Fluor Field at the West End
Fluor Field at the West End is a 6,700-seat baseball-only stadium in Greenville, South Carolina that opened on April 6, 2006. Designed by architectural firm DLR Group, it was built as a new home of the Greenville Drive baseball team, the A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
Little Fenway | |
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| Former names | West End Field (2006–2008) |
|---|---|
| Location | 945 South Main Street Greenville, SC 29601 |
| Coordinates | 34.8422°N 82.4082°W |
| Owner | Greenville Drive, LLC |
| Operator | Greenville Drive, LLC |
| Capacity | 6,700 seats |
| Field size | Left Field: 310 feet Left-Center Field: 379 feet Center Field: 390 feet Deep Center Field: 420 feet Deep Right Field: 380 feet Right Field: 302 feet Left-Field Wall: 33 feet |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | May 28, 2005[1] |
| Opened | April 6, 2006 |
| Construction cost | $15 million ($19 million in 2019 dollars[2]) |
| Architect | DLR Group |
| Structural engineer | Haris Engineering[3] |
| General contractor | EMJ Corp.[4] |
| Tenants | |
| Greenville Drive (SAL) (2006–present) Southern Conference Baseball Tournament (2009, 2012, 2013, 2016–present) | |
Features
Fluor Field nearly replicates the dimensions of Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox. The ballpark has its own "Green Monster" replica, a 30-foot high wall in left field as opposed to the 37-foot one found at Fenway, and contains a manual scoreboard. Every other dimension is to the same specifications as Fenway Park, including "Pesky’s Pole" in right field. Other than the tribute to Fenway, Fluor Field also pays tribute to the Greenville area as the ballpark's nostalgic look utilizes reclaimed bricks from local mills. As is the tradition in Fenway Park, Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" is sung in the middle of the eighth inning.[5] Fluor Field is adjacent to the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum.
In 2007, the Greenville Drive privately funded the enhancement of Fluor Field at a cost of approximately $1.5 million. One of these enhancements include a display regarding Greenville's baseball heritage with information about players who were either born or played in the upstate region.[6]
On February 26, 2008, the stadium was officially renamed to Fluor Field at the West End.[7] The field was named for Fluor Corporation, a major local employer.
Events
The field hosted the 2009, 2012 and 2013 Southern Conference Baseball Tournaments as well as the 2016 and 2017 editions. It will continue to do so until at least 2019.[8][9]
Since 2010, the field has hosted a neutral site game of the Reedy River Rivalry between the Clemson Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks. The lone exception was in 2012, when that year's neutral site game was played in Charleston. Fluor Field hosts the second of three games spread out over a weekend on a Saturday, as the Friday and Sunday contests rotate yearly between the respective home fields for the two schools. The Gamecocks, as of 2017, hold a 4-3 advantage over the Tigers in games played at Fluor Field. The field has also hosted several regular season collegiate baseball games for South Carolina-based schools since its opening.
Milestones and notable moments
- First pitch: Phil Seibel, on April 6, 2006 at 7:35 pm
- First hit: Jesús Soto, on April 6, 2006, in the 4th inning
- First Drive hit: Jeff Natale, April 6, 2006, in the 4th inning
- First home run: Jesús Soto, April 6, 2006, in the 4th inning
- First Drive home run: Jeff Natale, April 6, 2006, in the 4th inning
Attendance records
- Highest season attendance: Over 350,000 (2012)
- Highest single game attendance: 7,551 (April 4, 2019, (Opening Day, Greenville Drive vs. West Virginia Power) Dustin Pedroia (Boston Red Sox) in starting lineup for rehab session.
References
- Howle, Julie (May 29, 2005). "Baseball Fans May Get a Taste of Fenway". The Greenville News. p. B15. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- "Sports Projects". Haris Engineering. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
- Spanberg, Erik (August 21, 2006). "City Loves Its Little Monster". SportsBusiness Journal. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
- McGranahan, Ed (April 6, 2006). "Batter Up!! Former Red Sox Lefty to Take the Mound in Drive's Home Opener". The Greenville News. p. C1. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
- "Fluor Field". Minor League Baseball. March 11, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
- "Drive Award Ballpark Naming Rights". Minor League Baseball. February 26, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
- "Southern Conference 2009 Baseball Championship". Southern Conference. Archived from the original on February 12, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
- "2012 Southern Conference Baseball Championship". Southern Conference. Archived from the original on February 12, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.