SALT LAKE CITY — It's shiny and new, and on Tuesday night, people from across the Wasatch Front will witness The Ballpark at America First Square for the first time.
The Salt Lake Bees are hosting the Reno Aces in their first game of the new season in their new home. The first pitch is expected at 6:35 p.m.
Getting to the park
FOX 13 Traffic Reporter Katija Stjepovic lets you know about getting to the park
Whether you call South Jordan home or plan to drop in for a ball game, getting to and from the game will likely involve uncharted territory. This is why the Utah Transit Authority created a new South Jordan downtown TRAX station on its red line to help ease commuters' traffic-related growing pains.
The city suggests walking or biking if you are in the neighborhood, but if that isn't possible, they suggest carpooling and packing your patience.
"Right in the middle of rush hour, you’re going to have people wanting to go to the games, who are excited to go to the games and then you're also going to have people who are just trying to get home from work," explained Kylar Sharp, Communications Manager for Region 2 of the Utah Department of Transportation.
Drivers will also notice a new traffic implementation near the park called a Texas U-Turn. That's a lane designed to help drivers turn around on busy roadways. Experts say that the lane might feel a little weird at first, but it allows for the efficient flow of traffic and helps reduce congestion at interchanges.
Watch: A Texas U-Turn in action
Where do you park?
Paid parking will be available at The Ballpark East Lot and The Ballpark North Lot on a first-come, first-served basis. South Jordan Police Department will also be out enforcing traffic and parking rules to keep things running smoothly.
- The Ballpark East Lot
- 5458 W. Split Rock Drive, South Jordan, UT 84095
- The Ballpark North Lot
- 5532 W. Homeplate Drive, South Jordan, UT 84095
The Ballpark West Lot is available for season ticket holders and those with premium parking vouchers.
- The Ballpark West Lot
- 11166 S. Ballpark Drive, South Jordan, UT 84095
What can I expect at the park?
Inside the 8,000-seat club, fans can expect a variety of upgrades in the new stadium. The Ballpark at America First Square offers open-lawn, premium, and field-level seating options. officials at the stadium say their amenities put them on par with many Major League facilities.
Fans going to the game can expect:
- Locally inspired concessions and a grab-and-go market (Not open on opening day) using smart technology
- Kid play zones
- Curated game-day experiences for fans at America First Square
The Bees say that every night of their first homestand, there will be giveaways and the concourse will be activated with music and activities for the entire family. That includes face painters, lawn games, and photos with Bumble.
What festivities are happening for opening day?
It isn't an opening day at a ballpark without a list of events happening to celebrate the start of the baseball season. Tuesday Night's game is stacked with guest appearances and events.
The first pitches will be thrown by Thayne Shaffer with America First Credit Union, South Jordan City Mayor Dawn Ramsey, and Greg Miller.
The national anthem will be performed by The National Parks, and a flyover during the anthem.
The play-ball announcement will be delivered by Gail Miller.
Why Salt Lake Bees players are excited about their chance to make history
What should fans expect from the game?
So far this season, the Salt Lake Bees have won 4 of their 9 games and are coming into Tuesday night's game hoping to build on a win they earned in Albuquerque. Currently, the Bees are 4th in the Pacific Coast League West. That has them 2 games behind the West's leader, the Las Vegas Aviators.
