Legends Field is a ballpark in Lexington, Kentucky. The ballpark was built in 2001 and holds 6,994 people.[7] It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Lexington Legends of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball.[8] Legends Field has been home to the Transylvania University Pioneers baseball team since 2020. In 2024 the university reached an agreement to make the ballpark their home field for another 20 years.[9]
 Legends Field viewed from North Broadway | |
 | |
  Legends Field Location within Kentucky  Legends Field Legends Field (the United States) | |
| Former names | Applebee's Park (2001–2010) Whitaker Bank Ballpark (2011–2020) Lexington Legends Ballpark (2021) Wild Health Field (2022) Counter Clocks Field (2023) |
|---|---|
| Address | 207 Legends Lane Lexington, KY |
| Coordinates | 38°03′56″N 84°28′43″W / 38.06545°N 84.47852°W |
| Owner | Lexington Professional Baseball Company, LLC |
| Operator | Lexington Professional Baseball Company, LLC |
| Capacity | Approx. 4,900 fixed seats 15,000 (concerts & special events) |
| Field size | Left Field: 320 feet Center Field: 401 feet Right Field: 318 feet |
| Surface | Turf |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | February 7, 2000[1] |
| Opened | May 9, 2001[6] |
| Construction cost | $13.5 million ($23.2 million in 2023 dollars[2]) |
| Architect | Brisbin Brook Benyon Architects, Ltd. |
| Project manager | National Sports Services |
| Structural engineer | Halcrow Yolles[3] |
| Services engineer | The Mitchell Partnership, Inc.[4] |
| General contractor | H&M Company, Inc.[5] |
| Tenants | |
| Lexington Legends (SAL/ALPB) 2001–present Transylvania Pioneers (NCAA) 2020–present Wild Health Genomes (ALPB) 2022 | |
Features
editThe ballpark is modeled after larger minor-league and major-league stadiums. It features the "Pepsi Party Deck" over the right field wall. This area is available to rent by groups. Along the first base line is the "Budweiser Stables," where fans can order beer and watch a game from an area of picnic tables. Behind home plate and accessible from the stadium's main entrance, the "Kentucky Ale Taproom" restaurant caters to members and guests with passes. The third base line features a small but popular area for families to watch the games. This area includes a kids area with a playground, bouncer and obstacle course. The bleachers, behind left field, holds more fans. There are two videoboards and one manual out-of-town scoreboard.[8] The ballpark contains 785 club seats and 24 luxury suites.[5]
The stadium's largest crowd to date came on June 6, 2006, when a standing-room-only crowd of over 9,300 was on hand to witness what the team dubbed "Rocket Relaunch" — Roger Clemens's first stop on his return to the Houston Astros.[10]
Naming
editFrom 2001 until 2010, the stadium was named Applebee's Park. In January 2011, it was announced that the naming rights to the stadium had been bought by Whitaker Bank Corporation, and the stadium was renamed Whitaker Bank Ballpark. The deal ended in 2021.[11][12]
In February 2022, the Legends announced that the stadium would be renamed Wild Health Field following a new naming rights agreement with Wild Health, a Lexington-based health clinic specializing in genomics-based precision medicine and wellness, and that the stadium would host a second Atlantic League team, the Wild Health Genomes.[13] The Genomes only played one season.[14]
In March 2023, the Lexington Legends were renamed the Lexington Counter Clocks.[15] During that season the stadium was known as Counter Clocks Field.[16]
In February 2024 the team announced a return to the Lexington Legends brand and the ballpark was renamed Legends Field.[17][18]
Ballpark firsts
edit- Game: April 9, 2001 (7:16 PM EST)
- Attendance: 8,037[19]
Gallery
edit-
View behind home plate -
A night game
References
edit- ^ "Groundbreaking Today For Baseball Stadium". Lexington Herald-Leader. February 7, 2000. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
- ^ 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 February 29, 2024.
- ^ "David Watson". Entuitive.com. Entuitive, Ltd. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ "Applebee's Park Lexington, Kentucky" (PDF). The Mitchell Partnership, Inc.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Rofe, John (April 9, 2001). "Lexington, Others Continue Building Boom for Minors". SportsBusiness Journal. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
- ^ Carlson, Erik A. (December 10, 2010). "Applebee's Relinquishes Naming Rights to Lexington Legends Homefield". Business Lexington. Retrieved September 14, 2011 – via Smiley Pete Publishing.
- ^ Merzbach, Brian. "Whitaker Bank Ballpark". Ballpark Reviews. Archived from the original on June 30, 2003. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
- ^ a b "Whitaker Bank Ballpark". Lexington Legends. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
- ^ "Transylvania baseball signs 20-year agreement to make professional stadium home field". Transylvania University. January 25, 2024.
- ^ "Roger Clemens To Start For Legends On Tuesday, June 6th". Our Sports Central (Press release). May 31, 2006. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
- ^ Maloney, Mark; Sloan, Scott (January 21, 2011). "Legends' Stadium Renamed Whitaker Bank Ballpark". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
- ^ Reichard, Kevin (January 24, 2011). "New for 2011: Whitaker Bank Ballpark". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ Rosen, Kristina (February 8, 2022). "Lexington announces second minor league baseball team: The Kentucky Wild Health Genomes". WLEX-TV.
- ^ Reichard, Kevin (November 16, 2022). "Frederick Atlantic League team added for 2023". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ "New for 2023: Lexington Counter Clocks". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Thompson, Tyler (May 29, 2023). "Kentucky Baseball, Railbird highlight massive weekend in Lexington". On3.com. On3 Media, Inc. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
...Counter Clocks Field (formerly Wild Health Field and Whitaker Bank Park).
- ^ "Back in 2024: The Lexington Legends". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
- ^ "Seating Map - Lexington Legends". lexingtonlegends.com. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
- ^ "Whitaker Bank Ballpark Firsts". Lexington Legends. January 8, 2007. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2009.