Downtown Memphis, TN boasts a heady mix of sights, scents and sounds. However, when the unmistakable aroma of popcorn hits the air, you definitely tell that you are close to AutoZone Park. As a relatively small-time stadium, AutoZone Park may not be as grand as some of the other parks around Memphis. What AutoZone Park lacks in size, it makes up for in ambience and atmosphere. The park’s cozy seating ensures that you are always at the forefront of the thrilling action. Its vintage decor will transport you back in time to the days when you could buy peanuts and hot dogs for only 10 cents. Its specialty amenities include an on-site playground for kids as well as two open-air party decks for adults.
When the park is not hosting baseball games, it is rented out for festivals, music events and haunted houses. If you are in the search of fun things to do while in Memphis, not limited by season or weather, be sure to schedule a trip to AutoZone Park! There is always something going down at this nifty little stadium, so you can count on having a fun experience here no matter when you are traveling to Tennessee. AutoZone Park is home to the Memphis Redbirds of the Triple-A East and Memphis 901 FC of the USL Championship. The Redbirds are the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) St. Louis Cardinals. In 2009, the park was named Minor League Ballpark of the Year by Baseball America.
Designed by Looney Ricks Kiss Architects of Memphis together with Kansas City-based HOK Sport, AutoZone Park cost approximately $80.5 million to construct. This is so far the most amount of money ever spent on a structure dedicated to a minor league baseball team. AutoZone Park was built to “MLB standards”, but with the absence of outfield seats or food vendors far down the foul lines, making it, for comparison purposes, a major league stadium with only the ‘good’ seats. It was officially opened in 2000, replacing Tim McCarver Stadium. The stadium also hosts some games for the University of Memphis baseball team, and most notably, the annual game with Ole Miss.
The Redbirds had been unique in baseball until recently, in that they were owned by a non-profit community foundation, the Memphis Redbirds Foundation. However, the Foundation defaulted on its bond payment in 2010. In November 2013, the Foundation announced that the default would be remedied by the St. Louis Cardinals paying off the bonds at a discount and acquiring the Redbirds, while the city of Memphis resumed ownership of the stadium.
————————————————————————————–
Brought to you by your friends at Plumbing Emergency Memphis
Here’s another great place to visit: The Arcade Restaurant, Memphis, TN