ShoreTown Ballpark

ShoreTown Ballpark[1][9] is a stadium in Lakewood, New Jersey. It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws South Atlantic League baseball team, affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team. It is also used for outdoor concerts, featuring touring musical artists such as Bob Dylan. It was built in 2001 and has 6,588 fixed seats with extended additional space on grass berms and at picnic tables around the 360-degree concourse.

ShoreTown Ballpark
ShoreTown Ballpark is located in New Jersey
ShoreTown Ballpark
ShoreTown Ballpark
Location within New Jersey
ShoreTown Ballpark is located in the United States
ShoreTown Ballpark
ShoreTown Ballpark
ShoreTown Ballpark (the United States)
Former namesFirstEnergy Park (2002–21)
GPU Energy Park (2001)
Address2 Stadium Way
Lakewood, NJ 08701
Coordinates40°4′31″N 74°11′12″W
OwnerShore Town Baseball[1]
Capacity6,588 reserve seats plus additional space on berms
Field sizeLeft: 325 ft (99 m)
Center: 400 ft (120 m)
Right: 325 ft (99 m)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke groundApril 17, 2000[2]
OpenedApril 6, 2001 (2001-04-06)[3]
Construction cost$20 million[4]
($31.8 million in 2022 dollars[5])
ArchitectHNTB[4]
Project managerHill International[6]
Services engineerHenderson Engineers, Inc.[7]
General contractorEpic Group, Inc.[8]
Tenants
Jersey Shore BlueClaws (SAL/High-A East) 2001–present

History

The stadium opened as GPU Energy Park, named for the former General Public Utilities, Inc. After GPU merged into FirstEnergy Corporation in 2001, the stadium took the new corporate name in 2002.[10]

The team attendance record is 13,003, set on August 26, 2002.[11] FirstEnergy Park had 13 crowds over 9,000 and 81 crowds over 8,000 in its first eight years of play.

The stadium was featured in Baseball America's 2009 Great Parks calendar.[12] It was the second time that the home of the BlueClaws was highlighted in the calendar.

FirstEnergy Park has hosted the South Atlantic League All-Star Game twice, in 2002 and in 2013. The 2002 attendance of 8,571 was a record for the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.[13]

In 2022, the BlueClaws changed the stadium's name from FirstEnergy Park to ShoreTown Ballpark.[1]

Features

The ballpark features two general admission, grass seating areas, one in left field and another in right, 16 luxury suites, two party decks, the Monmouth Medical Center Champions Club, two picnic areas, and a full video board, with a 1,587 square foot high-definition display.[14]

The stadium also features the nine-hole Manasquan Bank Mini Golf Course which opened in 2018. Open during all home games, the course features holes named after former BlueClaws players.

In centerfield, FirstEnergy Park also includes the Toyota World of Lakewood Boardwalk area. This space features many traditional boardwalk games such as a Ring Toss, Goblet Toss, Balloon Darts, and Cat Rack.

In 2022, the BlueClaws announced the addition of a new hospitality space for patrons to enjoy during games at the stadium - The Blue Wave Bar.[15]

References
  1. "Shore Town Is Your Town! BlueClaws Home Re-Christened as ShoreTown Ballpark". MiLB.com. March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  2. Shamlin, Wilford S. (April 18, 2000). "Lakewood Builds It; Hopes Fans Will Come". Asbury Park Press. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  3. "Claws' Comeback Falls Short". Asbury Park Press. April 7, 2001. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  4. "Coming Attractions". SportsBusiness Journal. May 8, 2000. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  5. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  6. "Sports Facilities". Hill International. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  7. "Sports/Recreation". Henderson Engineers, Inc. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  8. "GPU Energy Park". Epic Group, Inc. Archived from the original on February 5, 2005. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  9. "New for 2022: ShoreTown Ballpark". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. March 19, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  10. White, Mike (April 11, 2002). "Local baseball fans enjoy atmosphere at ballpark". Tri-Town News. Archived from the original on July 4, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  11. Cichalski, Dan (August 27, 2002). "Claws Close a Banner Year". Asbury Park Press. p. A1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  12. Hill, Benjamin (February 12, 2009). "At Home With the BlueClaws". MiLB.com. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  13. Hemlin, Ilya (June 21, 2012). "Lakewood BlueClaws Host 2013 South Atlantic League All Star Game". WOBM-FM. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  14. Merzbach, Brian. "FirstEnergy Park Lakewood, New Jersey". Ballpark Reviews. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  15. "BlueClaws to unveil new Blue Wave Bar hospitality space in 2022". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
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