Oakland A’s cut ribbon on renovated Hohokam Stadium in Mesa
Feb 20, 2015, 8:09 PM | Updated: 8:09 pm
MESA, Ariz. — Hohokam Stadium is officially reopened for business.
Members of the Oakland Athletics organization and city of Mesa officials cut the ribbon Friday morning. The stadium has undergone a $26 million renovation since the Chicago Cubs played their last Cactus League game there two years ago.
The ballpark is now the spring training home of the A’s, who are moving to Mesa from Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
A’s President Michael Crowley said that there are many new features at Hohokam.
For one, the stadium was painted blue for the Cubs. Now it’s the Athletics’ color: green.
“It’s a completely different ballpark,” said Crowley. “It has a very different feel to it. It’s still the same fan-friendly environment where you are still close to the players.”
Crowley said the scoreboard is now in left field, and that it is one of the largest in the Cactus League.
“You’ll see that we’ve extended the fixed seating down both (foul) lines,” the team president said. “As you tour the clubhouse facilities, we’ve expanded the weight room.”
There are also new party decks in the left and right fields. All of the fixed seats now have cup holders.
A’s owner Lew Wolff said he loves the revamped ballpark.
“It’s huge for us. We’ve needed this facility for the last 10 years, and the way it’s turned out is as perfect as we could have wished for,” Wolff said.
The A’s will play their first game at the new Hohokam when they host the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, March 3.
