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!
14359 comments
https://www.artstation.com/damaged-2024-download-fullmovie-online/profile
https://footprints-of-fate-fullmovie-online-download.artstation.com/resume
https://www.artstation.com/the-mandalorian-2019-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile
https://www.artstation.com/footprints-of-fate-fullmovie-online-download/profile
https://www.artstation.com/thor-ragnarok-2017-fullmovie-free-download/profile
https://www.artstation.com/trails-of-hope-his-journey-back-home-2024-fullmovie-online/profile
https://www.artstation.com/my-fault-2023-fullmovie-free-download/profile
https://www.artstation.com/one-fateful-night-with-my-boss-2024-fullmovie-online-free/profile
https://www.artstation.com/train-to-busan-2016-fullmovie-free-download/profile
https://www.artstation.com/coraline-2009-fullmovie-free-download/profile
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-.AltaDefinizione.-GUARDA-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-2024-Streaming-ITA-CB01
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Streaming-ITA-ALTADEFINIZIONE-FILM-CB01
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-Guarda-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-2024-Streaming-Italiano-In-AltaDefinizione
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-CB01-Guarda-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Streaming-Sub-ITA-In-Altadefinizione
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/CB01-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Film-Streaming-ITA-Altadefinizione-1080pHD
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-GUARDA-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Film-2024-Completo-in-Streaming-ITA
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/GUARDA-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-STEAMING-ITA-COMPLETO-IN-ALTADEFINIZIONE
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/Guarda-Haikyu-streaming-Ita-altadefinizione
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/FILM-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Streaming-ITA-HD-in-Altadefinizione
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/CB01-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Streaming-ITA
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-Film-Intero-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Streaming-ITA
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/Film-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-STREAMING-ITA
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-GUARDA-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Film-Completo-in-Streaming-ITA
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-STREAMING-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Film-Completo-ITA-in-Altadefinizione
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-ALTADEFINIZIONE-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Film-Completo-in-Streaming-ITA
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/Film-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Streaming-ITA-FilmDaVedere-720p
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapte-1/profile
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapte-1/profile?hfghfg
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapte-1/profile?jgjht
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapte-1/profile?mjhgju
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapte-1/profile?ghgv
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1-online/profile
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1-online/profile?ghfy
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1-online/profile?ghfyf
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1-online/profile?gnhy
https://www.artstation.com/horizon-an-american-saga-chapter-1-online/profile?jkgyju
https://www.artstation.com/a-quiet-place-tag-eins-deutsch-hd/profile
https://www.artstation.com/a-quiet-place-tag-eins-deutsch-hd/profile?gfyf
https://www.artstation.com/a-quiet-place-tag-eins-deutsch-hd/profile?gftg
https://www.artstation.com/a-quiet-place-tag-eins-deutsch-hd/profile?fghh
https://www.artstation.com/a-quiet-place-tag-eins-deutsch-hd/profile?hfgyhf
https://www.artstation.com/a-quiet-place-tag-eins-film/profile
https://www.artstation.com/a-quiet-place-tag-eins-film/profile?bfgyf
https://www.artstation.com/a-quiet-place-tag-eins-film/profile?hfgyhr
https://www.artstation.com/a-quiet-place-tag-eins-film/profile?hgfhf
https://www.artstation.com/a-quiet-place-tag-eins-film/profile?ghnfh
https://chasing-my-rejected-wife-fullepisode-2024-onlinefree.artstation.com/resume
https://telegra.ph/bxi73sxm-apmlrzh6-06-27
https://rentry.co/ztefsvmf_hpp6i3d0_r4r
https://paste.ee/p/e3NU4
https://paiza.io/projects/j_5GbSbtntMGsaebPz9ERw?language=php
https://jsbin.com/xacuyidequ/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/9asjgqun/
https://www.toptal.com/developers/paste-gd
https://pastelink.net/2mvn25my
https://www.artstation.com/chasing-my-rejected-wife-fullepisode-2024-onlinefree/profile
https://www.artstation.com/outdaughtered-2016-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile
https://telegra.ph/0fv6kk4o-w2at2mda-06-27
https://rentry.co/c0adu4sc_09ylc3rr_7av
https://paste.ee/p/2bTK5
https://paiza.io/projects/_23TVev-VLr92y6d7wXwCA?language=php
https://jsbin.com/laqowabisi/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/Lte806q3/
https://www.toptal.com/developers/paste-gd
https://pastelink.net/9c6lr69d
https://footprints-of-fate-tracing-the-path-home-fullepisode.artstation.com/resume
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-Film-Intero-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Streaming-ITA
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/Film-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-STREAMING-ITA
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-GUARDA-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Film-Completo-in-Streaming-ITA
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-STREAMING-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Film-Completo-ITA-in-Altadefinizione
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/-ALTADEFINIZIONE-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Film-Completo-in-Streaming-ITA
https://github.com/t6r6t-jihikn-juhj8i/Film-A-Quiet-Place—-Giorno-1-Streaming-ITA-FilmDaVedere-720p
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-online-teljes/profile
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-online-teljes/profile?dfc
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-online-teljes/profile?cfa
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-online-teljes/profile?dve
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-online-teljes/profile?vsd
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-online-teljes/profile?sdv
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-online-teljes/profile?dsc
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/OG8nOk
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-teljes-online-magyarul-hd/profile
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-teljes-online-magyarul-hd/profile?scf
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-teljes-online-magyarul-hd/profile?cdh
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-teljes-online-magyarul-hd/profile?dvs
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-teljes-online-magyarul-hd/profile?afe
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-teljes-online-magyarul-hd/profile?vfg
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-teljes-online-magyarul-hd/profile?sve
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/GexBWz
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-2024-magyarul/profile
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-2024-magyarul/profile?sfr
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-2024-magyarul/profile?gwg
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-2024-magyarul/profile?whb
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-2024-magyarul/profile?weg
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-2024-magyarul/profile?vse
https://www.artstation.com/agymanok-2-film-2024-magyarul/profile?egw
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/qeqgl2
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666784
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666792
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666796
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666799
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666803
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666810
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666814
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666816
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666820
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666831
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666947
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666949
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666952
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666953
https://m.taptap.io/post/7666955
https://www.scoop.it/topic/stream-alles-steht-kopf-2-2024-ganzer-film-deutsch-kostenlos
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-alles-steht-kopf-2-2024-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/stream-alles-steht-kopf-2-ganzer-film-deutsch-german
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-alles-steht-kopf-2-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-alles-steht-kopf-2-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/stream-haikyu-das-play-off-der-mullhalde-2024-ganzer-film-deutsch-kostenlos
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-haikyu-das-play-off-der-mullhalde-2024-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/stream-haikyu-das-play-off-der-mullhalde-ganzer-film-deutsch-german
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-haikyu-das-play-off-der-mullhalde-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-haikyu-das-play-off-der-mullhalde-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/stream-a-quiet-place-tag-eins-2024-ganzer-film-deutsch-kostenlos
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-a-quiet-place-tag-eins-2024-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/stream-a-quiet-place-tag-eins-ganzer-film-deutsch-german
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-a-quiet-place-tag-eins-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-a-quiet-place-tag-eins-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/stream-blue-lock-der-film-episode-nagi-2024-ganzer-film-deutsch-kostenlos
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-blue-lock-der-film-episode-nagi-2024-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/stream-blue-lock-der-film-episode-nagi-ganzer-film-deutsch-german
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-blue-lock-der-film-episode-nagi-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://www.scoop.it/topic/ganzer-film-blue-lock-der-film-episode-nagi-stream-deutsch-kostenlos-complett
https://github.com/STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-2024/-STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-Vollst-ndiger-Film-in-German-kostenlos-auf-CDA
https://github.com/STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-2024/-STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-Vollst-ndiger-Film-in-German-kostenlos-auf-CDA?ghui
https://github.com/STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-2024/-STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-Vollst-ndiger-Film-in-German-kostenlos-auf-CDA?uiikhu
https://github.com/STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-2024/-STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-Vollst-ndiger-Film-in-German-kostenlos-auf-CDA?jhyi
https://github.com/STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-2024/-STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-Vollst-ndiger-Film-in-German-kostenlos-auf-CDA?gujg
https://github.com/STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-2024/-STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-Vollst-ndiger-Film-in-German-kostenlos-auf-CDA?yuitfry
https://github.com/STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-2024/-STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-Vollst-ndiger-Film-in-German-kostenlos-auf-CDA?ikghi
https://github.com/STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-2024/-STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-Vollst-ndiger-Film-in-German-kostenlos-auf-CDA?jgyi
https://github.com/STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-2024/-STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-Vollst-ndiger-Film-in-German-kostenlos-auf-CDA?jgh
https://github.com/STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-2024/-STREAM-A-Quiet-Place-Tag-Eins-Vollst-ndiger-Film-in-German-kostenlos-auf-CDA?yhugyu
https://www.artstation.com/alles-steht-kopf-2-online/profile
https://www.artstation.com/alles-steht-kopf-2-online/profile?hyfty
https://www.artstation.com/alles-steht-kopf-2-online/profile?hfghf
https://www.artstation.com/alles-steht-kopf-2-online/profile?ghfgh
https://www.artstation.com/alles-steht-kopf-2-online/profile?jkhgjg
https://www.artstation.com/alles-steht-kopf-2-online/profile?khiki
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lDJ0za
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lDJ0za?uhfrt
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lDJ0za?ftyrty
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lDJ0za?tytutf
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lDJ0za?gjhuuu
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8bAK1E
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8bAK1E?gfjhg
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8bAK1E?fghfty
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8bAK1E?ytrty
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8bAK1E?hjtfyuj
https://ticketbud.com/events/79a2c91c-3398-11ef-b55d-42010a717037?ikhyuik
https://ticketbud.com/events/0aa0ff10-3399-11ef-ba5c-42010a717037?kjhuihyuf
https://ticketbud.com/events/5c535772-3399-11ef-acfc-42010a717037?jhghgvjf
https://ticketbud.com/events/ae309b7c-3399-11ef-a98e-42010a717037?ujghjufgh
https://ticketbud.com/events/f10cef0e-3399-11ef-9e97-42010a717037?gfytftyyf
https://ticketbud.com/events/40052306-339a-11ef-9e97-42010a717037?jhjuhbjgj
https://ticketbud.com/events/f1e6f608-339a-11ef-ae15-42010a717037?khujyhuuy
https://ticketbud.com/events/72c4c250-339b-11ef-8788-42010a717037?jgyhfgyh
https://ticketbud.com/events/b63edc28-339b-11ef-ae15-42010a717037?kjhuigujuh
https://ticketbud.com/events/fdb0be32-339b-11ef-aca0-42010a717037?guytgujhg
https://ticketbud.com/events/3a3abdf8-339c-11ef-97e1-42010a717037?yfhyhfjik
https://ticketbud.com/events/9b8522c4-339c-11ef-97e1-42010a717037?hgyfghffjh
https://ticketbud.com/events/24a3026a-339d-11ef-83da-42010a717037?jghjufguf
https://ticketbud.com/events/a7539cb0-339d-11ef-bf52-42010a717037?gbfdyfjij
https://ticketbud.com/events/de774f84-339d-11ef-babf-42010a717037?ujfgyfghh
https://ticketbud.com/events/28975b7c-339e-11ef-b34c-42010a717037?ujgytujhfg
https://ticketbud.com/events/662b5dee-339e-11ef-b34c-42010a717037?jgyujgfjk
https://ticketbud.com/events/9b2fdf4c-339e-11ef-a4ed-42010a717037?kmhgujfgj
https://telegra.ph/zpvqsoqp-si1cel4z-06-27
https://rentry.co/85tif3yc_md0m7fuu_4xd
https://paste.ee/p/NXwdu
https://paiza.io/projects/fKL8zvff-dqhEHo-E43GOQ?language=php
https://jsbin.com/wijezoxiti/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/wxth2kqs/
https://www.toptal.com/developers/paste-gd
https://pastelink.net/isg06dcz
https://www.artstation.com/hierarchy-2024-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile
https://telegra.ph/tgijklsy-sn1h30mh-06-27
https://rentry.co/6xnxy5r5_9sy1gnc0_pr1
https://paste.ee/p/7DABH
https://paiza.io/projects/ZfRq66-Kwdns4YEcf8LXLg?language=php
https://jsbin.com/zukisomiqe/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/qj2mdacn/
https://www.toptal.com/developers/paste-gd
https://pastelink.net/wvwhbi50
https://telegra.ph/p4uwz5nx-orosmugi-06-27
https://rentry.co/c8xfsgi1_qojp5hyz_g6g
https://paste.ee/p/8zB1g
https://paiza.io/projects/Mk6z3kB7Gie_yunkXMldxA?language=php
https://jsbin.com/qijirufeqo/1/edit?html,output
https://jsfiddle.net/nmt920uv/
https://www.toptal.com/developers/paste-gd
https://pastelink.net/76cabdiu
https://www.artstation.com/longlegs-2024-fullmovie-download-online/profile