Ricketts Park is undergoing major seating renovations for the Connie Mack World Series

FARMINGTON — Immediately following the 2019 Connie Mack World Series, tournament officials looked to enhance the experience for fans even more.

After getting the OK from the City of Farmington, they spent roughly $560,000 on a series of seating renovations for Ricketts Park.

“That was something we were very excited for,” CMWS Chairman Tyson Snyder said, adding the project is expected to be completed by the end of July. “It’s something we wanted to do… We are paying to make that a reality.”

It’s the first major seating renovation project at Ricketts since 2000, Snyder said.

More than 150 seats are being added beyond the first and third-base dugouts.

General admission seats by the first-base line are being removed and upgraded, and the bullpen on the third-base side is being expanded and scooted over just beyond the new seating area to help improve lighting during night games.

Snyder said the renovations will help the third-base bullpen “mirror” what the first first-base bullpen is like.

Snyder also said Section 25 seats, located by the third-base line, have been removed and will be replaced with backrest seats that look similar to grandstand seats below the press box area.

Accessible seating for fans with disabilities will be added to the mezzanine section of the stadium, Snyder said.

Additionally, the city is replacing the net behind home plate and contributed to the construction of wall structures along first and third base.

“All the seating will be protected. It’ll cover everyone,” Snyder said.

Tournament officials canceled the 2020 CMWS in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its risks to public safety. 

Snyder said officials originally planned to complete the project before the 2020 CMWS began, but the project was pushed back.

Shifting gears to the 2021 CMWS, there’s now a silver lining with that extra time.

“It will provide us an opportunity to dial things in more,” Snyder said. “It will allow us to blow people away… I think people are going to be happy with the end result.”

Aside from matching the high-end quality of the tournament itself, Snyder said the changes will also allow Ricketts to also host events like future high school graduations.

“We were confident that we were going to get the result that we knew was necessary,” Snyder said.

Matt Hollinshead covers sports for the Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4577 and on Twitter at @MattH_717.

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