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!
14102 comments
https://telegra.ph/prfwhdfq-7ug1k8j1-07-18
https://rentry.co/m3m49sb4_851qej3o_li4
https://paiza.io/projects/-ozEAo69uR6b9QjA0O08fg?language=php
https://jsbin.com/jasorumize/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/e1w0orxd/
https://pastelink.net/yia29lr8
https://telegra.ph/gjugq24e-d2cjlpdq-07-17
https://rentry.co/dkqa9l0o_a05vlkoh_0g1
https://paiza.io/projects/HhWpJZf5uLzk3cN0AQJVvQ?language=php
https://jsbin.com/citojuwuqu/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/y93qt7bp/
https://pastelink.net/cfh9zl9d
https://telegra.ph/00i55tih-kcbs5mg2-07-17
https://rentry.co/yg20y8hw_sjnxm1qy_dwl
https://paiza.io/projects/8CmYHbGT5Yvjzp9JvfIzow?language=php
https://jsbin.com/wuvanilame/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/fdgLbq3t/
https://pastelink.net/eyhdeolx
https://telegra.ph/behpcz3t-iw0q4hei-07-17
https://rentry.co/k4kofoxv_11s2nm3v_o8s
https://paiza.io/projects/4UQoNeIPiAZ-ZT9EPEhqiA?language=php
https://jsbin.com/hefemocaje/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/9b43qerL/
https://pastelink.net/zixuep5p
https://telegra.ph/jkn2yx4k-nc166gvs-07-17
https://rentry.co/7qvff2ql_necy20h8_ckf
https://paiza.io/projects/gQfNKvLevaqs45Km0fd8rw?language=php
https://jsbin.com/kupibowase/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/u47n1yz0/
https://pastelink.net/t62knub3
https://consumer.huawei.com/ro/community/details/Despicable-Me-4-2024-Filmul-Vezi-Online-Subtitrat-in-romana/topicId_47051/
https://consumer.huawei.com/ro/community/details/Divertida-Mente-2-2024-FILME-COMPLETO-DUBLADO-EM-PORTUGUESE/topicId_47053/
https://cineblog01-when-evil-lurks-film-intero-streaming-ita-2024.ticketbud.com/
https://the-last-breath-2024-cely-film-cz-online-zdarma.ticketbud.com/
https://x.com/CampS4483/status/1812904221060309007
https://www.facebook.com/filem.online.universal/videos/491826993498875
https://www.facebook.com/filem.online.universal/videos/799540945294771
https://www.facebook.com/61561621256679/videos/2551812988542392
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/493206379863452
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/504595715424992
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/1178862686598997
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/421310874204530
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/493206379863452
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/1218506266198674
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/504240988690368
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/1654252368674010
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/1623294858469945
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/1026595391702767
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/1153480922396707
https://www.facebook.com/intensamente2.cuevana.spanyol/videos/7769962593102603
https://www.facebook.com/intensamente2.cuevana.spanyol/videos/1577056419556684
https://www.facebook.com/intensamente2.cuevana.spanyol/videos/980030637236721
https://www.facebook.com/intensamente2.cuevana.spanyol/videos/841239117562066
https://www.facebook.com/Vezi.film.Subtitrat.in.Romana/videos/469060385998393
https://www.facebook.com/Vezi.film.Subtitrat.in.Romana/videos/537839898814017
https://www.facebook.com/Vezi.film.Subtitrat.in.Romana/videos/1188671108807930
https://www.facebook.com/Vezi.film.Subtitrat.in.Romana/videos/476800121639155
https://www.facebook.com/Vezi.film.Subtitrat.in.Romana/videos/1443990279627386
https://www.facebook.com/Vezi.film.Subtitrat.in.Romana/videos/1399151204011048
https://www.facebook.com/Vezi.film.Subtitrat.in.Romana/videos/1184709022536981
https://www.facebook.com/Vezi.film.Subtitrat.in.Romana/videos/7914338798681772
https://www.facebook.com/Vezi.film.Subtitrat.in.Romana/videos/3658717307725416
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.pelicula.completa.espanol.y.latino.cuevana.3/videos/401975149544447
https://www.facebook.com/FILMS.VOIR.Streaming.VF.Complet.francais/videos/3784659231807210
https://www.facebook.com/61562789372223/videos/1021153832978968
https://forum.potok.digital/user/welltzxd132/posts
https://pastelink.net/v1golrht
https://pastelink.net/hi2e0edi
https://magic.ly/welltzxd
https://justpaste.it/b0jjj
https://dev.to/baixarfilmes23/intensamente-2-pelicula-completa-online-hdr-3dcf
https://rentry.co/9msnz3in
https://www.artstation.com/streamcloud-deadpool-wolverine-ganzer-film-deutsch-hd-4k/profile
https://github.com/Onetzyvixar1/PELISPLUS-VER-IntensaMente-2-Pel-cula-ONLINE-Completa-En-Espa-ol-y-Latino
https://github.com/Onetzyvixar1/Cuevana.3-Ver-IntensaMente-2-PEL-CULA-COMPLETA-ONLINE-en-Espa-ol-
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/7997417596986746
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/1237987297610910
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/1628133664643291
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/1207154910707857
https://www.facebook.com/Ver.Pelicula.completa.2024.espanol.latino.online/videos/2240460852962302
https://www.facebook.com/61561621256679/videos/assistir-divertida-mente-2-2024-filme-completo-em-portugu%C3%AAs/2303273416691940/
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122097510146426778
https://consumer.huawei.com/eg/community/details/topicId_156275/
https://justpaste.it/7n11n
https://rentry.co/fyorbsr7
https://x.com/nanawenzy56502/status/1813676874792620128
https://lgn-hrsz-4-full-izle-2024-tek-para-1080p-trke-filmi-dublaj.ticketbud.com/
https://izle-lgn-hrsz-4-inside-out-2-2024-full-fimi-trke-dublaj.ticketbud.com/
https://izle-deadpool—wolverine-trke-dublaj-evrimii-hd.ticketbud.com/
https://the-well-film-intero-streaming-ita-2024-altadefinizion.ticketbud.com/
https://guarda-padre-pio-film-intero-streaming-ita-2024-altadefinizion.ticketbud.com/
https://mavka-e-la-foresta-incantata-film-intero-streaming-ita-2024.ticketbud.com/
https://cb01-mavka-e-la-foresta-incantata-film-intero-streaming-ita.ticketbud.com/
https://guarda-film-alien-romulus-2024-completo-streaming-italianohd-4k.ticketbud.com/
https://cb01-alien-romulus-2024-film-intero-streaming-ita.ticketbud.com/
https://ver-alien-romulus-pelcula-completa-2024-en-espaol-latino-online.ticketbud.com/
https://cuevana-3-ver-alien-romulus-pelcula-completa-espaol-latino.ticketbud.com/
https://pastelink.net/rlf5y56z
https://pastelink.net/033uumdl
https://findaspring.org/members/desnyflixflm/
https://thelivehotel.copiny.com/idea/details/id/190834
https://www.artstation.com/august-underground-2001-streaming-full-movie-download-free/profile
https://www.artstation.com/the-tin-drum-1980-streaming-full-movie-download-free/profile
https://www.artstation.com/watch-17-again-2009-streaming-full-movie-download-free/profile
https://www.artstation.com/munjya-2024-fullmovieflix-hd-4k/profile
https://www.artstation.com/the-acolyte-season-2-hd/profile
https://www.artstation.com/manjummel-boys-2024-link-movies-watch-online-download-free/profile
https://www.artstation.com/the-acolyte-episode-8-hd9/profile
https://telegra.ph/4h10ripd-qkm2tyw2-07-17
https://rentry.co/yhm2savj_pr70o72x_b1d
https://jsfiddle.net/bn637gsd/
https://pastelink.net/orap9i8j
https://www.artstation.com/the-acolyte-episode-8-hd9/profile
https://telegra.ph/chl19ida-3zeb5u0d-07-17
https://rentry.co/xfwtp6fq_y4qzpkiq_hec
https://paiza.io/projects/_iZPNDoNNSO5qDNqL4eaqQ?language=php
https://jsbin.com/yopogokuki/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/wsp7xk84/
https://pastelink.net/phbgm1rv
https://telegra.ph/g52b2h3z-ei6jb95r-07-17
https://rentry.co/vejjof2w_eiv9y6es_5yi
https://paiza.io/projects/DSo0qMKk1CIiCYsSkFpjXA?language=php
https://jsbin.com/dibewocohe/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/tnqb0d2k/
https://pastelink.net/0lzyl9ti
https://telegra.ph/33cw29ip-vkl9rik6-07-17
https://rentry.co/dt22buzu_uctv32qs_gp0
https://paiza.io/projects/CGaufIoeR0xna7Rv3Rvpdw?language=php
https://jsbin.com/fexahamujo/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/wkygme48/
https://pastelink.net/40r6mi5c
https://www.artstation.com/watchnow-the-family-star-2024-full-movie-online-hd/profile
https://www.artstation.com/mandakini-2024-link-movies-watch-online-download-free-bollyflix/profile
https://www.artstation.com/doctor-strange-in-the-multiverse-of-madness-2022-streaming/profile
https://www.artstation.com/kalki2898ad-2024-full-movie-flix-online-free-720p/profile
https://www.artstation.com/jungle-cruise-2016-streaming-full-movie-download-free/profile
https://www.artstation.com/hillbilly-elegy-fullmovie-free-download-mp4moviez-hd47/profile