Beyond The Field, Blue Wahoos Stadium Getting Refreshed Look 

The inside of Blue Wahoos Stadium isn’t the only area undergoing a makeover.

As the calendar turned from February to March this week, the façade outside the stadium was pressure-washed, then repainted to give it a new look.

It was the first time since the the entire outside structure of the stadium had been painted since the facility opened in 2012.

“When people come in, they will see a different look,” said Blue Wahoos owner Quint Studer. “In 2012, that was a great time to open this stadium. In 2022, our 10th year, our stadium will be even better than 2012.”

New facilities manager Mike Fitzpatrick, who worked 30 years in Chicago as a lead engineer, has worked in tandem with facilities coordinator Mike Crenshaw, along with an outside company to get the stadium pressure-washed and repainted, along with many other remodel efforts.

The Blue Wahoos are examining every aspect of the stadium and making enhancements, if needed and if possible. Areas underneath the seating have been addressed as well.

“We have put all new LED lights in the tunnels and that has made a big difference,” Fitzpatrick said. “We have basically updated the lighting everywhere in the stadium.”

Both the home and visitors clubhouses have been repainted, Fitzpatrick said.

That work has coincided with the new LED lighting installed by Musco Sports Lighting out of Iowa. On the field, of course, the Blue Wahoos have contracted with FieldTurf, a global company, to install synthetic turf. FieldTurf workers completed the outfield and warning track this week and continue on schedule to complete the field by mid-March.

The Blue Wahoos will open the 2022 season at home on April 8 against the Biloxi Shuckers. It will be the team’s second year of partnership with the Miami Marlins as their Double-A affiliate.

When that date occurs, fans will find the stadium with a different look beyond the sparkling FieldTurf surface and wow factor with the LED stadium lights.

Before the season-opener, Fitzpatrick said the stadium seating, the concourses will be pressure-washed. All of the bathrooms will be repainted. In addition, he said Kool Graphics, a long-time Blue Wahoos partner, will provide new signage throughout the ballpark.

There will be new table-tops on the party decks at the stadium. The Hancock-Whitney Club level will be refreshed. The drink rail ledges around the mid-level, concourse area are getting a new covering .

“One of the reasons Major League Baseball took over Minor League Baseball was facilities,” said Studer, referring to many aging MILB ballparks that were deemed unsatisfactory. “Now, the beauty for us is that we have new turf that is major league. Lights that are major league. And we are looking at everything.

“We are very excited. We want every day to be special. We don’t know if this is a person’s first game or their 50th game. But we want the experience to be special.”