There may be no crying in baseball, but there is plenty of meeting and event space.
Baseball stadiums are where America’s pastime intersects with delicious food and versatile venues. These parks offer indoor and outdoor spaces for meetings, from upscale suites overlooking the infield to chill rooftop hangouts. With top-notch venues and skilled catering teams, ballparks can handle a broad range of events. When it comes to meetings, consider these minor league baseball stadiums around the country that are guaranteed to knock it out of the park.
Riverfront Stadium
Wichita, Kansas
Aptly named for its proximity to the Arkansas River in the scenic districts of downtown Wichita, Kansas, Riverfront Stadium is home to the Wichita Wind Surge, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. The stadium was completed in early 2020 and saw its first season in 2021.
“This is the community’s park,” said Maggie McLaughlin, special events manager at Wichita Wind Surge. “It’s very versatile and has many different spaces that can be used, as well as the beautiful backdrop of the downtown area of Wichita.”
The stadium’s largest indoor space is the Fidelity Bank Bravely Onward Club, which has a capacity of over 300. It also has a full bar, easy access to the parking lot and a great view overlooking the field. The Wichita Baseball Museum, which chronicles the city’s baseball history with a range of exhibits, can comfortably host meetings of 25-100 people. Two additional party suites can host small meetings. The stadium’s covered outdoor spaces include the Coors Light Party Porch, which can hold 240 people, and the Emprise Bank Pavilion, which accommodates 310.
Riverfront Stadium can provide microphones, projectors and a video board for a welcome message. They can also provide tables and chairs for many setups. Their in-house catering department, OVG Hospitality, handles food and beverage, as well as concessions for the park. This makes the stadium a one-stop shop for planners.
Polar Park
Worcester, Massachusetts
In Worcester, Massachusetts, Polar Park is the home of the Worcester Red Sox, a Triple-A Boston Red Sox affiliate affectionately known by locals as the “Woosox.” The park opened in 2021.
“It’s nice to mix it up from your usual hotel conference rooms or traditional conference centers,” said Hannah Butler, vice president of special events at the Worcester Red Sox. “Being in Worcester, Massachusetts, we’re very centrally located, so we’re great for those who want to pull people from all over New England.”
The park’s most popular event space is the DCU Club, an indoor, climate-controlled venue offering a great view of home plate. It can accommodate up to 270 banquet-style, 300 theater-style or 325 reception-style, and includes projectors, televisions and a sound system. Other popular indoor spaces include a board room with a capacity of 40 and televisions with hybrid meeting capabilities. For especially large groups, the stadium’s open-air, covered concourse is available to rent and can accommodate up to 3,000 people. The park’s Home Plate Bar and the Craft Corner are each available to rent for social events like happy hours and receptions.
The park’s exclusive, in-house catering team can serve everything from concessions to plated dinners. An in-house events team is available to assist in the execution of meetings and celebrations. The park prioritizes its role as an event venue, so it’s open year-round.
Sutter Health Park
West Sacramento, California
Formerly known as Raley Field, Sutter Health Park was completed in 2000 for the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Located in West Sacramento, the park is just across the river from downtown Sacramento.
“It’s a very unique experience in Sacramento,” said Nicole Berwager, manager of events and entertainment for the Sacramento River Cats. “We have an amazing view of the Sacramento skyline and the Tower Bridge.”
The largest indoor venue at the park is the Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort Legacy Club, which offers a full-service bar, a view of the park and a video wall with an HDMI-hook up, and can seat up to 250 attendees. Another popular choice of venue is the Sactown Smokehouse, on the concourse level. It’s a tented space that can accommodate up to 500 attendees. Another tented space is the Beer Garden, which can host up to 450 reception-style, offering views of downtown Sacramento, with space for live music and other entertainment. For dinners or upscale receptions, the park’s Bogle Vineyard, next to the Sactown Smokehouse, is a functioning vineyard that can offer wine tastings.
Smaller meetings can be held in the park’s suites, including the Party Suite, which is 700 square feet and opens to a smaller area for buffets or breakout sessions. In addition to in-house catering, the park provides directional signage and free parking.
Fluor Field
Greenville, South Carolina
Located in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, Fluor Field was built in 2006 as a home for the Greenville Drive, the Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The nearly 4,000-seat stadium was recently renovated, with improvements made to its clubhouse and lighting system.
“It’s iconic for community events, public events and even something so small as a meeting,” said Dayna Mercer, director of events at the Greenville Drive and West End Events at Fluor Field.
The park’s premier event space is the Champions Club, a versatile 4,000-square-foot space with floor-to-ceiling windows that retract to reveal a view of the field and the Greenville skyline. It can comfortably seat about 60 for a banquet or up to 200 for a reception and comes equipped with four flat-screen televisions, a sound system and a projector.
Additional spaces at Fluor Field for events include the Rooftop, an open-air space on the roof of the stadium with great views of downtown Greenville, and the Front Porch, located behind home plate and accented with rustic touches such as a reclaimed wood bar and foiled ceiling. Both these spaces hold up to 80 guests.
For larger events, the 500 Club/Furman Picnic Pavilion is being expanded to accommodate up to 600 guests. This spacious, open-air venue features covered outdoor space and will soon include large fans and a sound system, as well as four flat-screen televisions. Food and beverages are provided by an in-house chef, and the stadium’s event managers are on-site to assist with each event.
Hodgetown Stadium
Amarillo, Texas
The Amarillo Sod Poodles, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, play at Hodgetown Stadium in downtown Amarillo, Texas. The stadium, first opened in 2019, is currently undergoing renovations to come up to par with MLB standards. These renovations, including improvements to the clubhouses and kitchen areas and the addition of female locker rooms and another hospitality area, are slated for completion early this year.
The Fairly Group Club Level is one of the largest and most versatile spaces offered by the park. It has a bar and attaches to an outdoor deck, the Pepsi Party Deck, which can hold up to 70 attendees. One of the less traditional spaces is the batting cage area, which can hold up to 150 attendees. Especially large groups can rent the stadium’s concourse. The new hospitality area will include an additional outdoor party deck that holds between 100 and 150 attendees.
Hodgetown Stadium’s in-house catering team can do everything from steak and lobster dinners to hamburger and hot dogs. Audiovisual equipment is available, including three 65-inch televisions on the club level. The stadium also provides chairs, tables, linen service and even centerpieces, making it a one-stop shop.
“The biggest thing for us is that it is as turnkey as possible,” said Jeff Turner, assistant general manager of the Amarillo Sod Poodles. “We do everything from start to finish, and you get to have the view of the baseball field.”
