Ballpark Profile: Minute Maid Park
Name: Minute Maid Park
Location: Houston, Texas
Opened: 7 April 2000
Architect: HOK Sport
Cost: $250 Million
Capacity: 40,950 (original)
41,168 (present)
Surface: Platinum TE Paspalum (natural grass)
Minute Maid Park -- like several of the other parks we've profiled -- was once our home ballpark.
Thinking about it, here's the complete list of 'home' ballparks:
Oakland Coliseum (1985-1994)
Candlestick Park (1995-1999)
PacBell/AT&T/Oracle Park (2000-2002)
Riverfront Stadium (2002)
Great American Ball Park (2003)
Minute Maid Park (2004)
Coors Field (2005-2006)
New Comiskey Park/Wrigley Field (2006-present)
Citizens Bank Park (future)
So, some personal experience here.
When Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) opened, it was universally (and fairly) panned. It was gimmicky to the extreme, with the ill-fated "Tal's Hill" and in-play flagpole in center field -- which originally extended to an eye-popping 436 feet.
Both the hill and the flagpole seemed to be there just for the sake of being there, and both were (thankfully) scheduled for removal during the 2015-16 offseason. (The Astros made the postseason in 2015, which disrupted the timeline, and the hill was not removed until the start of the 2017 season.)
Like Camden Yards and Petco Park, the design for the ballpark incorporated an existing structure, in this case Union Station, a train station built in 1911, which was one of the busiest rail hubs through the end of World War II. The station is now the main entrance foyer for the ballpark, with team offices upstairs.
The train motif continues with a larger-than-life steam engine that runs along the tracks of the large retractable roof. The train runs and sounds its horn after Astros home runs. Sure, it's gimmicky, but fans (especially kids) love it. And the guy who runs it is the best kind of hometown fan.
And so we get to it: the roof.
First, the outside aesthetics. The roof and supporting structure of acres of glass wall are not unatrractive to look at; but the color scheme is. Scroll back to the previous ballpark profiles of Chase Field, Citizens Bank, Miller Park . . . it's like MLB got an unlimited supply of weird turquoise/teal paint and they just can't stop using it.
I don't get it. I don't like it.
As for the criteria that makes a good ballpark: Minute Maid checks many of them: it's right downtown, which is good. It's easily accessible with several public transit options. It fits the aesthetic of the neighborhood (after a fashion), and the fan experience is better-than-average, especially the outstanding food options.
And, when the roof is open, it's a really nice place to see a ballgame.
But. The. Roof. Is. Never. Open.
It's funny; if you search for images of Minute Maid Park, a number of in-game shots with the roof open show up, and they look great. But I lived there for two years, and never once was the roof open for a game. Nobody I've talked to has ever been to a game with the roof open.
It's a completely different feel with the roof closed. It's dark, it's artificial-feeling.
Believe me, having lived there, I know Houston has some incredibly unpleasant, even unsafely hot summer days. And, by all means, the roof should be closed in those events. It also gets more than its share of summer rainstorms.
But, if it's just a warm/hot day? Open the dang roof. People across the country love sitting out on a warm evening watching baseball. It gets plenty hot in Cincinnati, and St. Louis, and . . . almost everywhere baseball is played. I've been to some extremely warm games in the bleachers at Wrigley.
That's part of the fun.
Just because you can close the roof doesn't mean you should.
Have your own thoughts and feelings about Minute Maid Park? Put them in the comments below for a chance to win a FREE PRINT from Ballpark Blueprints!
13557 comments
https://www.artstation.com/pregnant-by-my-sisters-fiance-full-movie/profile
https://github.com/Blue-Lock-Episode-Nagi-2024-Caly-film
https://github.com/Blue-Lock-Episode-Nagi-2024-Caly-film
https://github.com/CHALLENGERS-2024-Caly-film
https://github.com/A-Quiet-Place-Day-One-2024?ds
https://www.artstation.com/horizont-egy-amerikai-eposz-film-2024-teljes/profile
https://www.artstation.com/horizont-egy-amerikai-eposz-film-2024-teljes/profile?dfv
https://www.artstation.com/horizont-egy-amerikai-eposz-film-2024-teljes/profile?dge
https://www.artstation.com/horizont-egy-amerikai-eposz-film-2024-teljes/profile?fty
https://www.artstation.com/horizont-egy-amerikai-eposz-film-2024-teljes/profile?fhe
https://www.artstation.com/horizont-egy-amerikai-eposz-film-2024-teljes/profile?jtr
https://www.artstation.com/horizont-egy-amerikai-eposz-film-2024-teljes/profile?ner
https://www.artstation.com/horizont-egy-amerikai-eposz-film-2024-teljes/profile?fth
https://www.artstation.com/horizont-egy-amerikai-eposz-film-2024-teljes/profile?her
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/DvrGNG
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642871
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642871?dvs
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642871?dsv
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642871?sde
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642871?set
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642871?wer
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642871?fsg
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642871?sfw
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642919
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642919?dsf
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642919?esg
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642919?gse
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642919?fvg
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642919?fvs
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642919?sfe
https://www.taptap.io/post/7642919?sfe
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643025
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643025?xdv
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643025?dfv
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643025?vsa
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643025?bsd
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643025?vef
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643025?dsf
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643025?asd
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643058
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643058?dsf
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643058?faf
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643058?fds
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643058?sdf
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643058?ery
https://www.taptap.io/post/7643058?seg
https://www.artstation.com/hang-nelkul-elso-nap-film-1080/profile
https://www.artstation.com/hang-nelkul-elso-nap-film-1080/profile?dfc
https://www.artstation.com/hang-nelkul-elso-nap-film-1080/profile?bsh
https://www.artstation.com/hang-nelkul-elso-nap-film-1080/profile?vaf
https://www.artstation.com/hang-nelkul-elso-nap-film-1080/profile?vse
https://www.artstation.com/supergirl-2016-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile
https://telegra.ph/n9qraiab-vo85q1dx-06-25
https://rentry.co/p35xi0o5_dhps9cn0_s70
https://paste.ee/p/0KRtA
https://paiza.io/projects/G6PmidrLbjbZLB692sVviQ?language=php
https://jsbin.com/qoxicoceda/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/tshk9eom/
https://www.toptal.com/developers/paste-gd
https://anotepad.com/notes/wa4fn2hk
https://paste.mozilla.org/WH0MgCTN
https://pastelink.net/ep1buxrs
https://pastebin.com/zPK3NiKC
https://www.artstation.com/masvin5/profile
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/KenmxG
https://www.artstation.com/masvin5/profile?dsg
https://www.artstation.com/masvin5/profile?gsg
https://www.artstation.com/masvin5/profile?gdb
https://www.artstation.com/masvin5/profile?dgs
https://www.artstation.com/masvin5/profile?sgf
https://www.artstation.com/masvin5/profile?seh
https://www.artstation.com/masvin5/profile?rsb
https://www.artstation.com/masvin5/profile?ssg
https://telegra.ph/l6dxq6n3-alm8tczp-06-25
https://rentry.co/3ged9uoe_34v7d1fx_ftc
https://paste.ee/p/X9zUe
https://paiza.io/projects/E_MRBDuLdKB4O4btW01GXg?language=php
https://jsbin.com/yidolohuxe/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/3o98xhL1/
https://www.toptal.com/developers/paste-gd
https://anotepad.com/notes/bex82ykp
https://paste.mozilla.org/8tUA64XK
https://pastelink.net/lqxx80rx
https://pastebin.com/ge3jCrHM
https://www.artstation.com/midsomer-murders-1997-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p/profile
https://www.artstation.com/the-big-bang-theory-2007-fullmovie-download-free-720p/profile
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1/profile
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1/profile?gfgytdfg
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1/profile?ghdfyt
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1/profile?fgdf
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1/profile?ghfgyt
https://www.artstation.com/wednesday-2022-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile
https://telegra.ph/4fa93y20-605nnuxo-06-25
https://rentry.co/pmyn62h5_leackpd1_1jc
https://paste.ee/p/fjUol
https://paiza.io/projects/Eso87Rl8kp84UcE3an8EUQ?language=php
https://jsbin.com/qilazobaqo/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/dcvx4emr/
https://www.toptal.com/developers/paste-gd
https://anotepad.com/notes/5rr2hmbm
https://paste.mozilla.org/KEmKbQm1
https://pastelink.net/ste7r83c
https://pastebin.com/NE3ynRUq
https://www.artstation.com/meteor-garden-2018-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile
https://www.artstation.com/heart-missing-piece-chinese-drama-full-movie/profile
https://telegra.ph/qhqd7crh-nhvtrw60-06-25
https://rentry.co/ojjpmi8e_4n28g3of_evu
https://paste.ee/p/0KcAs
https://paiza.io/projects/0K8JRSuWlZno9g4Z_JbOZA?language=php
https://jsbin.com/batimavuqa/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/kpsjxc5a/
https://www.toptal.com/developers/paste-gd
https://anotepad.com/notes/8sbfmw56
https://paste.mozilla.org/5vgh7Vop
https://pastelink.net/ghq05hal
https://pastebin.com/RqbfJ9nf
https://www.artstation.com/i-m-in-the-band-2009-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile
https://www.scoop.it/topic/watch-inside-out-2-hindi-fullmovie-free-online-on-123movie
https://www.scoop.it/topic/toofan-2024-fullmovie-download-free-720p-480p-1080p-hd-free-online-on-streamings-by-vakowar177
https://www.scoop.it/topic/watch-download-toofan-fullmovie-free-720p-amp
https://www.scoop.it/topic/watch-inside-out-2-2024-fullmovie-free-online-on-123movie-by-vakowar177
https://www.scoop.it/topic/eng-sub-inside-out-2-2024-full-hd-gratis
https://www.scoop.it/topic/watch-inside-out-2-fullmovie-free-online-on-english-sub
https://www.scoop.it/topic/watch-inside-out-2-2024-fullmovie-online-download-free-720p-1080p-hd-streaming-english-sub
https://www.scoop.it/topic/inside-out-2-2024-fullmovie-free-online-on-123movie-by-poxagi4925
https://www.scoop.it/topic/watch-123movies-inside-out-2-2024-fullmovie-free-online-by-poxagi4925
https://www.scoop.it/topic/aqui-puedes-ver-intensamente-2-2024-pelicula-online-en-espanol-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/como-y-donde-ver-intensamente-2-online-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-ver-intensamente-2-2024-peliculas-online-en-espanol-latino-1080p
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-la-pelicula-intensamente-2-online-en-espanol-2024
https://www.scoop.it/topic/pelisplus-ver-intensamente-2-2024-pelicula-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/mega-intensamente-2-pelicula-completa-en-espanol-hd
https://www.scoop.it/topic/pelisplus-ver-intensamente-2-2024-pelicula-espanol-hd
https://www.scoop.it/topic/repelis-ver-intensamente-2-2024-online-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/la-pelicula-intensamente-2-2024-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-intensamente-2-2024-online-completa-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/intensamente-2-2024-pelicula-online-gratis-en-espanol-latino-1080p
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-cuevana-3-pelicula-completa-intensamente-2-online-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-intensamente-2-2024-pelicula-completa-online-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/intensamente-2-2024-pelicula-completa-online-en-espanol
https://www.scoop.it/topic/pelisplus-ver-intensamente-2-hd-2024-en-pelicula-completa-espanol-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-hd-intensamente-2-2024-pelicula-completa-online-latino-hq
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-intensamente-2-pelicula-completa-2024-en-espaa-ol-y-latino-online
https://www.scoop.it/topic/repelis-ver-intensamente-2-2024-online-en-espanol-y-latino-hd
https://www.scoop.it/topic/repelis24-intensamente-2-2024-online-en-espanol-y-latino-subtitulado
https://www.scoop.it/topic/pelisplus-intensamente-4-2022-pelicula-completa-online-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-intensamente-2-2024-pelicula-completa-online-en-espanol-y-latino-by-dovaw67400
https://www.scoop.it/topic/pelisplus-ver-intensa-mente-2-2024-pelicula-completa-gratis-en-espanol
https://www.scoop.it/topic/mira-ver-intensamente-2-2024-online-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-ver-intensamente-2-hd-2024-en-pelicula-completa-espanol-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/descargar-intensamente-2-2024-la-pelicula-online-en-espanol-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/descargar-intensamente-2-2024-la-pelicula-online-en-espanol-by-pinap19153
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-4k-ver-intensamente-2-2024-hd-1080p-pelicula-completa-online-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-intensamente-2-la-pelicula-completa-2024-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana3-ver-intensamente-2-la-pelicula-2024-completa-online-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/pelisplus-intensamente-2-la-pelicula-2024-online-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-4k-ver-intensamente-2-la-pelicula-2024-online-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-3-intensamente-2-pelicula-completa-online-en-espanol-gratis-hd
https://www.scoop.it/topic/gratis-ver-intensamente-2-la-pelicula-completa-en-espanol-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-peliculas-intensamente-2-la-pelicula-online-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-intensamente-2-completa-2024-en-espanol-y-latino-online
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-3-ver-intensamente-2-la-pelicula-completa-online-en-espanol-y-latino
https://www.scoop.it/topic/pelisplus-la-pelicula-intensamente-2-2024-completa-online-y-gratis-en-espanol
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-hd-intensamente-2-2024-pelicula-completa-espanol
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-pelisplus-intensamente-2-2024-pelicula-completa-espanol-latino-hd
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-ver-intensamente-2-2024-online-en-espanol-latino-y-latino-gratis
https://www.scoop.it/topic/hd-intensamente-2-ver-online-pelicula-completa-4k-gratis-en-linea
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-intensa-mente-2-online-2024-en-espanol-y-latino-repelis
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-intensa-mente-2-pelicula-completa-online-gratis-cuevana
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ver-intensa-mente-2-pelicula-en-espanol-gratis-online
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-3-ver-intensa-mente-2-2024-pelicula-completa-online-en-espanol-latino-by-godotob261
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-3-ver-intensa-mente-2-2024-completa-online-gratis-en-espanol
https://www.scoop.it/topic/cuevana-3-intensa-mente-2-la-pelicula-completa-online-en-espanol
https://www.scoop.it/topic/pelisplus-ver-intensa-mente-2-pelicula-completa-online-en-espanol-latino-del-reves-2-inside-out-2
https://www.scoop.it/topic/intensa-mente-2-2024-hd-720p-ver-online-pelicula-completa-en-espanol
https://hackmd.io/@S0p79U6sQ4-j95FebHUtHw/Hy5eHhwL0
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541040856/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541040851/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541040855/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541040804/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541040885/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541040894/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541040893/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541040891/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045054/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045056/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045051/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045055/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045023/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045069/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045064/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045066/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045088/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045082/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045081/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045085/
https://www.artstation.com/the-glory-2022-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile
https://www.artstation.com/ruzgarli-tepe-2024-full-movie-online-download-free/profile
https://www.artstation.com/teen-wolf-2011-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile
https://www.artstation.com/despicable-me-4-2024-fullmovie-download-free-in-english/profile
https://www.taptap.io/post/7657657
https://www.taptap.io/post/7657662
https://www.taptap.io/post/7657679
https://www.taptap.io/post/7657682
https://www.taptap.io/post/7657695
https://www.taptap.io/post/7657697
https://www.artstation.com/jagun-jagun-2023-full-movie-online-download-free-online-hd/profile
https://www.artstation.com/first-love-never-dies-2024-full-movie-online-download-free/profile
https://www.artstation.com/amphibia-2019-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile