New Britain Stadium - New Britain Rock Cats

New Britain Stadium Facts & Figures

Construction cost: $10 million

Financing: Mostly paid for with state-level funding, as the State of Connecticut contributed $8 million. Bonds issued by the City of New Britain covered the remaining $2 million.

Architect: Kaestle Boos Associates

Construction manager: Fred Brunoli & Sons

Groundbreaking took place on June 1, 1995, although the formal groundbreaking ceremony was not held until June 27, 1995.

Was built next to Beehive Field, the still-standing former and original home of the New Britain Rock Cats franchise, which played their home games there from 1983 through 1995.

Close to both ESPN headquarters (about 11 miles) and Muzzy Field (12 miles) in Bristol, from where the franchise moved to New Britain after playing 10 seasons (1973-82) there.

Since the day it opened the ballpark has always simply been called New Britain Stadium and its official capacity has remained an unchanged 6,146.

Owned by the City of New Britain. The Rock Cats and New Britain Parks and Recreation Department jointly maintain the stadium.

After their original 10-year lease expired following the 2005 season, the Rock Cats signed a conditional 20-year new agreement with the City of New Britain that could keep the team playing at the stadium through the 2025 season if all options are exercised. The lease signed between both parties on February 9, 2006 had an initial five-year term with three five-year options. During their original lease, the Rock Cats paid $75,000 a year in rent to the city. Annual rent rose to $100,000 when the new lease went into effect in 2006. For each of the five-year renewal options, the rent will increase based on the Consumer Price Index. In 2011, the first of the options was exercised and the rent inched upward to $101,600 for that season.

The suite-level Stadium Club took the place of three suites when it was built. Originally, New Britain Stadium had 12 "skyboxes." Now it has 9 "ballpark suites."

The Rock Cats' (home) dugout is on the first base side of the stadium, in front of sections 104 and 105. The visiting team dugout is on the stadium's third base side, with sections 114 and 115 beginning directly above and behind it.

Feats & Firsts

The first and still the only no-hitter thrown at New Britain Stadium occurred on June 27, 2001, when three Binghamton Mets pitchers combined to no-hit and beat the Rock Cats, 1-0. Donnie Wall, on a major league rehab assignment for a shoulder strain, started the game and was relieved by Jason Roach and Ivan Montane.

Hosted the Eastern League All-Star Game on July 16, 2003. The Northern Division beat the Southern Division, 6-5, when New Britain's Terry Tiffee hit a game-ending RBI single in the bottom of the 9th. Tiffee was named the MVP of the game, which was attended by a then stadium record crowd of 7,168.

First game: The New Haven Ravens beat the Hardware City Rock Cats, 3-0, on April 12, 1996 before an announced crowd of 6,146

A trio of ceremonial first pitches were thrown, with the honors going to New Britain Mayor Lucian Pawlak, Connecticut Governor John Rowland and Rock Cats owner Joe Buzas.

Other official ballpark firsts (all of which occurred on 4/12/96):

Pitch Batter Hit (single) Home Run Winning Pitcher Losing Pitcher Save

Hector Trinidad Chris Sexton J.J. Johnson Edgard Clemente Jamey Wright Hector Trinidad Mike Saipe