Smith–Wills Stadium
Coordinates: 32°20′11″N 90°09′14″W / 32.336401°N 90.153943°W Smith–Wills Stadium is a 5,200 seat baseball stadium in Jackson, Mississippi. It is located on Lakeland Drive, less than half a mile east of Interstate 55, in the northeastern part of the city.
The stadium was built atop a landfill in a move by Jackson administration to lure in a Professional Minor League baseball team. It opened in 1975. Over the years, it has hosted professional baseball as well as musical concerts. In 1999, the stadium hosted its final affiliated professional baseball game, and in 2005 its final professional game. With the addition of FieldTurf artificial turf, Smith–Wills was converted into a true multipurpose facility, able to host a variety of sports and events including football and soccer. Smith–Wills is still used as a venue for MHSAA football events for Jackson Public School District high schools.
Smith–Wills Stadium was the home of the Jackson Mets from 1975 to 1990. The Jackson Mets were a Texas League AA affiliate of the New York Mets. The Mets moved into Smith–Wills stadium prior to the end of construction. At the home opener for the Mets in 1975, the stadium still lacked a roof over the press-box, and still had an unpaved parking lot.
Smith–Wills Stadium was the home of the Jackson Generals from 1991 to 1999. The Jackson Generals were a Texas League AA affiliate of the Houston Astros. After the 1999 season, the Generals were sold to an investment group headed by Major League Baseball hall of famer Nolan Ryan, and were relocated to the newly built Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. Then owner Con Maloney cited poor attendance as well as an aging stadium with no future upgrades or renovations planned as a reason for the demise of the team.
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