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Frisco Stadium / Frisco
RoughRiders / 2003
Seating: 10,600
Architect: David M. Schwarz Architectural Services, HKS Sports &
Entertainment Group
Budget: $22.7 million
Part
of a larger development in Frisco, Texas, the new Frisco Stadium (naming
rights to be announced) will launch on April 3 as the home of the Frisco
RoughRiders (Class AA; Texas League). The RoughRiders are the former
Shreveport Swamp Things, but owners
Southwest Sports Group (SSG) and Mandalay Sports Entertainment (MSE)
shifted the team to Frisco -- not a surprising move, as SSG also owns the
MLB Texas Rangers and the Dallas Stars.
Interestingly,
the stadium's grandstand isn't designed to look like any other baseball stadium,
but instead is reminiscent of Churchill Downs, the legendary racetrack. There
are 8,800 theater-style seats in the stadium, while outfield grassy areas
can hold another 1,800. And, of course, there are the obligatory luxury
suites -- 29 of them, to be exact. An open concourse features restrooms, concessions,
novelty stands, team story, children's play areas, outfield seating, and fan services,
and will be arranged in a park-like setting with
trees and landscaping. Like many new minor-league parks, the open concourse flows continuously around the
outfield of the ballpark. Two decks -- one down each line -- will be available for groups.
The total cost of the ballpark is $22.7 million.
One
interesting feature in the new Frisco Stadium is the Founders Club, which
combine the best seats in the house with membership in The Founder's Club,
a private, air-conditioned bar and restaurant located below the press box
behind home plate. We've seen club levels and private become common in
major-league stadiums, but they still are a fairly uncommon phenomena in
the minors -- especially at the Class AA level. Those ponying up for a
Founders Club membership will also receive free parking and whatever
promotional item is being given away at a game. 
The Frisco Stadium is the centerpiece of
a 74-acre development, which
features a shopping mall, retail, commercial space, and a practice
facility for the NHL's Dallas Stars. The stadium is designed to be part of
a community, nestled inside of residential stretches. The stadium itself
was designed by David M. Schwarz Architectural Services and HKS Sports & Entertainment
Group, a partnership that also designed The
Ballpark in Arlington, Orlando's Cracker Jack Stadium (formerly
Disney's Wide World of Sports), and the American Airlines Center in Dallas.