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| Minnesota Twins Spring Training | Area Info - Fort Myers |
| Stadium | Location | Parking | Seating | Schedule | Hotels | Restaurants |
Hammond StadiumSpring Training home of the Twins since 1991 Ballpark address: Opened: 1991 |
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Hammond Stadium is a part of the 80-acre Lee County Sports Complex, which includes five full and two half baseball fields, two soccer fields, a softball complex and an eight acre lake for public fishing.
Directions
Take I-75 to Exit 131 (Daniels Parkway/Hwy 876) and go west. After about 2.5 miles turn left onto Ben C. Pratt/Six Mile Cypress Parkway (Hwy 865 South) and the stadium will be less than a mile ahead on your right.
Parking
There is plenty of parking within the Sports Complex. You park on grass, but the driving lanes are generally gravel or paved (and named after former Twins greats).
Cost: $5
Stadium Information
Hammond Stadium is noted for its exterior, which was inspired by Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby. A palm tree lined path leads to the stadium from the parking lot, ending at a waterfall fountain plaza. The inside lacks the splendor of the outside, both in design and scenery. An abundance of aluminum (all reserved seats are bleachers) was the dominant feature until a multi-million dollar renovation in 2007 added a berm and party deck in right field. Pennants from the 11 years that the Minnesota Twins have made the playoffs and the five numbers retired by the team are on the facade of the press box. Plaques of the inductees into the Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame are affixed to brick on the portion of the stadium's facade just inside of its main entrance gates. The scouts' Hall was begun in 2008 and the bronze plaques made to commemorate its members are actually found on walls at four ballparks, the common denominator for each being the minor league teams that play there are owned by the Goldklang Group. Partly owned by Bill Murray, the Goldklang Group runs the Fort Myers Miracle, a Minnesota affiliate that calls Hammond Stadium home once the Twins head north to play their home games at Target Field, which is 1,702 miles away according to a sign near the Twins' winter home. The entire Lee County Sports Complex was completed in 1991 for $14 million and its ballpark was dedicated as William H. Hammond Stadium on March 19, 1994 in honor of the county commissioner who was the driving force behind getting the complex built.
Fast Facts
Practice Fields
Types of Seating
Seating is pretty much split between those with chair backs and armrests and bleacher benches. There is also a small berm half way down the right field line.
Notes about the seating
Sections and rows
1 to 16 in sections 101-102; 3 to 16 in sections 103-104; A to B then 1 to 16 in sections 105-112; 3 to 16 in section 113; 1 to 16 in sections 114-115
Note: With the exception of section 108, the 16th row is on the aisle and reserved for people with disabilities and their companions.
1 to 16 in sections 201-217
1 to 25 in row 1; 1 to 34 in row 2
Tickets
Seats to avoid
If you don't like bleachers stay away from all 200-level sections as Hammond Stadium has by far more bleacher "seats" than any other ballpark used in the Grapefruit League.
Seats under cover and in the shade
The second level of the press box hangs out over the top row (16) of seats in sections 207-212. Because the stadium's roof is sharply angled upwards no other seats in the main grandstand are really covered, although technically the top five rows (12 & up) of Reserved sections 201-206 and 213-217 have a roof above them. The position of the sun moves during the game. It starts behind the first base grandstand then shifts to behind the third base grandstand. This alters which seats are shaded during the game, but for the most part you are safe in rows 11 & up of any 200-level section. In general, more seats will be shaded on the first base side when the game begins and more seats will be shaded on the third base side near game's end.
VIP seating
The most expensive seats are the Dugout Box seats, which are two rows (A-B) of seating between the dugouts (105-112). The first row is actually slightly below field level. The Bullpen Picnic Pavilion is a field level covered area with picnic tables found next to the Twins bullpen, but it's a useful for pre-game only area as it has no view of the field. Located at the top of the grass berm are two rows of Drink Rail seats, 59 in all on the patio of the Right Field Party Deck. And up in the press box are air-conditioned Sky Suites.
Game Day
Gates open 3 hours before game time, which means fans are able to watch both teams take their entire batting practice. Hammond Stadium is one of only two spring training ballparks that opens its gates early enough so that is possible.
Food, drink and bag policy
Getting autographs
Before the game, Twins players sign for fans gathered at the bottom of the two sections (114-115) between their dugout and bullpen. If visiting players sign, they do likewise for the two sections (101-102) between their dugout and berm. Tunnels to both team's clubhouses are in their dugouts, so postgame autograph opportunities are usually nonexistent. For those who want to mill around outside the stadium after the game, Twins players will occasionally emerge from the clubhouse door between the batting cages and ticket office. If a mob is present, then that's less likely to happen. But even then a Twin might stop by and sign in the window area of the service door that is directly to the left of the clubhouse door. The visiting team bus is parked and boarded in a fenced-in area down the right field line that's completely off limits to fans.
Unique ballpark fare
Phenomenal food is found throughout the stadium. From the charcoal grills at the back of the concourse to the concessions on the right field party deck, creative cuisine compliments everything else you'd expect to find. The food here has drastically improved over the years and the most recent one saw such specialties on the collective menu as cheese curds, fish tacos, fried nacho sticks, sweet potato fries, and a hot dog topped with pulled pork, baked beans and coleslaw (sold by the name Carolina Dog). The grub is so good and extensive that the Twins compile a guide to it all in their spring training program. The variety of food is actually surpassed by the variety of beers and a beer drinker's paradise can be found beneath the grandstand at the end of the concourse on the stadium's third base side, under section 217. That's where the Beer Garden is located, a bevy of brews available in an airy bar-type setting that has a television, usually tuned in to the MLB Network, to watch. Far and away, Hammond Stadium offers a larger variety of beer on tap than any other ballpark in the Grapefruit League. In 2011 the choices for draft beer were: Bud, Bud Light, Bud Light Lime, Coors Light, Gordon Biersch Märzen, Guinness, Kona Fire Rock, Kona Longboard, Land Shark, Magic Hat #9, Michelob AmberBock, Michelob Ultra, Miller Lite, Rolling Rock, Sam Adams, Shock Top Belgian White, Smithwick's, Stella Artois, Summit Extra Pale Ale, Twin City Red, Widmer Drifter Pale Ale, Widmer Hefeweizen, Woodchuck Pear Cider and Yuengling. Fans wanting a soft drink only get to choose from one brand: Pepsi.
2012 Twins Spring Training Schedule(only home games at Hammond Stadium are listed) |
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| March | Day | Time | Visiting Team | TicketsNow |
| 3 | Saturday | 1:05 | Rays | Tickets |
| 5 | Monday | 7:05 | Red Sox | Tickets |
| 8 | Thursday | 1:05 | Rays | Tickets |
| 9 | Friday | 1:05 | Cardinals | Tickets |
| 11 | Sunday | 1:05 | Yankees | Tickets |
| 13 | Tuesday | 1:05 | Blue Jays | Tickets |
| 15 | Thursday | 1:05 | Pirates | Tickets |
| 16 | Friday | 1:05 | Orioles | Tickets |
| 18 | Sunday | 1:05 | Pirates | Tickets |
| 22 | Thursday | 1:05 | Orioles | Tickets |
| 24 | Saturday | 3:05 | Rays | Tickets |
| 26 | Monday | 1:05 | Rays | Tickets |
| 28 | Wednesday | 1:05 | Phillies | Tickets |
| 30 | Friday | 1:05 | Red Sox | Tickets |
| 31 | Saturday | 1:05 | Pirates | Tickets |
| April | Day | Time | Visiting Team | TicketsNow |
| 3 | Tuesday | 1:05 | Rays | Tickets |
| 4 | Wednesday | 1:05 | Miracle | Tickets |
* Single game tickets go on sale Saturday, January 14.  See the full 2012 Twins Spring Training schedule |
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Ballpark Area Info
Fort Myers in general is an upscale community and so is the surrounding development. Office buildings are just beyond the stadium's left field wall and shopping centers are nearby. South Fort Myers High School is across the street from the back fields in the minor league complex and as the school's name indicates Hammond Stadium is in the southern part of the city's limits, which makes it on the way to Fort Myers Beach (about 12 miles away) and Sanibel Island (15 miles). Renowned for its beaches and their variety of seashells, Sanibel Island is also well-known for being home to the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge and its many migratory bird populations.
Travelers' notes
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Candlewood Suites Fort Myers-Sanibel Just 10 minutes from Hammond Stadium! Call 239-210-7777 for reservations or book online. |
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 Hotels close to Hammond Stadium |
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| Distance | Hotel | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
| 1.9 miles | Crestwood Suites | 7071 Lakeridge Ct | Fort Myers, FL 33907 | 239-415-8440 |
| 1.9 | Fairfield Inn | 7090 Cypress Ter | Fort Myers, FL 33907 | 239-437-5600 |
| 1.9 | Homewood Suites | 5255 Big Pine Way | Fort Myers, FL 33907 | 239-275-6000 |
| 1.9 | Crowne Plaza | 13051 Bell Tower Dr | Fort Myers, FL 33907 | 239-482-2900 |
| 2.3 | Best Western Airport Inn | 8955 Daniels Pkwy | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-561-7000 |
| 4.4 | GrandStay Hotel & Suites | 10150 Daniels Pkwy | Fort Myers, FL 33913 | 239-791-5000 |
| 5.6 | Candlewood Suites | 9740 Commerce Center Ct | Fort Myers, FL 33908 | 239-210-7777 |
 List your hotel |
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 Restaurants close to Hammond Stadium |
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| Distance | Restaurant | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
| 0.65 miles | Jersey Mike's Subs | 6810 Shoppes at Plantation Dr | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-931-7827 |
| 0.65 | China Dragon | 6810 Shoppes at Plantation Dr | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-561-2095 |
| 0.7 | Potts Sports Cafe | 6900 Daniels Pkwy | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-768-5500 |
| 0.7 | Nino's Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant | 6900 Daniels Pkwy | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-768-5376 |
| 0.7 | Subway | 6900 Daniels Pkwy | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-768-0303 |
| 0.7 | Tim's Magic Wok | 6900 Daniels Pkwy | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-561-2066 |
| 0.75 | Blimpie Subs | 14690 Metro Pkwy | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-561-9641 |
| 0.75 | Godfather's Pizza | 14690 Metro Pkwy | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-561-9638 |
| 1.0 | Shrimp Shack | 13361 Metro Pkwy | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-561-6817 |
| 1.2 | Detroit Deli | 2155 Andrea Ln | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-590-9107 |
| 1.4 | Metro Deli & Cafe | 12951 Metro Pkwy | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-561-0010 |
| 1.8 | Sweet Tomatoes | 14080 S Tamiami Trl | Fort Myers, FL 33912 | 239-489-1150 |
| List your restaurant or bar |
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 Airports close to Hammond Stadium |
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| Distance | Airport | Airport Code | ||
| 4.3 miles | Southwest Florida International (Fort Myers) | RSW | ||
| 72.9 | Sarasota Bradenton International | SRQ | ||
| 108.0 | Tampa International | TPA | ||
| 110.0 | Miami International | MIA | ||
