Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band in 2005. They came back again in 2008.
Other famous musicians who have played at the park include Billy Joel and Elton John (who performed together), Bon Jovi, and The Police. In 2012, Pink Floyd member Roger Waters performed his famous show The Wall. Also in 2012, Bruce Springsteen played two shows for over 73,000 people. He was the first artist to perform at every major music venue in Philadelphia!
More Stadium Information
Because of Philadelphia's rules about smoking, you can only smoke at two specific gates: the third base gate and the left field gate.
Images for kids
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The Phillies taking on the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park
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The plaque marking the landing point of Jim Thome's 400th career home run
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Citizens Bank Park in 2010
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Citizens Bank Park (right) was the newest of the four locations comprising Philadelphia's "Sports Complex" when it opened in 2004; the four-decade-old Wachovia Spectrum (center) was the oldest (1967) (the arena closed October 31, 2009, and was demolished in 2011); to the left, tree-lined South Broad Street, the world's longest straight street; and the city's expansive skyline along the horizon to the north; in a photograph taken from the roof of the Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia), built in 1996.
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Sculpture of Mike Schmidt by Zenos Frudakis at Citizens Bank Park
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Citizens Bank Park hosting the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
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The Phillies take on the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on September 29, 2017
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Outfield View from Ashburn Alley
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Home plate side of CBP on Pattison Avenue
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Scoreboard Interior with Singer
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The view from I-95
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Entrance to the Ballpark
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A view of the skyline from inside
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The front of the park as seen from a parking lot at Lincoln Financial Field.
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The scoreboard in left field as viewed from right field
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Temporary center field bleachers added for the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
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See also
In Spanish: Citizens Bank Park para niños
