Blue Wahoos Stadium
{{short description|Home of the Blue Wahoos}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Blue Wahoos Stadium{{Cite web |last=Bill Vilona |title=Bayfront ballpark now has official name |url=https://www.pnj.com/story/sports/mlb/blue-wahoos/2015/09/23/blue-wahoos-stadium-official/72705996/ |publisher=Pensacola News Journal |accessdate=January 10, 2025}}
| nickname = Fetterman Field
| logo_image =
| logo_caption =
| image = Maritime Park.jpg
| caption = 2012 photo of the Stadium
| fullname =
| former_names =
| location = 351 West Cedar Street
Pensacola, FL 32502
| coordinates = {{coord|30|24|15.6|N|87|13|05.6|W|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = September 17, 2009{{Cite web |title=Maritime Park - Ground Breaking Ceremony |url=http://www.pensacolacitygov.com/internet/live/calendar.asp?view=details&eventid=14048 |publisher=City of Pensacola |accessdate=August 11, 2013}}
| built =
| opened = April 5, 2012
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = Community Maritime Park Associates
| operator = Community Maritime Park Associates
| surface = Artificial Turf
| construction_cost = $23,845,045.23
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|23845045.23|2012}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect = Populous
Bullock Tice Associates
SMB Architecture
| project_manager = Hatch Mott MacDonald/Morette{{Cite web |title=The Vince Whibbs, Sr. Community Maritime Park |url=http://www.cityofpensacola.com/sites/cityofpensacola.com/files/page_documents/FY2010%20CMPA%20Audited%20Financial%20Statements.pdf |publisher=City of Pensacola |accessdate=August 11, 2013}}{{Dead link|date=September 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
| structural engineer = [http://www.jdstructures.com/ Joe DeReuil Associates, LLC].{{Cite web |title=Pensacola Updates |url=http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=135730&page=12 |website=SkyscraperPage |page=12 |accessdate=August 11, 2013}}
| services engineer = Schmidt Consulting Engineers
| general_contractor = Magi Construction JV{{Cite news |date=July 10, 2012 |title=Cost of Building the Maritime Park |work=Pensacola News Journal |url=http://www.pnj.com/assets/pdf/DP178391820.PDF |accessdate=July 10, 2012}}
| main_contractors = Southeastern Construction Inc.
| capacity = 5,038{{Cite news |last=Pillon |first=Dennis |date=April 20, 2012 |title=Pensacola's Class AA Baseball Fever Still Going Strong |work=Press-Register |location=Mobile |url=http://blog.al.com/gulf-coast/2012/04/pensacolas_class_aa_baseball_f.html |accessdate=May 13, 2012}}
| dimensions =
| tenants = Pensacola Blue Wahoos (SL/Double-A South) (2012–present)
West Florida Argonauts (NCAA) (2016–2021)
}}
Blue Wahoos Stadium, located in the Community Maritime Park, is a multi-use park in Pensacola, Florida, that includes a stadium, commercial buildings, a waterfront public park and amphitheater.{{Cite web |year=2007 |title=HUNTER AMPHITHEATRE |url=http://www.jdstructures.com/projects/view-hunter.asp |website=Joe DeReuil Associates, LLC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506163254/http://www.jdstructures.com/projects/view-hunter.asp |archive-date=6 May 2014 |url-status=dead}} The mixed use stadium holds 5,038 people and can be used for a number of events year-round, including baseball, soccer, football, festivals, graduations, and similar events. The multi-use stadium was originally designed to be the home field of the Pensacola Pelicans; it hosts the Miami Marlins Double-A affiliate, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos of the Southern League. The stadium is situated facing the Pensacola Bay. The playing surface is titled "Admiral Jack Fetterman Field", honoring the U.S. Navy three-star vice admiral, who retired in Pensacola and became a prominent civic leader. Along with Vince Whibbs Sr., the two were influential in getting the Community Maritime Park project approved by voters.
History
On April 28, 2009, the Pensacola City Council gave final approval for the ballpark to be built.{{cite news |title=Council Sparks Park|first=Thyrie|last=Bland|url=http://www.pnj.com/article/20090424/NEWS01/904240326|date=April 24, 2009|accessdate=February 23, 2014}}
The entire project cost $54 million and was completed in time for the Blue Wahoos' inaugural home opener on April 5, 2012. Building the ballpark cost $23,845,045.23.
Stadium description
Blue Wahoos Stadium is a {{convert|117000|sqft}}, 5,038 seat multi-use venue. Construction includes precast concrete bowl seating, steel framed elevated slabs, post-tensioned slabs-on-grade, and an auger cast pile foundation with concrete grade beams and pile caps. This project was custom designed to meet the needs for the use by a minor league baseball team as well as for accommodating other sporting and festival type events. The structure and slab-on-grade was pile supported due to poor soil conditions and concern over scour from hurricanes.
During steel fabrication and foundation construction, a Double-A baseball team was acquired. This acquisition required enhancements to the stadium. This was a challenge for the design team who worked diligently to adjust the structure while using newly constructed elements within the enhancements, while providing subcontractors information needed to keep construction moving forward without incurring additional mobilization fees.{{cite web |title=Community Maritime Park Stadium |url=http://www.jdstructures.com/projects/view-maritime-park-stadium.asp |publisher=Joe DeReuil Associates, LLC |accessdate=February 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505072413/http://www.jdstructures.com/projects/view-maritime-park-stadium.asp |archive-date=May 5, 2014 }}
==Randall K. and Martha A. Hunter Amphitheater description==
The amphitheater has architecturally exposed steel trusses and frames supporting curved steel roof purlins with a heavy timber, tongue-and-groove roof deck. The steel trusses and frames are designed and shaped to resemble the fronds of a palm tree. The steel structure is supported on concrete piers that are supported on a large concrete pile cap that rests on auger-cast-in-place piles. The concrete piers also support the main stage floor. The stage floor is a flat plate, {{convert|8|in}} thick post-tensioned concrete slab.{{cite web |title=Hunter Amphitheater |url=http://www.jdstructures.com/projects/view-hunter.asp |publisher=Joe DeReuil Associates, LLC |accessdate=February 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506163254/http://www.jdstructures.com/projects/view-hunter.asp |archive-date=May 6, 2014 }}
==UWF Football==
The stadium hosted the Argonauts football team of the University of West Florida (UWF) for six seasons from 2016 to 2021.{{cite news |first=Jake |last=Newby |url=https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2021/09/09/uwf-ready-first-campus-football-game-saturday-what-know/5768611001/ |work=Pensacola News Journal |title=UWF's historic first on-campus football game is Saturday. Here's what you need to know. |date=September 9, 2021 |access-date=November 20, 2024}}{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Vilona |url=https://www.pnj.com/story/sports/college/university-west-florida/2021/09/11/uwf-football-pen-air-field-possibly-yearly-season-opening-tradition/8274725002/ |work=Pensacola News Journal |title=University of West Florida football game on campus may be annual event |date=September 11, 2021 |access-date=November 20, 2024}}{{cite news |first=Aspen |last=Popowski |url=https://www.wkrg.com/northwest-florida/escambia-county/uwf-football-games-move-to-pen-air-field/ |work=WKRG-TV |title=UWF football games move to Pen Air Field |date=February 28, 2022 |access-date=November 20, 2024}} On November 13, 2021, the Argonauts won a share of their first-ever Gulf South Conference football title at the stadium in a win over Valdosta State.{{cite news |first=Patrick |last=Bernadeau |url=https://www.pnj.com/story/sports/college/university-west-florida/2021/11/13/no-3-argos-smash-records-and-no-2-valdosta-state-earn-share-gsc-title/6363220001/ |title=UWF Football: No. 3 Argos smash records and No. 2 Valdosta State, earn share of GSC title |newspaper=Pensacola News Journal |access-date=November 22, 2021 |date=November 14, 2021}} On November 20, 2021, UWF hosted their first-ever home NCAA Division II playoff game at the venue.{{cite news |first=William |last=Reynolds |url=http://www.northescambia.com/2021/11/uwf-earns-3-seed-in-ncaa-playoffs-awarded-first-ever-home-playoff-game |title=UWF Earns #3 Seed in NCAA Playoffs, Awarded First-Ever Home Playoff Game |website=NorthEscambia.com |access-date=November 22, 2021 |date=November 16, 2021}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
{{stack| {{Commons category}} }}
- [http://www.cityofpensacola.com/735/Community-Maritime-Park City of Pensacola site for Blue Wahoos Stadium]
- [https://www.milb.com/pensacola/team/about Pensacola Blue Wahoos]
{{Southern League ballparks}}
{{West Florida Argonauts football navbox}}
Category:Minor league baseball venues
Category:Sports venues in Pensacola, Florida
Category:Soccer venues in Florida
Category:Baseball venues in Florida
Category:2012 establishments in Florida
Category:Sports venues completed in 2012
Category:College football venues in Florida
Category:West Florida Argonauts football