Bank of the James Stadium
Bank of the James Stadium, located in Lynchburg, Virginia, was originally constructed in 1939 to be used as a complex for professional baseball teams. The baseball stadium was built in conjunction with an adjacent 6,000-person football stadium. The New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers played in the inaugural game at City Stadium on April 11, 1940 in front of an estimated crowd of 7,000. The following professional baseball teams have all fielded affiliates of their parent club in Lynchburg: the Washington Senators, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Atlanta Braves. The stadium is currently home to the Lynchburg Hillcats of the Carolina League. The Hillcats are the Class A Affiliate of the Cleveland Indians beginning in 2015. From 2010–2014 they were affiliated with the Atlanta Braves. In 2005, the Hillcats set an attendance record with a total of 151,266 fans passing through the gates.
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  Bank of the James Stadium Location within Virginia  Bank of the James Stadium Bank of the James Stadium (the United States) | |
| Former names | Calvin Falwell Field at City Stadium (2005-2019) City Stadium (1940-2004) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3180 Fort Avenue Lynchburg, Virginia 25401 |
| Coordinates | 37.392816°N 79.165623°W |
| Owner | City of Lynchburg |
| Operator | Lynchburg Baseball Corp. |
| Capacity | 4,281 |
| Field size | Right Field – 325 ft (99 m) Center Field – 390 ft (120 m) Left Field – 325 ft (99 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1938 |
| Opened | April 11, 1940 |
| Renovated | 2004 |
| Construction cost | US$280,000 ($5.15 million in 2019 dollars[1]) |
| Architect | Gavin Hadden[2] |
| Tenants | |
| Lynchburg Senators (VL) 1940-1942 Lynchburg Cardinals (PL) 1943-1955 Lynchburg Senators (ApL) 1959 Savannah/Lynchburg White Sox (SAL) 1962 Lynchburg White Sox (SAL) 1963 Lynchburg White Sox (SL) 1964-1965 Lynchburg White Sox (CL) 1966-1969 Lynchburg Twins (CL) 1970-1974 Lynchburg Rangers (CL) 1975 Lynchburg Mets (CL) 1976-1987 Lynchburg Red Sox (CL) 1988-1994 Lynchburg Hillcats (CL) (1963–present) | |
Name
City Stadium opened in 1940. It was renovated and the field was renamed Calvin Falwell Field at City Stadium in 2004.[3] In March 2020, the name was changed to Bank of James Stadium when the city entered into a six-year naming rights deal worth $50,000 annually with Bank of the James, proceeds to be equally split between the city and the team.[4]
Renovations
The stadium has had many major renovations since its inception in 1939. The first major renovation occurred in 1978. The renovation included reconstructing the outfield fence, grandstand roof, grandstand screen and adding new lights. In 1981, a clubhouse was added to accommodate both the football and baseball stadiums. In 2002 plans began for a $6.5 million renovation to Lynchburg City Stadium. The renovation included a complete renovation of the concourse with the addition of seat back chairs, and two picnic areas. The renovation also included the addition of two new concession stands, eight luxury boxes, a new press box, arcade room, spacious bathrooms and a state-of-the-art scoreboard. Prior to the 2005 season, six new luxury boxes were added in addition to a video board in right field. In August 2004, the field was dedicated to Calvin F. Falwell, President of the Lynchburg Baseball Corporation since its inception in 1966.[3]
References
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- Pahigian, Josh (2007). The Ultimate Minor League Baseball Road Trip: A Fan's Guide to AAA, AA, A, and Independent League Stadiums. Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot. ISBN 978-1-59921-024-7. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- "A Baseball Icon and a Gentleman". The News & Advance. Lynchburg. August 23, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
- Spedden, Zach (March 11, 2020). "New for 2020: Bank of James Stadium". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved April 29, 2020.