Prince George's Stadium

Prince George's Stadium
Location 4101 Crain Highway
Bowie, MD 20716
Coordinates 38°56′44″N 76°42′33″W / 38.94556°N 76.70917°W / 38.94556; -76.70917Coordinates: 38°56′44″N 76°42′33″W / 38.94556°N 76.70917°W / 38.94556; -76.70917
Owner Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Operator Bowie Baysox/Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Capacity 10,000[1]
Field size Left Field: 309 feet
Center Field: 405 feet
Right Field: 309 feet
Surface Natural Grass
Construction
Broke ground October 17, 1993[2]
Opened June 16, 1994
Construction cost US$10 million
($16 million in 2016 dollars[3])
Architect The Design Exchange[4]
Project manager Opening Day Partners[5]
General contractor Sigal Construction Corp.[6]
Tenants
Bowie Baysox (EL) (1994–present)
D.C. Forward (PC) (2004)

Prince George's Stadium is a multipurpose sports venue located in Bowie, Maryland primarily used for baseball. It is home of the Baltimore Orioles' AA affiliate in the Eastern League, the Bowie Baysox. The stadium is the result of a cooperative venture between Maryland Baseball Limited Partnership and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and is built on park property.[7]

History

The stadium opened June 16, 1994.[8] Its capacity for baseball is listed at 10,000, but when the Double-A All-Star Game was held there in 2000, the attendance was about 14,000. The 2002 Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game was held at the stadium.

While the stadium was being finished, the Baysox played one full season (1993) at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium and a few series in 1994 at fields belonging to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, and the University of Maryland, College Park, as well as the minor league stadiums of the Frederick Keys and Wilmington Blue Rocks.[9]

Tenants

Prince George's Stadium is located near the intersection of U.S. Route 301 and U.S. Route 50. It has been host to the AA All-Star Game twice, the United States Congressional Baseball Game, the annual Allen Iverson charity softball game, a lacrosse tournament, the USA Softball team, yard sales, movie nights, concerts, and Halloween activities in addition to its primary function as a baseball park. In addition, the Baysox operate a drive-in theater in the stadium's left-field parking lot during the Baysox' road trips.

Due to its close proximity to several local military bases including Fort George G. Meade and Andrews Air Force Base, the stadium is also regularly the site of related promotions involving enlisted persons. For example, on June 14, 2007, 5,000 Baysox tickets were distributed to soldiers to celebrate Flag Day with professional wrestler Sergeant Slaughter.

In 1998, the stadium hosted the Bowie Nationals,[10] a team in the single-season Maryland Fall Baseball League.[11]

In 2004, it served as the home of the D.C. Forward, the Pro Cricket team for Washington, D.C.

Appearances

Prince George's Stadium was featured in the January 30, 2007 episode ("Well Digger") of the Discover Channel show Dirty Jobs where host Mike Rowe performed a variety of jobs.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Bowie Baysox Baysox/Stadium Info". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  2. ↑ Schaffer, Athena (October 18, 1993). "Construction under way for home of baseball's AA Bowie Baysox". Amusement Business. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  3. ↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  4. ↑ Conway, Terry (June 7, 1999). "Queen of Diamonds". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Stadium Design and Construction". Opening Day Partners. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  6. ↑ Montgomery, David (March 3, 1994). "Weather Thwarts Baysox; New Stadium Unlikely To Open on Schedule". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Prince George's Stadium". Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
  8. ↑ Montgomery, David (June 2, 1994). "Two Months Late, It's 'Play Ball!' Time in Bowie". The Washington Post.
  9. ↑ Pahigian, Joshua (2007). The Ultimate Minor League Baseball Road Trip: A Fan's Guide to AAA, AA, A, and Independent League Stadiums. The Lyons Press. p. 72. ISBN 978-1-59921-024-7.
  10. ↑ Baker, Kent (September 23, 1998). "Fall league opener draws 1,118, but Kirk 'very encouraged' CEO cites rain, promotion". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  11. ↑ Hoffmann, John (June 24, 1999). "Keys finish first half on a tear; Fall League to fold". The Gazette. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Closing Bell, January 30, 2007". Sports Business Daily. January 30, 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2011. The Double-A Eastern League Bowie Baysox, an Orioles affiliate, will be featured on Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs" at 9:00pm ET, as host Mike Rowe will be seen washing uniforms, cleaning shoes and mowing the outfield grass at Prince George's Stadium.
Preceded by
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)		 Home of the
Bowie Baysox 
1994–current 		Succeeded by
Current
Preceded by
Four Mile Run Park		 Home of the
United States Congressional Baseball Game
1995–2004 		Succeeded by
RFK Stadium
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