News
Date: January 15 2007 Project: San Diego Padres Training Ground
SAN CRISTOBAL, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – HOK Sport and the San Diego Padres today will unveil a new concept for baseball academies designed to meet the special needs of future Major Leaguers from the Dominican Republic. The design firm, along with officials from the San Diego Padres and the Dominican Republic, will break ground on a new baseball training academy for the Padres in San Cristobal.
“Training facilities in the Dominican Republic are becoming more popular among Major League Baseball clubs,” said David Bower, AIA, HOK Sport principal in charge of the project. “But the level of detail and atmosphere of the Padres’ training academy sets a new mark for projects of this type around the world.”
The 15-acre training academy will provide players with a complete environment crucial to their well-being as they develop the skills necessary to become professional baseball players in the United States. It will feature:
- Two regulation-size practice fields
- One half-field
- Batting tunnels
- An 18,000 square foot players’ residence to accommodate up to 60 players
- A 5,000 square foot managers’/coaches’ residence
- Administrative offices
- A 20,000 square foot clubhouse
- Weight and training rooms
- A dining hall
- Classrooms for learning English language and customs
The complex, situated in a campus-like format, takes advantage of a hilltop site to maximize views of the Caribbean Sea while incorporating native materials and landscape to achieve the resort-like experience.
“Our design concept maximizes the natural light within the buildings and blurs the lines between indoors and out with multifunction patios and verandas,” said Bower. “This, coupled with top-notch baseball training amenities, allows hopeful big league prospects to train in paradise.”
In addition to its work on the Dominican Republic baseball academy, HOK Sport served as architect of record on the Padres’ PETCO Park (open 2004) and also completed renovations to its spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona (open 2005).
RALCO Construction Management Services will provide project management and construction services; the local architect is Jose Mella Febles & Asoc., S.A. The academy is set to open in February 2008.
For further information please contact
Gina Leo at HOK Sport (Kansas City)
Telephone: +1 816 221 1500
Facsimile: +1 816 221 1578
Email media@hoksve.com