Isotopes Park

Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, previously known only as Isotopes Park, is a minor league baseball stadium located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is the home field of the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Pacific Coast League, the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The facility was also previously used by the baseball program of the University of New Mexico.

Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park
The Lab
Isotopes Park
Former namesIsotopes Park (2003–2019)
Location1601 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE
Albuquerque, New Mexico
United States
Coordinates35°4′11″N 106°37′45″W
OwnerCity of Albuquerque
OperatorAlbuquerque Baseball Club, LLC.[1]
Capacity13,500[2] (11,124 fixed seats)[3]
Field sizeLeft field: 340 ft (103.6 m)
Left-center field: 428 ft (130.5m)
Center field: 400 ft (122.0 m)
Right-center field: 428 ft (130.5 m)
Right field: 340 ft (103.6 m)
SurfaceNatural Grass
Construction
Broke groundOctober 25, 2001[4]
OpenedApril 11, 2003[5]
Construction cost$25 million
($36.6 million in 2022 dollars[6])
ArchitectHOK Sport Venue
SMPC Architects[7]
Structural engineerChavez–Grieves Consulting Engineers, Inc.[1]
Services engineerCoupland–Moran Engineers, Inc.[1]
General contractorBradbury Stamm Construction Inc.[1]
Tenants
Albuquerque Isotopes (PCL/AAAW) 2003–present
New Mexico Lobos (MWC) 2004–2013
New Mexico United (USLC) 2019–present

The stadium is also home to New Mexico United, a professional soccer team in the USL Championship division that began play in 2019.

History

In 2000, Bob Lozinak, then-owner of the Albuquerque Dukes, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, sold the team to a Portland, Oregon-based group, who moved the team to Portland as the Beavers. The Dukes had played in Albuquerque for almost 40 years. Their stadium, Albuquerque Sports Stadium, was the second oldest in the league at the time and was in disrepair.[8]

Finding another owner and team was not difficult. The Pacific Coast League had teams in Canada that they wanted to relocate. In 2001, a group headed by Tampa businessman Ken Young bought the Calgary Cannons with the intention of moving it to Albuquerque, contingent on building a park.[4] However, then Mayor Jim Baca was unable to overcome opposition from a city council reluctant to spend city money on the project.[9] Debate centered on whether to renovate the old Albuquerque Sports Stadium as a baseball-only park or build a brand new park downtown.[10] Mayor Baca put the issue to a vote and the voters easily approved the $25 million needed to finance the project.[11]

As it turned out, the renovation of Albuquerque Sports Stadium turned into a construction of a completely new facility. Almost nothing of the old Albuquerque Sports Stadium remains, apart from the playing field. However, the new park retains its predecessor's general structure, as well as its dimensions and the system connecting the dugout to the clubhouse. The new stadium was also intended to retain the old facility's well-known "drive-in" terrace, where fans could sit in their cars and watch the game for free. However, Isotopes management scrapped those plans due to security concerns and instead converted it into a play area for children. Like its predecessor, it is known as a hitters park, due to the high altitude and dry air, but changes in the field were made to create more of a wind screen which allows the ball protected lift. The fences were also brought in slightly.

Isotopes Park was the home of the 2007 Triple-A All-Star Game, with the International League defeating the Pacific Coast League, 7–5.[12] The game was viewed by 12,367 in attendance; the game was also broadcast on ESPN2 and on radio.[13] Albuquerque's Valentino Pascucci was selected as the PCL MVP.[14] Former Isotope Rob Stratton won the Home Run Derby.[15]

On June 23, 2009, a single-game attendance record (since broken) was set when fans saw Manny Ramirez make a rehab start after serving a 50-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs. The Isotopes defeated the Nashville Sounds 1–0.[16]

On September 20, 2011, Isotopes Park was host to the 2011 Triple-A National Championship Game between the champions of the Pacific Coast League and the International League. The game featured the Columbus Clippers defeating the Omaha Storm Chasers, 8–3, in front of 9,569 fans.[17]

The Isotopes set a single-game attendance record in 2018 when 16,975 fans attended a game on Cinco de Mayo as part of minor league baseball's "Copa de la Diversión" promotion, in which the Isotopes played as the Mariachis de Nuevo México.[18]

In 2020, the Isotopes entered into a corporate naming rights agreement with Rio Grande Credit Union to rebrand the facility as Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park.[19]

University of New Mexico

In 2012, New Mexico ranked 38th among Division I baseball programs in attendance, averaging 1,618 per home game.[20]

Soccer

New Mexico United, an expansion team playing in the USL Championship, began play at Isotopes Park on March 9, 2019. The inaugural match, which finished as a 1–1 draw against Fresno FC, was attended by 12,896 fans.[21] The record attendance for a match is 15,247, set on August 17, 2019 against Los Angeles Galaxy II.

Features

The stadium has a seating capacity of 13,279, with 11,154 fixed seats. There are 661 club seats and 30 suites at the ballpark.[22] The field used to feature a hill in center field, similar to the one formerly in the Houston Astros' stadium, Minute Maid Park, but it was removed after the 2022 season, due to concerns for player safety.

The stadium has a large open breezeway above the primary seating area with a view of the playing field, which contains most of the park's services, such as restrooms, most of the food concessions, activities, and a souvenir store behind home plate. Behind the infield is the main structure of the stadium, which contains suites, offices, and the press box. An upper seating deck is attached to the structure, which overhangs the open breezeway. Beyond right field is a berm where fans can watch the game. Above the berm is a play area for children. Beyond left field is the scoreboard as well as a picnic shelter which can be reserved for groups.[23]

The elevation of the playing field exceeds 5,100 feet (1,555 m) above sea level and warm summer air also give the balls great lift.

Statues of Homer, Marge, Lisa, and Bart Simpson of the animated sitcom The Simpsons are located on the concourse. The 2001 episode "Hungry, Hungry Homer", in which the fictional Springfield Isotopes attempted a move to Albuquerque, was the inspiration for the real-life team's name.[24][25][26][27]

  • The exterior facade
    The exterior facade
  • Satellite image taken March 2004
    Satellite image taken March 2004
  • New Mexico United v. LA Galaxy II at Isotopes Park on 17 August 2019
    New Mexico United v. LA Galaxy II at Isotopes Park on 17 August 2019

See also

References
  1. "Best Public Project Over $5 Million: Best Steel Project" (PDF). Engineering News-Record. December 1, 2003. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  2. "Albuquerque Isotopes". 2017 Pacific Coast League Sketch & Record Book. Minor League Baseball. 2017. p. 9.
  3. "Isotopes Park". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  4. Latta, Dennis (October 26, 2001). "Beginning A New Era In Baseball". Albuquerque Journal. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  5. Knight, Graham (April 13, 2009). "Isotopes Park". Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
  6. 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.
  7. "Albuquerque Isotopes Baseball Park". SMPC Architects. Archived from the original on March 28, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  8. Smith, Mark (March 31, 2013). "Gloom Strikes City When Dukes Depart". Albuquerque Journal. p. D1. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
  9. Latta, Dennis (August 30, 2000). "Baca Pitches Downtown Ballpark". Albuquerque Journal. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  10. Ludwick, Jim (November 20, 2001). "$25 Million OK'd for Stadium". Albuquerque Journal. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  11. Latta, Dennis (May 31, 2001). "Baseball Vote Is As Expected". Albuquerque Journal. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  12. Wright, Rick (July 12, 2007). "Duke City's Star Turn A Homer". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  13. Harrison, Randy (July 6, 2007). "All-Star Ticket Options are Dwindling". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  14. "Triple-A All-Star Game Results (2003–2007)". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  15. "Triple-A All-Star Home Run Derby Winners". 2017 Pacific Coast League Sketch & Record Book. Pacific Coast League. 2017. p. 162.
  16. Witz, Billy (June 23, 2009). "Dodgers' Ramirez Begins Return to Baseball". The New York Times. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  17. Critchfield, Tristen (September 21, 2011). "9,569 Watch Triple-A Title Game". Albuquerque Journal. p. D1. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  18. "Big Crowds in Albuquerque, San Antonio Spurred by Copa de la Diversion Promo". May 7, 2018.
  19. ""The Lab" Becomes "Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park"". Albuquerque Isotopes. Minor League Baseball. February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  20. Foley, Brian (June 13, 2012). "2012 NCAA Baseball Attendance Report". College Baseball Daily. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  21. Seligman, Noah (March 9, 2019). "NM United plays to a draw; 12,896 witness debut". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  22. Puckett, Alisha (April 14, 2003). "Special Report: Isotopes Park". SportsBusiness Journal. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
  23. "McDonald's Picnic Pavilion". Minor League Baseball. January 12, 2009. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  24. Latta, Dennis (September 5, 2002). "Team President Throws Isotopes Name Into Play". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque Publishing Company. p. A1. Archived from the original on August 22, 2003. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  25. "Isotopes Baseball in Albuquerque: The Dukes, Simpsons and Colorado Rockies". April 12, 2016.
  26. "How the Albuquerque Isotopes Got Their Name". March 7, 2014.
  27. "Simpsons Fans Love Isotopes Ballpark". August 19, 2013.
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