Sutter Health Park is aballpark inWest Sacramento, California, directly adjacent todowntownSacramento. It is the home of theSacramento River Cats of thePacific Coast League (PCL) and the temporary home of theAthletics ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). Known asRaley Field from 2000 to 2019, the facility was built on the site of old warehouses and rail yards, across theSacramento River from thestate capitol building.
 | |
.jpg) Sutter Health Park in 2023 | |
| Former names | Raley Field (2000–2019) |
|---|---|
| Address | 400 Ballpark Drive |
| Location | West Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 38°34′49.34″N121°30′49.68″W / 38.5803722°N 121.5138000°W /38.5803722; -121.5138000 |
| Elevation | 20 feet (6 m)AMSL |
| Public transit |   Sacramento Valley Station7th & Capitol (southbound)8th & Capitol (northbound) |
| Owner | River City Regional Stadium Financing Authority |
| Operator | River City Stadium Management, LLC |
| Capacity | 10,624 (Fixed seats) 14,014 (Total, including fixed seats, lawn and standing room) |
| Field size | Left: 330 ft (101 m) Center: 403 ft (123 m) Right: 325 ft (99 m) Backstop: 58 ft (18 m) |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 28, 1999[1] |
| Opened | May 15, 2000; 25 years ago (2000-05-15) |
| Construction cost | $46.5 million ($84.9 million in 2024[2]) |
| Architect | HNTB[3] |
| Project manager | Cordell Corp.[4] |
| Services engineer | Frank M. Booth, Inc.[5] |
| General contractor | JR Roberts Corporation[6] |
| Tenants | |
| Sacramento River Cats (PCL/AAAW) 2000–present Sacramento Mountain Lions (UFL) 2012 Athletics (MLB) 2025–present | |
| Website | |
| sutterhealthpark.com | |
History
editMinor league baseball was previously played in Sacramento atEdmonds Field (1910–60) andHughes Stadium (1974–76), both hosting theSolons. With ground broken in October 1999, the new $46.5 million stadium was built in less than nine months, but extended periods of bad weather forced the River Cats on a season-opening month-long road trip, as completion was delayed by 45 days. The completion time, however, was estimated to be about two years; the home opener was played on May 15, 2000.
The stadium is one of the few professional sports facilities in the nation built without a public sector contribution. Although constructed using bonds financed by the River City Stadium Financing Authority, bond payments are paid from ticket, concession, advertising, and other revenues, not taxes. Because the $46.5 million project cost was too large for the host city to finance,Christopher Cabaldon, in his first term as mayor ofWest Sacramento, recruitedSacramento County andYolo County to join his city in a joint-powers agency which became the stadium financing authority.
The stadium has 10,624 permanent seats and grassberms in both right and left fields for a total capacity of 14,014.[7] Its original capacity was 14,611 and was decreased to 14,414 in 2005 with the addition of a party deck. It further decreased in 2010 with the opening of the Diamond Club behind home plate.[8] The stadium has 2,798 club seats and 750 seats in 36 suites.[8]
The initialnaming rights for the facility were sold toRaley's, a regional chain of supermarkets based in West Sacramento, for $15 million over 20 years.
The ballpark hosted the 2005Triple-A All-Star Game in which thePacific Coast League All-Stars defeated theInternational League All-Stars, 11–5.[9]
There was discussion of theSacramento Mountain Lions, anAmerican football team in theUnited Football League, using the field during the 2012 season.[10] A final agreement to this effect was announced on August 6, 2012.[11] The UFL, including the Mountain Lions, abruptly shut down operations in the middle of the 2012 season.
On July 18, 2013, Raley Field hosted asoccer match, a friendly featuring Mexican sideDorados de Sinaloa andPremier League sideNorwich City F.C.[12] The game finished 3–0 to Norwich, with goals fromLuciano Becchio,Anthony Pilkington andJosh Murphy. The match's attendance was 14,014.[13]
As part of the Golden State Hockey Rush, Raley Field hosted a minor league hockey game between theStockton Heat and theBakersfield Condors of theAmerican Hockey League on December 18, 2015.[14]
The ballpark was renamed Sutter Health Park after the 2019 season as part of a naming rights agreement with Sacramento-basedSutter Health.[15]
Temporary home of the Athletics
editOn April 4, 2024, it was announced that theAthletics ofMajor League Baseball (MLB) will play at Sutter Health Park from2025 through 2027, with an option for a fourth year pendingthe team's move to Las Vegas.[16][17]
The ballpark underwent renovations for the Athletics, including a new batters' eye, lights, and home clubhouse behind the left field wall.[18]
TheSacramento River Cats will continue to play at the ballpark, playing home games while the A's are away and vice versa.[19]
On March 31, 2025, the Athletics played their first home game at the stadium against theChicago Cubs,[20] falling 18-3 with Cubs' catcherCarson Kellyhitting for the cycle in front of 12,192 fans.[1]
Gallery
edit
View of the city skyline from the grandstand
Entrance during the day
Entrance during the night
Entrance with new sign
Roof view of the ballpark during an off-night
Aerial view in 2024
References
edit- ^"Ballpark Beginnings".The Sacramento Bee. October 29, 1999. RetrievedSeptember 16, 2011.
- ^1634–1699:McCusker, J. J. (1997).How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda(PDF).American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799:McCusker, J. J. (1992).How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States(PDF).American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present:Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis."Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". RetrievedFebruary 29, 2024.
- ^"Pacific Coast League".Ballparks.com. RetrievedSeptember 16, 2011.
- ^Parker, Clifton B. (May 26, 2000)."Raley Field: Sacramento's New Baseball Field".Sacramento Business Journal. RetrievedSeptember 16, 2011.
- ^"Raley Field".Frank M. Booth, Inc. Archived fromthe original on July 30, 2013. RetrievedSeptember 22, 2011.
- ^"Parex Steps Up To The Plate At Sacramento's New Raley Field". Design Cost Data. March 1, 2002. RetrievedSeptember 16, 2011.
- ^Knight, Graham; Smight, Tim (April 1, 2010)."10 Great Places for a Baseball Pilgrimage".USA Today. RetrievedMay 3, 2010.
- ^ab"2015 Sacramento River Cats Media Guide"(PDF). Minor League Baseball. April 7, 2015. RetrievedApril 14, 2015.
- ^"Triple-A All-Star Game Results (2003–2007)". Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. RetrievedJuly 7, 2017.
- ^Tonsall, Sonseeahray (July 17, 2012)."Sign of Things To Come: Another Team Playing At Raley Field".KTXL. Sacramento. RetrievedJuly 22, 2012.
- ^Johnson, Kelly (August 6, 2012)."It's Official: Mountain Lions Will Play Football at Baseball Stadium".Sacramento Business Journal. RetrievedFebruary 20, 2014.
- ^Breton, Marcos (July 16, 2013)."Time Has Come for An MLS Team in Sacramento".The Sacramento Bee. RetrievedFebruary 20, 2014.
- ^Goyette, Jared (July 19, 2013)."Meeting Republic F.C. and What We Learned From Sacramento Soccer Day".Sacramento Press. RetrievedFebruary 20, 2014.
- ^"Oilers', Flames' AHL affiliates to play outdoor game".NHL.com. RetrievedSeptember 2, 2015.
- ^"River Cats' Home to Become Sutter Health Park".Ballpark Digest. August 26, 2019. RetrievedAugust 26, 2019.
- ^Drellich, Evan; Rosenthal, Ken (April 4, 2024)."Oakland A's to play in Sacramento's Sutter Health Park beginning in 2025 ahead of move to Las Vegas".The Athletic.
- ^Ayestas, Jonathan (April 5, 2024)."A's moving to Sacramento: What to know, questions people have about the MLB team leaving Oakland".KCRA-TV.
- ^"Forst excited to see the Sutter Health Park plans taking shape".MLB.com. RetrievedMarch 6, 2025.
- ^Ayestas, Jonathan (April 5, 2024)."How will the A's coming to West Sacramento affect minor league team River Cats?".KCRA-TV. RetrievedJune 12, 2024.
- ^"A's Announce 2025 Regular Season Home Game Times".MLB.com (Press release). October 31, 2024. RetrievedFebruary 21, 2025.
External links
edit