SPORTS
Rick Hatcher, president and CEO of Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism, checks out the new playing surface recently installed at Clover Park.
see them almost more as humans vs. ballplayers. It’s just fun.’’
Fans entering the stadium on game day will fully appreciate
the amenities of the 7,160-seat stadium, which received
a $57 million renovation prior to the 2020 season. Enhancements
continued this off-season with the installation of a new
playing surface — it’s actually 18 inches higher — and relocation
of the two bullpens behind left field.
“I think the biggest thing, especially for our regular fans, is
that they’re going to be able to see this place at 100 percent,
full-operational capacity,’’ Van Allen said. “That includes
approximately 5,500 blue seatback seats. But then you have
all the additional standing room, the berm area and the GA
general admission tickets that you can populate.
“You’ll have all the concession stands open; all the portable
carts,’’ Van Allen continued. “The last time you saw this was,
what, 2020 when the stadium had just opened up, so we were
still at that point ironing out kinks on our end and kind of
still realizing what we had here in this new facility.’’
Unfortunately, Major League Baseball shut down spring
training on March 12 of that year because of the coronavirus
outbreak. The Mets were only able to play 20 games in
Florida, going 5-5 at home.
BUSINESSES RAMPING UP
However, a full schedule is on tap in 2023 and Rick
Hatcher, meanwhile, can feel the palpable vibe in the business
community.
“Oh, yeah, they’re excited,’’ said Hatcher, who just
wrapped up his eighth year as president and CEO of Play
Treasure Coast Sports Tourism. “Again, everybody understands
the impact of what the last couple of years has been
IF YOU’RE GOING …
Clover Park: 31 Piazza Drive, Port St. Lucie
Website: milb.com/st-lucie
Phone: 871.2100 office; 871.2115 tickets
JOE DESALVO
Tickets: Single-game tickets are available for purchase
exclusively online at mlb.com/mets/spring-training.
Directions: Take Interstate I-95 to Exit 121 St. Lucie West
Boulevard and go east for about a half-mile to the first
traffic light. Turn left onto NW Peacock Boulevard. The
stadium is about a mile up on the right.
Parking: $15
to the businesses with limited games, with limited capacity, a
player lockout.
“So, like everybody else, I’m excited from the tourism
element; I know the hotels are excited,’’ Hatcher said. “Having
the fans in here and being a baseball guy myself a star
pitcher for FSU who started in the 1980 College World Series,
you watch and see the Northeast come down to the east coast
of Florida and the Midwest come to the west coast. So having
those kinds of fans being loyal to the area, they’re coming
back and they’re chomping at the bit to get to the games.’’
To Hatcher’s point, the orange-jersey-clad 7 Line Army fan
club will return to Clover Park for the first time since 2020
for the Mets opener against the Marlins, buying 1,000 tickets >>
Port St. Lucie Magazine 11
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