SALT LAKE CITY — The stunning, mountainous views that made up the backdrop for baseball games at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City left a lasting impression on all who watched a game there over the years.
So when the University of Utah got approval to build its own baseball stadium on campus after years of splitting time with the Salt Lake Bees at Smith’s Ballpark, it became a top priority to create a similar backdrop — how could it not be?
The views from Smith’s Ballpark are now just a memory after the Bees relocated to South Jordan, but the Utes seemingly created their own version — even closer to those mountains — in a place they can now call their own.
Construction workers still shuffle around the stadium today with a little more than three months to go until the stadium is fully complete, but the structure no longer needs a vivid imagination to see how the Utes’ home will look and operate.
In a private tour of the ballpark for media Wednesday afternoon, it was clear Utah athletic leaders and members of the baseball team were more than impressed and pleased to finally have a place to call their own — a ballpark that will also feature an indoor practice facility and an athlete lounge area when the team isn’t competing on the diamond.
Though construction continues, the baseball team has started practicing on the synthetic turf field ahead of fall exhibition games, including a notable game against Vanderbilt in October, though that game will be played at The Ballpark at America First Square, the new home of the Bees.
“It absolutely feels real. It’s felt real for a while,” head coach Gary Henderson said. “I’ve been able to go through (and tour the inside) several times. The outside progress is impressive, and the inside progress is just as impressive.”
As fans enter the ballpark, which will officially be named Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark, they immediately get a view of the field and those views of the mountains. That point was intentional, athletic officials said.
The concourse is spacious enough to accommodate the 1,200 seats — those have not been installed yet — while providing additional opportunities for more fans to view the game from the outfield.
And though the stadium will be limited to one centralized concession section, the university plans to have a food truck plaza that will provide fans along the first base side additional food and beverage options.
“It was awesome being out here with all the guys,” Utes right-handed pitcher Colter McAnelly said. “Watching all the construction happen is really cool. We’re really excited for it to all be done soon. But it’s awesome to be out here.”
Though the venue will serve as an on-campus location to compete, it was more about creating a centralized location at the university where the athletes could get everything they needed as an athlete. In the past, players were spread out around campus to workout, train, or meet with coaches — to say nothing of its prevous off-campus stadium.
Now, from training to competition, it’s a one-stop shop for the players and coaches.
“It’s going to be very beneficial for all the guys to have everything right here,” McAnelly said. “We’ll have a hot tub, cold tub, athletic training room, locker room, weight room; everything you could ask for in one place. It’s going to be our home, and it’s going to be awesome.”
Utah athletic director Mark Harlan called the stadium “a dream” for the athletes, especially for the veteran players who have been at Utah for a couple years and experienced an off-campus stadium.
“This is the team that just didn’t really have a home, certainly on campus,” Harlan said. “I’m really excited about the stadium, really excited about our fans experiencing it. But I’m really excited for our team to have such an improved area to just get better every day. … It’s a great time to be a Utes baseball player, that’s for sure.”
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