On April 9, the Las Vegas Ballpark, home to the Las Vegas Aviators Triple-A baseball team, opened in Downtown Summerlin, Nev. The club and ballpark are wholly owned by Howard Hughes Corporation, which claims this is the first minor-league ballpark in the U.S. to be built within a master-planned community.
Summerlin, on the western rim of Las Vegas, has ranked among the country’s top-10 best-selling communities for two decades. Developed by Howard Hughes Corporation, it encompasses 22,500 acres where 100,000 residents live within 250 neighborhoods. There are 6,000 acres still available for growth. Downtown Summerlin is the city’s walkable urban center with has over 125 stores. Its newer buildings include the practice facility for the Las Vegas Golden Knights pro hockey franchise.
Summerlin drew more than 18 million visitors last year, and the new $150 million ballpark, with 8,200 fixed seats and a total capacity of 10,000, is expected to be another major attraction. The Aviators, which recently changed its name from the Las Vegas 51s, plays in the Pacific Coast League and is part of the Oakland Athletics system. Prior to opening its 37th season at Las Vegas Ballpark this spring, the team had been drawing at least 300,000 fans annually at its old home, Cashman Field.
“Tonight marks a dynamic new chapter for the community of Summerlin and its thriving downtown, which continues to grow as a vibrant destination for visitors throughout Nevada, and beyond,” said David Weinreb, CEO of Howard Hughes Corporation, during opening-day ceremonies that included Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak.
The $150 million ballpark is expected to attract even more people to Summerlin, which drew 18 million visitors last year. Image: Howard Hughes Corporation
Las Vegas Ballpark, which sits on 7.65 acres, was designed by HOK and built by a joint venture of AECOM Hunt and Penta Building Group. From groundbreaking, the stadium took about 13 months to complete. It includes 22 suites, 400 club-level seats and 350 party-deck seats. Howard Hughes Corporation claims that the Aviators are the first team in any sport with a home field that features 4Topps Premium Seating’s breathable AirFlow Mesh seats.
The ballpark also has the largest LED video screen in Minor League Baseball. The screen, designed by South Dakota-based Daktronics, is 31-ft high by 126-ft wide, with a 13-HD pixel layout. Two ribbon displays measure 3.5-ft high by 90-ft wide and feature a 15-HD pixel layout.
Related Stories
| Jul 3, 2013
World's biggest freestanding building opens in China
Measuring a stout 100 meters high, 500 meters long, and 400 meters wide, the New Century Global Centre in the Tianfu New District of Chengdu, China, is officially the world's largest freestanding building.
| Jul 3, 2013
Mall of America will double in size after $2.5 billion expansion
The nation's largest indoor mall will undergo a $2.5 billion, 10-year expansion project that will add attractions like an NHL-sized skating rink and an indoor water park.
| Jul 2, 2013
LEED v4 gets green light, will launch this fall
The U.S. Green Building Council membership has voted to adopt LEED v4, the next update to the world’s premier green building rating system.
| Jul 1, 2013
Report: Global construction market to reach $15 trillion by 2025
A new report released today forecasts the volume of construction output will grow by more than 70% to $15 trillion worldwide by 2025.
| Jun 28, 2013
Building owners cite BIM/VDC as 'most exciting trend' in facilities management, says Mortenson report
A recent survey of more than 60 building owners and facility management professionals by Mortenson Construction shows that BIM/VDC is top of mind among owner professionals.
| Jun 13, 2013
7 great places that represent excellence in environmental design
An adaptive reuse to create LEED Platinum offices, a park that honors veterans, and a grand national plaza are among the seven projects named winners of the 2013 Great Places Awards. The Environmental Design and Research Association recognize professional and scholarly excellence in environmental design, with special attention paid to the relationship between physical form and human activity or experience.
| Jun 5, 2013
USGBC: Free LEED certification for projects in new markets
In an effort to accelerate sustainable development around the world, the U.S. Green Building Council is offering free LEED certification to the first projects to certify in the 112 countries where LEED has yet to take root.
| Jun 3, 2013
Construction spending inches upward in April
The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that construction spending during April 2013 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $860.8 billion, 0.4 percent above the revised March estimate of $857.7 billion.
| May 31, 2013
Japan to transform canal into world's largest outdoor pool
A wild proposal by the city of Osaka, Japan, would transform the Dotonbori Canal into a 2,625-foot-long, 40-foot-wide pool.
| May 21, 2013
RSMeans cost comparisons: pools, racquetball courts, bowling alleys, hockey/soccer facilities
Construction market analysts from RSMeans offer construction costs per square foot for four building types across 25 metro markets.