Dozer Park
Dozer Park, originally O'Brien Field and formerly Chiefs Stadium, is a baseball field located in downtown Peoria, Illinois.[4] It is the home of the Peoria Chiefs, the Midwest League affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals; the Chiefs previously played at Meinen Field. The college baseball team of Bradley University also uses the field. It opened on May 24, 2002.[1]
  | |
| Former names | O'Brien Field (2002–2008) Chiefs Stadium (2009–2013)[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | 730 Southwest Jefferson Street Peoria, IL 61605 |
| Coordinates | 40°41′15″N 89°35′51″W |
| Public transit |  CityLink |
| Owner | Peoria Chiefs Community Baseball LLC |
| Operator | Peoria Chiefs Community Baseball LLC |
| Capacity | 8,500 |
| Record attendance | 8,825 (May 24, 2002 vs. Kane County Cougars) |
| Field size | Left Field: 310 ft (94.49 m) Left Center: 375 ft (114.3 m) Center Field: 400 ft (121.92 m) Right Center: 375 ft (114.3 m) Right Field: 310 ft (94.49 m) |
| Surface | Sod (1–1¼ inches) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 16, 2001 |
| Opened | May 24, 2002[1] |
| Construction cost | $23 million ($37.4 million in 2022 dollars[2]) |
| Architect | HNTB |
| Services engineer | Clark Engineers MW Inc.[3] |
| General contractor | River City Construction LLC[3] |
| Main contractors | Prairie Construction Systems Inc.[3] |
| Tenants | |
| Peoria Chiefs (MWL/High-A Central) (2002–present) Bradley Braves (NCAA) (2002–present) | |
History
Official groundbreaking ceremonies for the $23 million multi-purpose stadium took place on August 16, 2001.[5] The stadium opened on May 24, 2002, as O'Brien Field,[1] with a game between the Chiefs and the Kane County Cougars.[6]
O'Brien Auto Team held the original naming rights to the facility.[6]
In 2011, the stadium hosted to the IHSA Class 1A and 2A baseball state finals. This was the first year the games were played at the facility.[7]
In April 2013, the Chiefs, including the stadium, received $7.35 million in financing and debt forgiveness. The plan included forgiveness of $1.2 million in debt to the City of Peoria; including $2 million in funding from Caterpillar Inc. for naming rights over 10 years; and $2.7 million in new investment of cash and equity by the Chiefs' ownership group of about 50.[8]
On May 10, 2013, Caterpillar and the Chiefs announced that the stadium would be renamed "Dozer Park", a reference to Caterpillar bulldozers.[4][1]
The field
Dozer Park's sod has an 8-inch (200 mm) deep root zone of 90% sand and 10% Dakota peat for nutrition. The high concentration of sand naturally relieves soil compaction.
Beneath the sand and peat mix are 6 inches (150 mm) of gravel. Running through the gravel are drainage tiles that run from home plate to center field. A huge sump pump beyond center field then drains into the city sewer system.
The makeup of the pitcher's mound and batter's boxes are almost 100% clay because it packs better and is wear resistant. The rest of the infield skin area is around 40% clay, 30% silt and 20% sand.
The field will hold up to 5 inches (130 mm) of rain an hour.
The field is mowed every day during homestands, trimmed to 1–1+1⁄4 inches (25–32 mm) high. It takes 1.25 hours to cut the outfield grass 2 directions with a 100-inch (2.5 m) cut mower. A walk-behind mower is used for the infield.
The price tag for the field itself was around $450,000.[9]
Luxury suites
Dozer Park accommodates 20 luxury suites. Examples include:
- Peoria attorney Jay Janssen's suite — "A large, ornate Oriental rug covers most of the green-carpeted suite, which includes six candelabra wall sconces, a chandelier in the center, cherry wood cabinetry and chair rail, decorative border print, a green marble-topped table, a rose-colored granite pedestal bar overlooking the field and burgundy leather stools and chairs. In the kitchenette, a full-sized refrigerator is accompanied by a full-size oven and a sink with a chrome-plated faucet."[10]
- Caterpillar, Inc. owns a double suite that is primarily used to entertain the customers and VIP guests the company hosts in the community.[10]
Food
Other than the five fixed concession stands, there are mobile carts around the park. The Chiefs' concessionaire is Professional Sports Catering.[11]
References
- "Chiefs Stadium Renamed Dozer Park". Peoria Chiefs. May 10, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- 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.
- "O'Brien Field". SportsBusiness Journal. May 27, 2002. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
- Cape, Kevin (May 10, 2013). "Caterpillar Names Baseball Stadium 'Dozer Park'". Journal Star (Peoria). Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- "South Bend Takes Pair of Games from Chiefs". The Pantagraph. Bloomington–Normal. August 11, 2001. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- "Stadium History". Peoria Chiefs. December 2, 2008. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- "Baseball State Finals: 1A/2A Tournament Moves To Peoria, 3A/4A Extended In Joliet". Illinois High School Association. October 12, 2010. Archived from the original on December 31, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- Vlahos, Nick (April 30, 2013). "Peoria City Council Approves Financial Restructuring for Chiefs". Journal Star (Peoria). Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- Reynolds, Dave. "Guide to O'Brien Field". Journal Star (Peoria). Archived from the original on June 3, 2002. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- "Big-League Style Ballpark a Hit in Peoria". Journal Star (Peoria). October 19, 2002. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- "Who We're Working With". Professional Sports Catering. Retrieved August 11, 2013.