Merchantsauto.com Stadium
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| Merchantsauto.com Stadium | |
|---|---|
| Location | One Line Drive Manchester, NH 03102 |
| Broke ground | 2004 |
| Opened | April 7, 2005 |
| Owner | New Hampshire Fisher Cats |
| Operator | New Hampshire Fisher Cats |
| Surface | Natural Grass |
| Architect | HTNB |
| Former names | Fisher Cats Ballpark (2005) |
| Tenants | New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Eastern League) (2005-Present) |
| Capacity | 7,500 |
| Field dimensions | Left Field - 325 ft Center Field - 404 ft Right Field - 325 ft |
Coordinates: Merchantsauto.com Stadium (formerly known as Fisher Cats Ballpark) is a stadium in Manchester, New Hampshire that holds 7,500 people. It is used primarily for baseball, and is the home field of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats minor league baseball team. The first game played at the ballpark was on April 7, 2005, between the New Britain Rock Cats and the Fisher Cats. The first concert was performed by Bob Dylan on August 27, 2006. The corporate sponsored name of Merchantsauto.com Stadium was introduced on April 7, 2006, named for one of the region's largest auto dealerships. However, like the Verizon Wireless Arena, its former name still adorns all of the road signs along the major routes in town.
The park was built on the former Manchester Millyard, which was used for circuses, carnivals and other large gatherings. It is located in the downtown area along the Merrimack River, facing northwest towards the heart of downtown. The park is within walking distance of many local landmarks, including Manchester's mill district, the Verizon Wireless Arena, the WMUR television station, the University of New Hampshire at Manchester college campus, and countless restaurants and bars. It has an open concourse, allowing fans to view the action on the field at all times, and includes 32 luxury suites that line the upper level and provide fans with a panoramic view of the field. One of the most dominant features is the Hilton Garden Inn hotel located beyond the fence in left-center field. The hotel is six stories high and has more than 125 rooms; each room on the south side of the hotel has windows that overlook center field and have shatterproof glass due to the proximity to the park.
In October 2006, the stadium hosted the funeral service for fallen city police officer Michael Briggs, who was shot while responding to a domestic dispute call.
It has been announced that the stadium will be home to the 2008 Eastern League All-Star Game.
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