Coolray Field
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{short description|Baseball park in Georgia, U.S.}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Coolray Field
| nickname =
| logo_image = Coolray Field.png
| logo_size =
| logo_alt =
| logo_caption =
| image = Coolray Field 2009.jpg
| image_size = 290px
| caption =
| pushpin_map = USA Georgia#USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Georgia##Location within the United States
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_label = Coolray Field
| pushpin_mapsize = 250
| fullname =
| former names = Gwinnett Stadium (2009){{cite web |title=Coolray Field |url=https://www.milb.com/gwinnett/ballpark/coolray-field |website=MiLB.com |access-date=May 17, 2022 |language=en |quote=Opened: April 2009 (originally called Gwinnett Stadium, renamed Coolray Field in 2010)}}
| address =
| city =
| country =
| location = 2500 Buford Drive
Lawrenceville, Georgia
United States
| coordinates = {{Coord|34|02|26.1|N|83|59|32.6|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline,title}}
| elevation =
| publictransit = {{rint|bus|1}} Gwinnett County Transit
No direct bus route connection
| parking =
| owner = Gwinnett County
| operator = Gwinnett County
| suites =
| capacity = 10,427 (baseball)
7,362 (soccer)
| record_attendance =
| dimensions = Left field: {{convert|335|ft|m|abbr=on}}
Center field: {{convert|400|ft|m|abbr=on}}
Right field: {{convert|335|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| surface = Grass
| broke_ground = June 3, 2008{{cite web |title=Coolray Field|first=Graham|last=Knight|url=http://www.baseballpilgrimages.com/AAA/gwinnett.html|work=Baseball Pilgrimages|date=May 1, 2009|accessdate=September 30, 2011}}
| opened = {{Start date|2009|04|17}}
| cost = $64 million
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|64000000|2009}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect = HKS, Inc.
| builder =
| project_manager =
| structural engineer = Bliss & Nyitray, Inc.
| services engineer = Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.
| general_contractor = Barton Malow Co.{{cite news |title=Minor League Stadiums|first=Theresa|last=Manahan|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2009/04/20090419/Building-For-The-Future/Minor-League-Stadiums.aspx|work=SportsBusiness Journal|date=April 19, 2009|accessdate=September 30, 2011}}
| main_contractors =
| tenants = Gwinnett Stripers (IL/AAAE) 2009–present
Atlanta United 2 (USLC) 2018
| website = {{URL|https://www.milb.com/gwinnett/ballpark/coolray-field}}
| embedded =
}}
Coolray Field (formerly known as Gwinnett Stadium) is a 10,427-seat minor league baseball park in unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia (with a mailing address in Lawrenceville). It is the home field of the Gwinnett Stripers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.
History
Coolray Field hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 17, 2009, a 7–4 Gwinnett Braves loss to the Norfolk Tides.{{cite news |title=G-Braves' Loss Can't Ruin New Team's Home Opener|first=Ben|last=Beitzel|url=http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2009/apr/18/g-braves039-loss-can039t-ruin-new-team039s-home/|newspaper=Gwinnett Daily Post|date=April 18, 2009|accessdate=March 9, 2014}} The stadium site is located approximately two miles (3 km) east of the Mall of Georgia along Georgia State Route 20, between Interstate 85 and Georgia State Route 316.
The {{convert|44|acre|ha|adj=on}} site was previously farmland and forest. An additional {{convert|73|acre|km2}} of mostly forest around it became a mixed-use project, after a February 2009 rezoning by the Gwinnett County Commission.{{cite news |title=BOC Approves Rezoning Near Stadium|first=Jamie|last=Ward|url=http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2009/feb/04/boc-approves-rezoning-near-stadium/|newspaper=Gwinnett Daily Post|date=February 4, 2009|accessdate=March 9, 2014}} Naming rights are held by Coolray, an air conditioning and plumbing company based in nearby Marietta.
The stadium construction and maintenance is being paid by the taxpayer-funded Gwinnett County government, but the Stripers will keep most of the revenue from ticket and concession stand sales. The municipal bonds used to pay for the stadium run for 30 years (until 2038), but the Stripers have an option to back out of the contract after only half of that time (in 2023), if the county does not maintain the facility at an acceptable level. This would leave county taxpayers responsible for the remainder.{{cite news |title=Contract Bringing Braves AAA Farm Team to Gwinnett Signed Tuesday|first=Arielle|last=Kass|url=http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2008/apr/02/contract-bringing-braves-aaa-farm-team-to/|newspaper=Gwinnett Daily Post|date=April 2, 2008|accessdate=March 9, 2014}}
After the first season, it was revealed that parking revenue was a fraction (about 15%) of what was expected.{{cite news |title=Gwinnett Braves Parking Revenue Falls Short of County Expectations|first=Patrick|last=Fox|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/gwinnett-braves-parking-revenue-188884.html|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=November 6, 2009|accessdate=November 6, 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091108172929/http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/gwinnett-braves-parking-revenue-188884.html|archivedate=November 8, 2009|url-status=dead}}
The Gwinnett Braves (renamed to the Stripers in 2017) moved to the stadium in 2009 when the Atlanta Braves moved their affiliate, the Richmond Braves, after 43 seasons (1966–2008) in Richmond, Virginia. They are located 35 miles northeast of their parent club's stadium, Truist Park in unincorporated Cobb County—the second-shortest distance between a Triple-A team and its major league parent (behind only the Triple-A West's Tacoma Rainiers, based 26 miles south of Seattle). They have held this distinction since moving to Gwinnett County; the Braves played at Turner Field in Atlanta at the time.
Features
Coolray Field features 19 luxury suites, a 30-foot-by-40-foot video board in right-center field, a 6-foot-by-42-foot LED board along the left-field wall and chairback seating complete with cupholders.{{cite web |title=2012 Gwinnett Braves Digital Media Guide|url=http://www.milb.com/documents/2012/04/05/27948772/1/2012_Gwinnett_Braves_Digital_Media_Guide.pdf|publisher=Gwinnett Braves|date=April 5, 2012|accessdate=April 29, 2012}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://www.milb.com/gwinnett/ballpark/coolray-field Coolray Field]
- {{cite news |last1=Tucker |first1=Tim |title=Upkeep of Gwinnett Braves' stadium is county's burden |url=http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/03/01/gwinnettdeal_0302.html |access-date=May 17, 2022 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=August 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831042639/http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/03/01/gwinnettdeal_0302.html |archive-date=August 31, 2010}}
- {{cite web |title=Gwinnett Braves Inaugural Season Attendance |url=http://corinthhills.org/gwinnett/gwinnett-braves-inaugural-season-attendance/ |website=CorinthHills.org |publisher=Corinth Hills Neighborhood Association |access-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513011216/http://corinthhills.org/gwinnett/gwinnett-braves-inaugural-season-attendance/ |archive-date=May 13, 2010 |location=Gwinnett County, Georgia |date=November 28, 2009}}
- {{cite web |title=Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues - Coolray Field - Gwinnett Braves |url=http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2011/Lawrenceville/Lawrenceville.htm |website=LittleBallparks.com |access-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503084312/http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2011/Lawrenceville/Lawrenceville.htm |archive-date=May 3, 2012 |date=2011}}
{{Gwinnett Stripers}}
{{Atlanta United 2}}
{{Atlanta sports venues}}
{{International League baseball venue navbox}}
Category:Sports venues in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Buildings and structures in Gwinnett County, Georgia
Category:Sports venues completed in 2009
Category:Minor league baseball venues
Category:Baseball venues in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Soccer venues in Georgia (U.S. state)