Tradition Field

I'll always have fond memories of Port St. Lucie because it was my final stop to complete my original baseball pilgrimage of visiting each Florida spring training site (19 ballparks). The Mets, who thought about moving when their lease expired, must feel the same way after agreeing to stay in Port St. Lucie through 2018.

Thomas J. White Stadium was built in the "cookie-cutter" era of the late '80s, when four MLB teams capitalized on the spring training boom to sign 15-year leases for new ballparks. Port St. Lucie joined fellow spring newcomers Port Charlotte, Kissimmee, and Baseball City as winter spring training headquarters. While Port Charlotte (Rangers) and Baseball City (Royals) lost their tenants following their lease expirations and Kissimmee underwent major renovations to keep the Astros, Port St. Lucie has yet to lose it's luster.

The ballpark is located in an otherwise vacant patch of real estate a mile off of I-95 and features an attractive exterior with the similar seating bowl and layout of the spring ballparks built at the same time, although bleachers have since been added down the left and right field lines.

Parking is abundant, and free if you are one of a small handful of people to park on the access road opposite of the stadium. The Mets offered up a large number of promotions and contests on the night of my attendance, not the spring training norm, and even I walked away with a Tom Seaver bobblehead doll.

With the exception of night games, attendance has been abysmal. But with the lack of new cities willing to throw around big bucks to woo teams for the six week spring training season, the Mets had little choice but to remain in their quiet, east coast Florida home for another 15 years, which is probably the best decision they've made since firing GM Steve Phillips.

Ballpark Name Change

In 2004 Thomas J. White Stadium became known as Tradition Field after a local real estate development company announced they would pay $150,000 annually for 10 years of naming rights.

Renovations and Improvements

After 16 years of use, the newly renamed Tradition Field looked quite different when the 2004 spring training season began thanks to a number of major renovations and improvements, which included:

Grassy berm located in right field

Additional concessions area, including one on the outfield berm

Moved the bullpens onto the field next to the third base line

Built a Party Terrace along the third base line with traditional seats and picnic tables

Wider concourse areas

New scoreboard

Additional and improved lighting

New façade on the front of the facility

New ticket windows & expanded box office

Expanded Team Store with more room for Mets merchandise & memorabilia

Expanded & improved luxury boxes

Added elevator for upper levels, sky boxes, luxury suites and press rooms

Additional office space and meeting/conference rooms for the New York Mets staff

ADA renovations (2006/2007): Additional wheelchair seating, lower handrails, concession counters, etc.

Many of these improvements had to be repaired following the 2004 Hurricane season when Frances and Jeanne hit the Port St. Lucie area. The total spent on the ballpark in renovations and hurricane repairs was $14 million.

Finally, much of the area near the ballpark has been recently developed and there are now many chain restaurants near Tradition Field.