Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park
With considerable assistance from the City of Charleston and a unique partnership with The Citadel, the Charleston RiverDogs opened the 1997 season at the brand new, $19.5 million Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park on the banks of the scenic Ashley River. Along with a breathtaking, picturesque facility came a new affiliation with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
The facility is unique in several ways - visually, of course - however, its uniqueness stems from the relationships fostered by the City of Charleston, the state of South Carolina (The Citadel) and a private enterprise (RiverDogs).
In the first season at The Joe, the RiverDogs set a new single season attendance of 234,840 - a record that would be eclipsed almost annually.
The record was even broken in 2002 despite the outlandish game night promotion of "Nobody Night," when no fans were allowed in to the ball park until the game became official thus allowing the RiverDogs to set the record for lowest official single game attendance: zero.
Another boost came in 2005 when the RiverDogs become the Class A affiliate of the 26-time World Series Champions New York Yankees. As part of the Yankees organization and playing the 10th season at The Joe, in 2006, the RiverDogs again exceeded the attendance record by hosting 267,908 fans to baseball, family fun, and entertainment.
The facility is named for the long-time mayor of Charleston, Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Mayor Riley, an avid baseball fan, is often in attendance having escaped the pressures of directing one of America's most historic cities. He is one of the city's great promoters of the game of baseball, and despite his objections, city council voted unanimously to name the facility in his honor.
Riley Park was designed by HOK Sports, of Kansas City, MO., known primarily for their work at Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore), Jacobs Field ( Cleveland) and Coors Field ( Denver ), among many others.
In 2006, RiverDogs co-owner Mike Veeck hired Mike Williams to serve as the facility's head groundskeeper. Williams previously was the head groundskeeper for Major League Baseball's New York Mets and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He and his staff do a marvelous job in maintaining the playing surface, one that players and fans admire simultaneously.
While Riley Park is indeed fan-friendly, the facility was designed with the spectators' needs in mind. From nearly every spot in the facility, fans can get to a rest room or a concession stand within a 45-second walk. Parking is also within several minutes' walk to the front gate and is considered one of the safest places in downtown Charleston as the Police Department is located directly across the street from Riley Park.
Also in 2006, The Joe unveiled a brand new video board in right-center field and a LED scoreboard in left-center field to help enhance the spectator's enjoyment of the game.
Riley Park has been rated among the best playing facilities on the collegiate and minor league levels, and once you've visited The Joe, you will concur.
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