Marion Stadium facts for kids
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 Marion Stadium
Location in Illinois
Marion Stadium
Location in the United States
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| Former names | Rent One Park (2007–2021) |
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| Address | 1000 Miners Drive Marion, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 37°44′45″N 88°57′37″W / 37.745964°N 88.960397°W |
| Capacity | 7,000 |
| Field size | Left Field - 320 Left Center Field - 392 Center Field - 400 Right Center Field - 375 Right Field - 335 |
| Surface | Sportexe Turf synthetic field |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 2006 |
| Opened | May 29, 2007 |
| Tenants | |
| Southern Illinois Miners (FL) 2007–2021 Thrillville Thrillbillies (PL) 2023–present |
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Marion Stadium is a cool sports venue in Marion, Illinois. It was finished in 2007 and is mostly used for baseball games. This stadium has had a few names over the years, including Rent One Park and Mtn. Dew Stadium.
From 2007 to 2021, it was the home field for the Southern Illinois Miners, a team in the Frontier League. Now, since 2023, it's where the Thrillville Thrillbillies play their games in the Prospect League.
Contents
Welcome to Marion Stadium!
Marion Stadium is located about 120 miles southeast of St. Louis, right off Interstate 57. It's a modern stadium that looks different from many other ballparks. Instead of the usual red brick, it has a unique design.
What Makes This Stadium Special?
One of the most interesting things about Marion Stadium is its roof. It slopes down towards the field! This means that sometimes, a foul ball hit by a player can roll right back down to the fans, making it easier for spectators to catch a souvenir.
The stadium can hold up to 7,000 people. There are over 3,400 comfy armchair seats, with extra-wide seats right behind home plate. If you prefer to relax on the grass, there's a big lawn area in left field and the outfield that can fit more than 2,000 fans.
Upstairs, there are 14 fancy luxury suites and a large room for parties or banquets that can host about 200 people. The stadium also has a welcoming entrance area, special clubhouses for both home and visiting teams, offices, and a team store where you can buy merchandise.
The scoreboard and video board are huge, and there are 12 panels on the right-field wall for advertisements.
Who Plays Here?
The stadium has been home to different baseball teams. The Southern Illinois Miners played here for many years. After they stopped playing in 2021, a company called Illinois Center Project, LLC bought the stadium. They wanted to make it a place for many different kinds of events.
In 2023, Pepsi MidAmerica bought the naming rights, and the stadium was briefly called Mtn. Dew Park. However, by the time the Thrillbillies started playing, the name changed to Marion Stadium.
The Thrillville Thrillbillies are the current baseball team that calls Marion Stadium home. They are part of the Prospect League.
Exciting Moments and Records
The very first game at the stadium was played on May 29, 2007. Over 6,200 fans came to watch the Southern Illinois Miners beat the Evansville Otters with a score of 9–6.
The Miners set some records here too! On August 10, 2007, they broke the Frontier League record for the most fans at a single regular season game, with 6,718 people watching them win 8–0 against the River City Rascals. In their first season, the Miners also set a record for total attendance, bringing in 259,392 fans, which means over 5,000 people came to almost every game!
More Than Just Baseball
Because Marion Stadium has a special synthetic field called Sportexe Turf instead of natural grass and dirt, it can be used for many different activities all year round.
Since 2022, the stadium has hosted concerts, horse riding events, and community gatherings. It's also a popular spot for local little league and high school baseball tournaments.
Every summer, the Colt World Series, a big youth baseball tournament, is held at Marion Stadium. It moved here from Lafayette, Indiana. Also, since 2023, both the Great Lakes Valley Conference and the Ohio Valley Conference have held their important postseason baseball tournaments at this ballpark.
