Osceola County Stadium

{{Short description|Florida outdoor sports venue}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2013}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Osceola County Stadium

| nickname =

| image = Osceola County Stadium main.JPG

| image_size = 220px

| caption = Circa 2004

| fullname =

| location = 631 Heritage Park Way
Kissimmee, FL 34744

| coordinates = {{coord|28|17|54|N|81|21|50|W|display=inline}}

| broke_ground =

| built =

| opened = 1984

| renovated = 2003, 2019

| expanded =

| closed =

| demolished =

| owner = Osceola County

| operator = Orlando City SC

| surface = Grass

| construction_cost =

| architect =

| structural engineer =

| services engineer =

| general_contractor=

| project_manager =

| main_contractors =

| tenants = Osceola Astros (FSL) 1985–1994
Kissimmee Cobras (FSL) 1995–2000
A-Sun Tournament 1998–1999
Gulf Coast League Astros (GCL) 2009–2016
Houston Astros (MLB) (spring training) 1985–2016
Florida Fire Frogs (FSL) 2017–2019
Orlando City B (MLSNP) 2020, 2022–present

| seating_capacity = 5,400

| dimensions =

}}

Osceola County Stadium is an outdoor sports venue located in Kissimmee, Florida, part of the wider Orlando City SC Training Ground at Osceola Heritage Park.{{cite web |title=Orlando City SC Unveils Official Training Ground at Ribbon Cutting Ceremony |url=https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2020/01/17/orlando-city-sc-unveils-official-training-ground-ribbon-cutting-ceremony |website=www.orlandocitysc.com}}

Originally a baseball park,{{cite web |url=http://www.osceolastadium.com |title=Welcome to the Osceola County Stadium! |first=Chris |last=Cavender |website=OsceolaStadium.com |access-date=May 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520100528/http://www.osceolastadium.com/ |archive-date=2018-05-20}} it was converted into a soccer-specific stadium by Orlando City SC in 2019 to house the club's MLS Next Pro reserve team Orlando City B ahead of the 2020 season. It had previously served as the home field for the Class A Florida State League's Kissimmee Cobras (1995–2000), Osceola Astros (1985–1994) and Florida Fire Frogs (2017–2019).

Renovations

The Osceola County Stadium and Complex underwent a significant renovation in 2003 at a price of US$18.4 million{{cite web |url=http://www.springtrainingonline.com/teams/houston-astros.htm |website=SpringTrainingOnline.com |title=Houston Astros |access-date=13 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130030732/http://www.springtrainingonline.com/teams/houston-astros.htm |archive-date=2010-11-30}} The renovation increased seating capacity, upgraded the press box, improved the clubhouses, and added "Autograph Alley" which is a popular feature of spring training events.

In May 2019, the Florida Fire Frogs accepted a half-million-dollar buyout from the county to leave at the end of the 2019 season. The stadium will be redeveloped to be part of a larger {{convert|20|acre|adj=on}} training complex at Osceola Heritage Park for Orlando City SC of Major League Soccer to house its senior MLS team, USL League One reserve team and Development Academy. As well as the stadium, the training ground will also include four practice fields - three natural grass and one artificial turf - a fitness, training and recovery center; a players’ lounge; meal room and a film room as well as {{convert|30000|sqft}} of office space for working staff and facilities to support media operations.{{cite news |last1=Jackson |first1=Ken |title=Orlando City confirms it's bringing MLS, developmental training facility to Heritage Park; Fire Frogs sign deal to leave after this season |url=http://www.aroundosceola.com/sports/orlando-city-confirms-it-s-bringing-mls-developmental-training-facility/article_c78eb4f2-83b6-11e9-9649-b34049890d12.html |access-date=June 1, 2019 |work=Osceola News-Gazette |date=May 31, 2019 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Reichard |first1=Kevin |title=Fire Frogs to Depart Osceola County Stadium at End of Season |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2019/05/31/fire-frog-to-depart-osceola-county-stadium-at-end-of-season/ |access-date=June 1, 2019 |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |date=May 31, 2019}}

Other uses

The Houston Astros of Major League Baseball used the site for spring training between 1985 and 2016. The Astros' lease with the ballpark ended in 2017. The Astros and Washington Nationals moved into The Ballpark of The Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach in February 2017.{{cite news |last1=Castillo |first1=Jorge |title=Nationals christen their new spring home with a walk-off win |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/nationals-journal/wp/2017/02/28/nationals-christen-their-new-spring-home-with-a-walk-off-win/ |access-date=June 1, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 28, 2017 |language=en}}

The Osceola County Complex was also home of the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring where many hopeful future major league umpires went to learn the trade.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}} Additionally, it hosts numerous amateur baseball events throughout the remainder of the year in conjunction with the United States Specialty Sports Association, Triple Crown Sports, World Baseball Federation, and Promotion Sports.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

The venue hosted the 1998 and 1999 Atlantic Sun Conference baseball tournaments, won by Florida International and Jacksonville, respectively.{{cite web|title=Atlantic Sun Recordbook - Baseball |url=http://www.atlanticsun.org/media/2010-11/pdf/records-baseball.pdf |work=AtlanticSun.org |access-date=18 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034623/http://www.atlanticsun.org/media/2010-11/pdf/records-baseball.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead}}

In the mid-1990s Osceola County Stadium was planned to be the home of the yet-to-be named Central Florida team, a charter franchise of the United League (UL) which was a planned third league of Major League Baseball (MLB).{{cite news |last1=Turner |first1=Tim |title=Baseball League Picks Kissimmee |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1995-08-18-9508180410-story.html |access-date=December 27, 2019 |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=August 18, 1995}}

Osceola County Stadium hosted the Johnsonville American Cornhole League (ACL) Championships in 2018.{{cite web |title=American Cornhole League Comes to Kissimmee |url=https://www.experiencekissimmee.com/blog/american-cornhole-league-comes-kissimmee |website=Experience Kissimmee |language=en |date=25 January 2018}}

Gallery

File:Osceola County Stadium complex.JPG|A view of additional fields at the complex, circa 2004

References

{{reflist}}