Hangar (Lancaster, California)
The Hangar, also known as Lancaster Municipal Stadium and formerly known as Clear Channel Stadium, is a stadium in Lancaster, California. It is built just off California State Route 14. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Lancaster JetHawks minor league baseball team of the California League. It was built in 1996 and known as the Lancaster Municipal Stadium. In 2005, Clear Channel Communications entered into a 10-year, $770,000 naming rights deal with the JetHawks and the City of Lancaster. The City of Lancaster and the JetHawks will divide the revenue from the deal equally. The deal was supposed to run through the 2014 season. However, the signage stating Clear Channel Stadium was removed during the 2012 season and the stadium is known as The Hangar, its nickname since the stadium opened in 1996, as well as Lancaster Municipal Stadium.
The Hangar | |
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| Former names | Lancaster Municipal Stadium (1996–2004) Clear Channel Stadium (2005–2012) |
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| Location | 45116 Valley Central Way Lancaster, CA 93536 |
| Coordinates | 34.702811°N 118.172972°W |
| Owner | City of Lancaster |
| Operator | Clutch Play Baseball LLC. |
| Capacity | 4,500 permanent stadium seats |
| Field size | Left Field - 350 ft (110 m) Left-Center Power Alley - 385 ft (117 m) Center Field - 410 ft (120 m) Right-Center Power Alley - 385 ft (117 m) Right Field - 350 ft (110 m) Backstop - 50 ft (15 m) |
| Surface | 85,000 square feet (7,900 m2) of high-grade sports turf |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 6, 1995[1] |
| Opened | April 16, 1996 |
| Construction cost | $14.5 million ($23.6 million in 2019 dollars[2]) |
| Architect | Populous |
| General contractor | Pinner Construction Company[3] |
| Tenants | |
| Lancaster JetHawks (CL) (1996–present) | |
Features
Because of the area's aerospace legacy, the stadium has a NASA F/A-18 Hornet mounted on display at the front entrance. It is one of the premier facilities in minor league baseball. The $14.5 million facility offers luxury skyboxes, a video message board, and an old-fashioned manual scoreboard.[4] The stadium's seating capacity is listed at 6,860, but can accommodate over 7,000 fans and features slightly over 4,500 permanent full chair stadium seats[5]. Two expansive grass berm general admission areas are available when all seats are sold out.[4]
The stadium is also used to accommodate special events such as local high school graduations and charity softball games. Before the Lancaster JetHawks start each new season in April, they play an exhibition game against the local Antelope Valley College Marauders baseball team. However, for the past several seasons, the JetHawks have been playing their exhibition games against the local University of Antelope Valley Pioneers baseball team.
Pilots Pavilion
On April 2, 2014, the Lancaster JetHawks introduced the largest addition to The Hangar since 2005: the Pilots Pavilion. The new tent structure on the third baseline just beyond the stands replaced the stadium's old barbecue tent. At 3,000 square feet and 25 feet tall, the Pilots Pavilion is nearly twice the size and nearly double the height of its predecessor. It is the largest structure of its kind in the California League.
The roof canvas material weighs over 1,500 pounds and is supported by six trusses made up of over 6,000 pounds of steel. Just' In Construction, Inc. led the construction efforts.[6]
References
- "Ballpark Matters On Deck". Los Angeles Daily News. September 4, 1995. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- "Design-Bid-Build". Pinner Construction Company. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
- "Lancaster Municipal Stadium". City of Lancaster. Archived from the original on 2014-05-27. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
- https://www.baseballpilgrimages.com/attendance/minor-leagues-2017.html
- Schwartz, Jason (April 2, 2014). "JetHawks Introduce Pilots Pavilion at Hangar". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved April 11, 2014.