Clipper Magazine Stadium
Encyclopedia
Clipper Magazine Stadium is a 6,000-seat baseball park
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
, that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 11, 2005, when the tenants of the facility, the Lancaster Barnstormers
, lost to the Atlantic City Surf
, 4-3. The ballpark also hosts the New Era Tournament for midget baseball and the Lancaster-Lebanon League high school baseball championship, and was the site of the 2008 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
baseball championship. In October 2008, the venue hosted vice-presidential
nominee, Sarah Palin
, for the Road to Victory rally during the 2008 United States presidential election
.
Clipper Magazine Stadium also serves as the corporate headquarters for the Opening Day Partners, the ownership group of the Barnstormers and three other Atlantic League teams. The ballpark is named for Clipper Magazine
, a local periodical company, which purchased the naming rights for $2.5 million over ten years.
entertained baseball enthusiasts for 20 years at Stumpf Field. Efforts for a new stadium and a new team began in 1987, and what was a long sixteen-year battle finally paid off with an announcement in 2003. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
agreed to fund roughly half of the cost with Opening Day Partners and the city of Lancaster covering the remainder. The original plan in 2001 called for a proposed, $20-million ballpark to be constructed on the Diseley Farm site, across from Long's Park in Manheim Township
. However, those plans were cancelled because of residential concerns about traffic and political concerns about the use of eminent domain
and rezoning. After this plan was terminated, most Lancaster County politicians preferred a downtown ballpark in order to revitalize a run-down neighborhood. The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Lancaster settled on an industrial site on the corner of North Prince and Frederick streets, where a company called Ace Rents existed. Initially, Ace Rents stalled the process, but quickly came to an agreement as they did not want to cause delay. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 28, 2004, and Clipper Magazine Stadium was finished just before it opened on May 11, 2005.
With its brick façade and steel beams, the architecture of Clipper Magazine Stadium alludes to its industrial surroundings. Located in Lancaster's Northwest Corridor
, the ballpark faces many downtown factories and is itself constructed over a former rail yard. Coincidentally, this section of Lancaster city (between North Mary and North Charlotte Streets, south of the Harrisburg Pike) was historically known as the "base ball ground", circa 1886.
soft pretzels, Kunzler
hot dogs, beer from the Lancaster Brewing Company
, and Turkey Hill ice cream and iced tea. Other regional foods provided at Clipper Magazine Stadium include cheesesteak
s and whoopie pie
s.
Kids at the ballpark can play at the Weis
Horse Around Corral that includes a carousel, jungle gyms, a rock climbing wall, and various inflatables. Cylo's Clubhouse also provides entertainment for children, featuring the Barnstormers' bovine mascot, Cylo. Finally, the Turkey Hill Birthday Zone is a place for children's birthday celebrations.
Clipper Magazine Stadium includes additional seating options for its patrons. Executives can reserve one of several luxury suites available for business or pleasure, with professional catering and an excellent view of the field. Lawn seating expands the ballpark's seating capacity
, allowing an additional 1,500 fans to view the game. Bleachers are also available along the left field wall. However, Clipper Magazine Stadium includes 6,000 green, chair-back seats in two levels divided by an open, 360-degree concourse.
The Richard M. Scott
mural graces the interior entrance of the ballpark, and is dedicated to the former mayor who initiated the effort for professional baseball's return to Lancaster. Clipper Magazine Stadium also includes a visual display detailing Lancaster's professional baseball history.
The Inside Corner Team Store, which remains open throughout the year, is the official Lancaster Barnstormers' team apparel and souvenir store, located at the home plate entrance.
2010, Clipper Magazine Stadium will host its first celebration, which is called "3…2…1! Lancaster." The event will be coordinated with a concert, fireworks, and the Red Rose drop at nearby Binns Park.
musicians Bob Dylan
, Bryan Adams
, Def Leppard
, and Jefferson Starship
; country music
artists Clint Black
, Dwight Yoakam
, and Willie Nelson
; and smooth jazz
instrumentalist Kenny G
.
and Crystal Palace
, a Premier League team based in London
. The ballpark's infield was covered with grass sod in order to convert it for the game. Additionally, local soccer training was scheduled at Clipper Magazine Stadium to maximize the soccer pitch's use.
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 11, 2005, when the tenants of the facility, the Lancaster Barnstormers
Lancaster Barnstormers
The Lancaster Barnstormers is an American professional baseball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, lost to the Atlantic City Surf
Atlantic City Surf
The Atlantic City Surf were a professional baseball team based in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Surf was most recently a member of the Can-Am League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, 4-3. The ballpark also hosts the New Era Tournament for midget baseball and the Lancaster-Lebanon League high school baseball championship, and was the site of the 2008 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference that participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. The conference is composed of 16 full-time members within Pennsylvania and one associate member in New York...
baseball championship. In October 2008, the venue hosted vice-presidential
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
nominee, Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, for the Road to Victory rally during the 2008 United States presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
.
Clipper Magazine Stadium also serves as the corporate headquarters for the Opening Day Partners, the ownership group of the Barnstormers and three other Atlantic League teams. The ballpark is named for Clipper Magazine
Clipper Magazine
Clipper Magazine is a corporation that produces coupon and advertisement magazines in over 405 individual markets in 26 states. The company started in 1983 as a student business at Franklin & Marshall College, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, by Steve Zuckerman, Ian Ruzow, and Bob Zuckerman. The...
, a local periodical company, which purchased the naming rights for $2.5 million over ten years.
History
Forty-four years before the opening of Clipper Magazine Stadium and the Lancaster Barnstormers' inaugural season, the Lancaster Red RosesLancaster Red Roses
The Lancaster Red Roses baseball team, originally known as the Maroons, changed its name at the start of the 1906 season during a bitter match with the York, Pennsylvania-based White Roses. Some sources indicate that the rival teams were named for the opposing factions in England's historic Wars of...
entertained baseball enthusiasts for 20 years at Stumpf Field. Efforts for a new stadium and a new team began in 1987, and what was a long sixteen-year battle finally paid off with an announcement in 2003. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
agreed to fund roughly half of the cost with Opening Day Partners and the city of Lancaster covering the remainder. The original plan in 2001 called for a proposed, $20-million ballpark to be constructed on the Diseley Farm site, across from Long's Park in Manheim Township
Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Manheim Township is a township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania established in 1729, which southernmost border meets the city limits of Lancaster. The population as of the 2000 census was 33,697.-Government:...
. However, those plans were cancelled because of residential concerns about traffic and political concerns about the use of eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
and rezoning. After this plan was terminated, most Lancaster County politicians preferred a downtown ballpark in order to revitalize a run-down neighborhood. The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Lancaster settled on an industrial site on the corner of North Prince and Frederick streets, where a company called Ace Rents existed. Initially, Ace Rents stalled the process, but quickly came to an agreement as they did not want to cause delay. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 28, 2004, and Clipper Magazine Stadium was finished just before it opened on May 11, 2005.
With its brick façade and steel beams, the architecture of Clipper Magazine Stadium alludes to its industrial surroundings. Located in Lancaster's Northwest Corridor
Northwest Corridor (Lancaster)
The Northwest Corridor is a Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA neighborhood. The name refers to the neighborhood's location within the city of Lancaster, and the importance of the corridor in connecting important economic and civic developments within the city, and nearby, suburban East Hempfield...
, the ballpark faces many downtown factories and is itself constructed over a former rail yard. Coincidentally, this section of Lancaster city (between North Mary and North Charlotte Streets, south of the Harrisburg Pike) was historically known as the "base ball ground", circa 1886.
2007 Atlantic League All-Star Game
In July 2007, the Lancaster Barnstormers hosted the Atlantic League All-Star Game at Clipper Magazine Stadium. The league's former North Division won by a score of 8 to 6.Ballpark attractions
Clipper Magazine Stadium features Amelia’s Picnic Pavilion, a concession stand with a red barn façade that includes a traditional ballpark menu with an emphasis on items produced in Lancaster County. This emphasis includes Hess’s BBQ (a four-time Pennsylvania State Barbecue champion), Auntie Anne'sAuntie Anne's
Auntie Anne's, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is an American chain of pretzel bakeries founded by Anne F. Beiler and her husband, Jonas, in 1988. Auntie Anne's serves products such as pretzels, dips, and beverages...
soft pretzels, Kunzler
Kunzler & Company, Inc.
Kunzler & Company, Inc. is an American food manufacturer and processor.It was founded in 1901 German butcher named Christian Kunzler who moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania...
hot dogs, beer from the Lancaster Brewing Company
Lancaster Brewing Company
The Lancaster Brewing Company is a brewery located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and produces premium malt-based beverages. Prior to the creation of the brewery's German-influenced lager, the city of Lancaster consumed mainly English-produced ales. Lancaster, Pennsylvania became known as a major...
, and Turkey Hill ice cream and iced tea. Other regional foods provided at Clipper Magazine Stadium include cheesesteak
Cheesesteak
A cheesesteak, also known as a Philadelphia cheesesteak, Philly cheesesteak, cheese steak, or steak and cheese, is a sandwich made from thinly-sliced pieces of steak and melted cheese in a long roll...
s and whoopie pie
Whoopie pie
The whoopie pie is an American baked good that may be considered either a cookie, pie, or cake...
s.
Kids at the ballpark can play at the Weis
Weis Markets
Weis Markets, Inc. is a chain of supermarkets based in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, with a presence in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Maryland. In 2011, it operates 162 stores in five states.-History:...
Horse Around Corral that includes a carousel, jungle gyms, a rock climbing wall, and various inflatables. Cylo's Clubhouse also provides entertainment for children, featuring the Barnstormers' bovine mascot, Cylo. Finally, the Turkey Hill Birthday Zone is a place for children's birthday celebrations.
Clipper Magazine Stadium includes additional seating options for its patrons. Executives can reserve one of several luxury suites available for business or pleasure, with professional catering and an excellent view of the field. Lawn seating expands the ballpark's seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
, allowing an additional 1,500 fans to view the game. Bleachers are also available along the left field wall. However, Clipper Magazine Stadium includes 6,000 green, chair-back seats in two levels divided by an open, 360-degree concourse.
The Richard M. Scott
Richard M. Scott
Richard M. Scott, also known as Dick Scott, was the former mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He is best known to have led the effort to bring professional baseball back to the city of Lancaster...
mural graces the interior entrance of the ballpark, and is dedicated to the former mayor who initiated the effort for professional baseball's return to Lancaster. Clipper Magazine Stadium also includes a visual display detailing Lancaster's professional baseball history.
The Inside Corner Team Store, which remains open throughout the year, is the official Lancaster Barnstormers' team apparel and souvenir store, located at the home plate entrance.
Home Run Harbor
Prior to the 2008 season, a unique feature was added to Clipper Magazine Stadium: Home Run Harbor, a 36,000-gallon, artificial pond with ten bumper boats equipped with water cannons, a small waterfall, and a bridge. An estimated thirty percent of the home runs at the ballpark are hit toward the Home Run Harbor area, making the location a great place to see long-ball action. Safety netting prevents incoming baseballs from injuring patrons of the attraction.Silverball Museum Arcade
The Lancaster Barnstormers added the Silverball Museum Arcade in time for the 2011 Atlantic League season. It is a coin-free attraction that includes nostalgic arcade games from the 1930s to some of the video games played to the present. Each machine possesses a description of its history and inspiration. The Silverball Museum Arcade also has televisions and multimedia detailing everything pinball.3…2…1! Lancaster
On New Year's EveNew Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
2010, Clipper Magazine Stadium will host its first celebration, which is called "3…2…1! Lancaster." The event will be coordinated with a concert, fireworks, and the Red Rose drop at nearby Binns Park.
Ice Park at Clipper Magazine Stadium
Clipper Magazine Stadium is converted to an outdoor public ice-skating rink during the winter months so the Lancaster community can enjoy the ballpark in the off-season. Using state-of-the art equipment, the right field segment of the ballpark is converted to an ice skating rink measuring 135 feet by 85 feet with skate rental available; the concessions serve ballpark fare as well as soup, coffee, and hot chocolate. In 2010, a 26-foot Ice Slide attraction by Avalanche Express was added to the Ice Park.Concerts
Clipper Magazine Stadium has hosted various concerts, including rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
musicians Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
, and Jefferson Starship
Jefferson Starship
Jefferson Starship is an American rock band formed in the early 1970s. The group is a spin-off from the iconic 1960s psychedelic/folk group Jefferson Airplane. The band has undergone several major changes in personnel and genres through the years while retaining the same Jefferson Starship name...
; country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artists Clint Black
Clint Black
Clint Patrick Black is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and occasional actor. Signed to RCA Records in 1989, Black made his debut with his Killin' Time album, which produced four straight Number One singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
, Dwight Yoakam
Dwight Yoakam
Dwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter, actor and film director, most famous for his pioneering country music...
, and Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
; and smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
instrumentalist Kenny G
Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick , better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American, adult contemporary and smooth jazz saxophonist. His fourth album, Duotones, brought him breakthrough success in 1986...
.
Soccer
On July 16, 2009, Clipper Magazine Stadium hosted an exhibition match between the Harrisburg City IslandersHarrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders is an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
and Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, a Premier League team based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The ballpark's infield was covered with grass sod in order to convert it for the game. Additionally, local soccer training was scheduled at Clipper Magazine Stadium to maximize the soccer pitch's use.