Werner Park facts for kids
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Hosting St. Paul in September 2024
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| Address | 12356 Ballpark Way |
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| Location | Papillion, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 41°09′07″N 96°06′23″W / 41.1519567632998°N 96.1063931258307°W |
| Owner | Sarpy County |
| Operator | Omaha Storm Chasers |
| Capacity | 9,023 total; 6,254 fixed seats, 14 private suites, grass berm seating, and standing room |
| Record attendance | 9,351 (March 25, 2019, versus Kansas City Royals) |
| Field size | Left field: 310 ft (94 m) Center field: 402 ft (123 m) Right field: 315 ft (96 m) |
| Surface | Kentucky bluegrass / ryegrass blend |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 12, 2009 |
| Opened | April 11, 2011 |
| Construction cost | $36 million ($46.8 million in 2022 ) |
| Architect | DLR Group |
| General contractor | The Weitz Company |
| Tenants | |
| Omaha Storm Chasers (PCL/AAAE/IL) 2011−present Omaha Mavericks (NCAA) 2013−2020 Union Omaha (USL1) 2020−present |
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Werner Park is a cool ballpark in Papillion, Nebraska. It's where the Omaha Storm Chasers play their minor league games. These Storm Chasers are the Triple-A team for the Kansas City Royals!
The park is also home to Union Omaha, a professional soccer team. Sometimes, the University of Nebraska Omaha's baseball team, the Omaha Mavericks, played games here too. Werner Park opened in 2011 and cost about $36 million to build. It's owned by Sarpy County.
Contents
The Story of Werner Park
Why a New Ballpark?
Before Werner Park, the Omaha Royals played at Rosenblatt Stadium. That stadium was really big, with 23,000 seats! This was much larger than most Triple-A stadiums needed. The team wanted a smaller, more cozy place for fans.
They looked at many places for a new stadium. Finally, they decided on a spot in Sarpy County. This was great news for baseball fans in the area!
Building and Naming the Park
A kind real estate developer, Roger Langpaul, donated land for the park. The county agreed to build roads and improve the area around it. DLR Group designed the stadium, and The Weitz Company built it.
Construction started on August 12, 2009. Most of the money came from Sarpy County. The Royals team also helped pay for some of the costs. The grass for the field was planted in September 2010.
On November 11, 2010, the park got its name: Werner Park. This was thanks to a deal with Werner Enterprises, a local transportation company. They extended the naming rights deal in 2020, so the name will stay until at least 2030.
Making Room for Soccer
From late 2019 to early 2020, Werner Park got a $2.4 million makeover. This was to get it ready for the new professional soccer team, Union Omaha. They needed to make changes for both baseball and soccer to be played there.
One cool change was a pitcher's mound that could be moved! They also added a new building for the soccer team's staff and gear.
Fun Features of the Park
Werner Park faces northeast, with home plate pointing towards center field. It's about 1,150 feet above sea level. There are five big parking lots named F1 through F5. These names are a fun nod to the Fujita scale, which measures tornadoes.
The main entrance, ticket office, and team store are behind home plate. There's also another entrance on the third base side. You can walk all the way around the field on a wide path called the concourse.
The park has thirteen fancy suites with air conditioning. These are great for groups and parties. There's also a special "dugout suite" right next to the home team's dugout. The seats are comfy, with cup holders for your drinks. Some seats are extra wide!
You can find a special bar and seating area for certain ticket holders. There's also a section with standing rails instead of seats. This area is perfect for groups of friends.
Outfield Fun
Beyond the outfield fence, there's a grassy hill called a "berm." This is another spot where fans can sit and watch the game. In left field, there's a small section of bleachers called the "Home Run Porch."
The two bullpens, where pitchers warm up, are in center field. They are to the right of the batter's eye.
The Big Scoreboard
Werner Park got a huge new scoreboard in 2015. It's 45.5 feet wide and 25 feet tall! That's more than twice as big as the old one. This amazing screen can show live video, instant replays, scores, and fun animations.
Below the scoreboard, there's a bar and a beer garden. It's a great spot to hang out during games.
Play Area for Kids
The park has a 6,500 square foot play area for kids! It's along the concourse behind left field. You can find a carousel, an inflatable bounce house, and other cool activities.
There's also a wiffle ball field and a half-basketball court nearby. Picnic areas for large groups are also available. Outside the main entrance, you can see a statue of famous baseball pitcher Bob Gibson. It was put there in 2013.
Games and Events at Werner Park
The very first event at Werner Park was a high school baseball game. It happened on April 11, 2011, between two local high schools. Papillion-La Vista South won the game 2-0.
The Omaha Storm Chasers played their first game at Werner Park on April 16, 2011. They won 2-1 against the Nashville Sounds. Over 6,500 fans were there to cheer them on! The game was supposed to be on April 15 but was delayed by bad weather.
The stadium also hosts the annual high school baseball state tournament sometimes. From 2013 to 2020, the University of Nebraska Omaha's baseball team played some of their games here too.
All-Star Fun
In July 2015, Werner Park hosted the Triple-A All-Star Game! This was a really big deal for Omaha. The Home Run Derby, where players hit lots of home runs, happened on July 13. Dariel Álvarez won that event.
The All-Star Game itself was on July 15. The International League All-Stars beat the Pacific Coast League All-Stars 4-3. Several Storm Chasers players and their manager were part of the game.
Record Crowds
Werner Park has seen some huge crowds! On March 25, 2019, the Storm Chasers played an exhibition game against the Kansas City Royals. A record 9,351 fans came to watch! The Storm Chasers won that exciting game 3-2.
The biggest crowd for a regular Storm Chasers game was on July 3, 2024. There were 9,313 fans who watched the Storm Chasers beat the Iowa Cubs. Everyone stayed afterward for a big Independence Day fireworks show!
See also
In Spanish: Werner Park para niños
