Peoples Natural Gas Field
| B.C.B. Curve, PA |
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| Former names | Blair County Ballpark (1999–2012) |
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| Location | 1000 Park Avenue Altoona, PA 16602 |
| Coordinates | 40°28′25″N 78°23′41″W / 40.47361°N 78.39472°WCoordinates: 40°28′25″N 78°23′41″W / 40.47361°N 78.39472°W |
| Owner | Blair County |
| Operator | Lozinak Baseball, LLC |
| Capacity | 7,210 |
| Field size | Left Field: 325 feet Left–Center: 365 feet Center Field: 405 feet Right–Center: 375 feet Right Field: 325 feet Fence Height: Mostly 8 feet but varies from 6 to 16 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | March 7, 1998 |
| Opened | April 15, 1999 |
| Construction cost | $20 million ($28.8 million in 2016 dollars) |
| Architect | L. D. Astorino Companies |
| Services engineer | Loftus Engineers LLC |
| General contractor | Ralph J. Albarano & Sons |
| Tenants | |
| Altoona Curve (EL) (1999–present) | |
Peoples Natural Gas Field is a 7,210-seat baseball-only stadium in Altoona, Pennsylvania that hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 15, 1999, as the tenants of the facility, the Altoona Curve defeated the Bowie Baysox, 6–1. The ballpark succeeded Veterans Memorial Field as the home of professional baseball in Altoona.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the stadium, then known as Blair County Ballpark, was held on March 7, 1998. The addition of Major League Baseball teams in Phoenix, Arizona, and St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1998 also created room for Minor League Baseball to expand. Two additional teams were added to the Eastern League for the 1999 season: the Altoona Curve and the Erie SeaWolves. The city of Altoona won the favor of the Eastern League over a bid from Springfield, Massachusetts.
From 1999-2002, total seating capacity at Peoples Natural Gas Field was listed at 6,176. Prior to the 2003 season, an additional 1,034 seats were created with the construction of the new left-field reserved bleacher section, the third-base picnic pavilion, and the left-field party deck. Blair County Ballpark hosted the Eastern League All-Star Game on July 12, 2006, before a record crowd of 9,308 fans. The largest regular-season crowd was 9,255, recorded on August 10, 2003, for a doubleheader against the Harrisburg Senators.
On January 31, 2012, it was announced that Peoples Natural Gas had signed a naming-rights deal, making the new Peoples Natural Gas Field name official. In addition, Peoples Natural Gas is conducting a study for on-site green energy.
Peoples Natural Gas Field has a façade that resembles an old-fashioned railroad roundhouse that are prevalent throughout the city of Altoona. The stadium is double-decked, with the Diamond Club seating section making up the lower level. The main concourse with concessions and restrooms sits behind this section, and is covered by the upper levels of seating.
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Wikipedia