By Bob Blalock
In Double-A Best of the Ballparks voting, fans chose Regions Field, home of the Birmingham Barons as the best ballpark. Regions Field eked out a close win over Riverwalk Stadium, home of the Montgomery Biscuits.
Fittingly for the Barons, the winner was announced at Riverwalk Stadium during the Southern League All-Star Game. Regions Field received 50.5 percent of the vote to 49.5 percent for Riverwalk Stadium. Ballparkdigest.com, which conducted the voting, said it was the closest polling for any final round of the competition, which included Triple-A, Double-A, High A, Low A, short season A and rookie levels of professional baseball.
“We are extremely honored that Regions Field has been named ballparkdigest.com’s AA ballpark of the year and thank all voters who participated in this contest,” Barons GM Jonathan Nelson said in a ballparkdigest.com news release. “It is fantastic that both AA ballpark finalists are from the state of Alabama.”
Regions Field has garnered plenty of attention in its three short years. In 2013, during the ball park’s inaugural season, Baseballparks.com named Regions Field as its Ballpark of the Year as the new baseball stadium with the best combination of superior design, attractive site selection and fan amenities.
Last month, Baseball America pronounced Regions Field as the third-best minor league ballpark, placing behind two Triple-A parks. Regions Field is the best ballpark in the Southern League, according to Baseball America, which compiled its rankings from surveys of minor league general managers, radio announcers and others involved in the game.
Regions Field was built next to Railroad Park in downtown Birmingham and has helped trigger dynamic growth in that area. All around the stadium, cranes rise above apartment and retail projects and the nearby Negro Southern League Baseball Museum. More than 500 new apartments are being built within a few blocks of the ballpark, and more apartments and retail developments are in the works. An increase in property taxes as well as rising property prices around Regions Field reflect its positive impact.
“Over a million fans have visited Regions Field since its opening, and it has spurred needed economic development in Birmingham,” said Ballpark Digest publisher Kevin Reichard. “It’s a great place to take in a game, and no wonder Barons fans voted it the winner.”
Nelson said the honor validates the experience many have shared about Regions Field.
“This recognition reflects what a special place Regions Field is and we look forward to continuing to provide fun, memorable experiences for all fans in the future,” Nelson said.
