Cooley Law School Stadium
Cooley Law School Stadium (previously called Oldsmobile Park; often called Lugnuts Stadium) is a baseball stadium in Lansing, Michigan, home field of the Lansing Lugnuts minors baseball group. The Michigan State Spartans college baseball team likewise plays choose house games at Cooley Law School Stadium. The arena is positioned in downtown Lansing in the Stadium District on a reasonably narrow strip of land between and below Larch and Cedar streets.
It is mainly used for baseball, though it has likewise hosted an ice skating rink, an outside movie theater, a haunted home, and served as a performance place for the annual Common Ground Music Festival. Due to the dimensions of the city block in which the stadium was built, the right and left field fences ‘notch’ dramatically into ranges of 305 feet (93 m) at each nasty pole.
| Former names | Oldsmobile Park (1996–2010) |
|---|---|
| Location | 505 East Michigan Avenue Lansing, MI 48912 |
| Coordinates | 42°44′5″N 84°32′43″WCoordinates: 42°44′5″N 84°32′43″W |
| Owner | City of Lansing |
| Operator | Lansing Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority (LEPFA) |
| Capacity | 7,527 (+ 2,000 lawn, patio and standing room) |
| Field size | Left field: 305 feet (93 m) Center field: 404 feet (123 m) Right field: 305 feet (93 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 3, 1995 |
| Opened | April 3, 1996 |
| Construction cost | $12.8 million ($20.9 million in 2019 dollars) |
| Architect | HNTB Corporation (Kansas City) |
| Structural engineer | J&S Structural Engineers |
| General contractor | Clark Construction |
History
The arena replaced a block of storefronts along Michigan Avenue. Originally allocated $10 million for building and construction, the building and construction expenses rose a little to $12.8 million.
Groundbreaking for the arena happened on April 3, 1995, and it was formally opened exactly one year later on April 3, 1996. Its very first video game was between the college baseball groups of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. 2 days later, the Lansing Lugnuts had their very first video game at the location against the Rockford Cubbies.
On February 22, 2010, Lansing mayor Virgil Bernero announced that the arena would be relabelled Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium, a result of the park’s new sponsorship contract. [6] In March 2010, Lansing-based Jackson National Life Insurance Company bought the rights to name the field “Jackson Field” for 1 year. Thus, the complete name of the place is Jackson Field at Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium. [7]
On March 12, 2014, a $22 million remodelling proposition for the arena was announced called The Outfield. It would consist of $11 million in public bonds for remodelling of the actual arena structure including brand-new grass, and updated locker rooms, concessions and new box seats. $11 million in additional private investments which would include 80 homes, a year-round bar and grill, and a brand-new scoreboard. The proposal likewise includes the city negotiating a new contract with the group which is proposed to bring in an additional 25% profits for the city. Lansing Michigan Information.
Other uses
Rugby
On October 19, 2018, the Michigan State Spartans and Michigan Wolverines had their competition match, the Battle for the Mitten, at Cooley Law School Stadium. Michigan State defeated Michigan 25-15.
Soccer
On October 25, 2018, the newly planned Lansing Ignite soccer team revealed it would begin playing its home games at the stadium. The Ignite stopped operations after simply one season.