Melaleuca Field
| Location | 568 West Elva Idaho Falls, Idaho 83406 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Owner | Elmore Sports Group |
| Operator | Elmore Sports Group |
| Capacity | 3,400 |
| Field size | Left Field: 350 ft (104 m) Center Field: 390 ft (122 m) Right Field: 335 ft (107 m) |
| Surface | Natural Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 2006 |
| Opened | June 22, 2007 |
| Construction cost | $5.6 million ($6.39 million in 2024 dollars[1]) |
| Architect | Nielson, Bodily and Associates[2] |
| Structural engineer | ES2 Structural Engineers[2] |
| Services engineer | Havlovick Engineering Services, Inc.[2] |
| General contractor | Bateman-Hall, Inc.[2] |
| Tenants | |
| Idaho Falls Chukars (Pioneer League) | |
Melaleuca Field is a stadium in Idaho Falls, Idaho. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Idaho Falls Chukars minor league baseball team. It was built during the Pioneer League 2006-07 offseason. It holds 3,400 people and has eight luxury suites. American Legion and local high school games are also played at the field.
By 2004, the old stadium that used to sit on the same lot, McDermott Field, was outdated, deteriorating, and viewed as an unsuitable baseball venue. In May of that year, the Chukars approached the City of Idaho Falls about a major renovation; the estimated cost was $3.35 million. After the city agreed to allocate $2 million toward the project, the Chukars started a "Step Up To The Plate" fundraising campaign to come up with the remaining $1.35 million.[3] Despite contributions from the community, the fundraising campaign was far short of its goal as the September 30, 2005, deadline approached,[4] and McDermott Field was days away from being closed down for good.[5] However, a last-minute $600,000 donation by Idaho Falls company Melaleuca and its CEO, Frank VanderSloot, saved the renovation project and made it possible for the new ballpark to be built.[6] As a result, the ballpark was renamed “Melaleuca Field.”[7][8]
The old McDermott Field stadium was torn down on October 30, 2006, and the new Melaleuca Field stadium was dedicated on June 22, 2007. The new stadium includes a seating capacity of 3,400, eight luxury boxes, two large concession booths, and a sponsored hot tub on the right field line.[9]
Contents
Features
The grandstand includes 1,200 box seats, 1,459 bench seats with backs, eight custom suites with balcony seating, a large press box, two large concession booths, a souvenir shop and various offices.[2]
The concourse wraps around the playing field with a picnic area on the third base side and a party area with hot tub on the first base side. A separate building next to the field contains two locker rooms and extra storage.[2]
Awards
In 2007, Melaleuca Field was awarded “Best Ballpark Renovation” in the inaugural Ballpark Digest Awards of Distinction.[10]
In 2015, the field was crowned the top rookie-level ballpark in Ballpark Digest’s Best of the Ballparks fan contest.[11]
References
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