Cardinals Spring Training
| 2010 First Practice Dates |
Pitchers & Catchers: February 18Position Players: February 23 |
| Recent Attendance |
| Year | Total | Average |
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 | 106,226 90,231 102,619 99,054 95,352 94,855 | 5,591 6,015 6,841 6,604 6,810 6,324 |
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Marlins Spring Training
| 2010 First Practice Dates |
Pitchers & Catchers: February 20Position Players: February 24 |
| Recent Attendance |
| Year | Total | Average |
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 | 75,238 66,598 78,309 67,015 86,429 84,464 | 3,960 3,918 4,894 4,787 5,762 5,630 |
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Spring Training Info
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| Florida Marlins & St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training |
Area Info - Jupiter |
Roger Dean Stadium Spring Training home of the Cardinals since 1998 and Marlins since 2003Ballpark address: 4751 Main Street Jupiter, FL 33458 Opened: 1998 Capacity: 7,000 Send this page to a friend
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Location
Roger Dean Stadium is about a mile from I-95 and abuts the Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University. The stadium is part of a live, work and play community known as Abacoa. You drive past the Abacoa Golf Club to get to the stadium, which is on a tree-lined street across from the Abacoa Town Center.
Directions
Take I-95 to Exit 83 (Donald Ross Road) and drive east for a half mile. Turn left onto Parkside Drive. Travel 0.35 miles then take a right on University Boulevard and the stadium will be just a few hundred yards away.
Parking
There is limited surface street parking available for free next to the stadium lot, but those spots are snatched up quickly. The stadium's lot is a large grass field that is accessed from behind left field. Additional parking is available in the Abacoa parking garage that is west of the stadium at the intersections of Parkside Drive and University Blvd. The garage will fill up before the field as its location is more convenient for arriving fans.
Stadium Cost: $7
Stadium Information
Roger Dean Stadium is the only two team complex used in the Grapefruit League. The Cardinals have called it home since the $28 million, 110-acre facility opened in 1998, while the Marlins moved in after the Montreal Expos left five years later. Immaculately landscaped on the exterior, the stadium is known for its intimacy inside, where fans can sit directly behind and so close to the bullpens that they can touch the players. The stadium is divided into two halves. Everything Cardinals - dugout, bullpen, clubhouse, themed concessions - is on the right half of the stadium; everything Marlins is on the left half. Notable for the dueling clubhouses in the outfield and lack of roof, the stadium got its name after local car dealer Roger Dean purchased its naming rights for $100,000 a year.
Fast Facts
Most fans enter the stadium through its main gate (B) behind home plate. Two much lesser used gates are behind the third base (A) and first base (C) grandstand.
Fans enter the stadium at street level then walk up a flight of stairs to get to the grandstand. Zig-zag ramps for the handicapped are at the end of both sides of the grandstand.
All ticket windows are located adjacent to the main entrance gate behind home plate.
The concourse is located behind the grandstand and is partially covered by the press box. It has been home to the 32-year old Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame since 2006. Banners of its yearly inductees hang from the grandstand's support pillars.
A sizeable Kids Area is at the end of the first base concourse.
The bullpens are located in foul territory. The Cardinals' is in front of the berm down the right field line, the Marlins' in front of the bleachers down the left field line.
The stadium has a pair of scoreboards on opposite sides of the batter's eye in center field. The one with a video screen is to the left, the traditional line score version is to the right.
The playing field has an abnormally large amount of foul territory to accommodate the area where pitchers warm up.
The Official Team Store behind home plate carries Cardinals and Marlins merchandise. Located next to Gate B, it's the stadium's only souvenir shop.
Practice Fields
The Cardinals' and Marlins' Minor League complexes and practice fields are behind the outfield.
Types of Seating
All seats in the main grandstand have chair backs and armrests. There are four sections of bleachers down the left field line and a tiny berm is down the right field line.
Stadium seats: Sections 101-124 and 201-213
Bleachers: Sections 301-304
Berm: A small hill behind the Cardinals bullpen that has a capacity of 200 people.
Notes about the seating
The Cardinals dugout is on the first base side. To sit on the St. Louis side of the stadium, buy your tickets in sections 101-113 or 201-207.
The Marlins dugout is on the third base side. To sit on the Florida side of the stadium, buy your tickets in sections 114-124 or 208-213.
An aisle divides the stadium's grandstand into two sections. Field box seats are below the aisle, loge box seats above it.
All seats in the grandstand have cup holders.
The bleachers do not have seat backs.
Fans must have a berm ticket to enter the berm, a policy that is enforced by ushers.
Handicap accessible seating is available on platforms at the top of sections 110-116.
The screen behind home plate extends from the midpoints of sections 110-116.
There is plenty of standing room on the patio between the third base grandstand and bleachers (behind section 123). Boundary lines for Standing Room Only are painted in yellow on the back of the aisle that runs the length of the grandstand.
Sections and rows
Rows for sections with stadium seats range as follows:
1 to 11 in section 102; 1 to 14 in sections 103-105; 4 to 14 in sections 106-109; 4 to 11 in section 110; 2 to 11 in sections 111-116; 4 to 14 in sections 117-120; 1 to 14 in sections 121-122; 1 to 12 in sections 201-203; 1 to 8 in sections 204-205; 1 to 11 in sections 206-208; 1 to 12 in sections 209-213
Sections 101, 123 and 124 have only one unmarked row that has wheelchair spaces in between stadium seats.
Rows for sections with bleacher seats range as follows:
1 to 16 in sections 301-304
Seats to avoid
Camera platforms partially obstruct the views from these loge box seats in sections 202 and 212:
Seat 18 in row 11
Seats 18-20 in row 12
Seats under cover
This stadium is the only one to host spring training in Florida that doesn't have a roof. The only seats that have any cover are in rows 10-11 in sections 206-208, which are beneath the roof that protrudes out from the press box.
VIP seating
Suites with balconies are on the first base side of the press box. The covered right field party deck has great views of the field and can be reserved by groups.
Game Day
Gates open 1½ hours (90 minutes) before the game's scheduled starting time.
Food, drink and bag policy
Food cannot be brought into the stadium but bottled water can. All other beverages are banned.
Bags are allowed up to a maximum size of 16" x 16" x 8".
Getting autographs
You can get plenty of autographs before (and sometimes during) the game at each team's bullpen. The right field bullpen in front of the berm has some restrictions, as a berm ticket is required to enter the berm. But that's usually only enforced once the game starts. The bullpen in left field is a free-for-all since there is no barrier set up between the benches pitchers sit on and the fans behind them. Used by the Marlins when they're home, the left field bullpen is the most player accessible spot found inside of any spring training ballpark.
Unique ballpark fare
Each side of the stadium has a concession stand named in honor of one of its two tenants, but the St. Louis Grill and Florida Grill serve up little more than generic ballpark fare, an exception being the Dean Dog, a jumbo hot dog with peppers and onions. The specialty stands behind home plate change yearly. The highlight of 2009 was the BBQ pulled pork and crab cake sliders served at the Island Grill. Bud and Bud Light are the featured draft beers, although Land Shark, Miller Lite, Michelob AmberBock and Bud Select can be found on tap at select locations. Pepsi is found throughout the stadium.
Ballpark Area Info
Roger Dean Stadium is a part of the 91,000 square foot residential and commercial project known as the Abacoa Town Center. The ballpark feels like it is part of a village as it's surrounded by upscale apartments, shops, restaurants and a now defunct movie theatre. Branches of Florida Atlantic University and the Scripps Research Institute join a golf course as part of the immediate surrounding development. Jupiter is not too far away (14 miles) from the ritzy West Palm Beach and the area in general is one of the more pricey destinations to watch spring time baseball in.
Travelers' notes
The closest Interstate (I-95) is less than two miles away.
The entire ballpark area is a safe haven, exactly what you'd expect with a University campus nearby.
 Restaurants close to Roger Dean Stadium |
| Distance | Restaurant | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
| 0.1 miles | Nature's Way Cafe | 1203 Town Center Dr | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-799-9972 |
| 0.1 | JJ Muggs Stadium Grill | 1203 Town Center Dr | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-630-9669 |
| 0.1 | Jumby Bay Island Grill | 1203 Town Center Dr | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-630-2030 |
| 0.1 | Masa's Sagami | 1200 Town Center Dr | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-799-6266 |
| 0.25 | Rooney's Public House | 1153 Town Center Dr | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-694-6610 |
| 0.3 | Costello's Pizzeria | 1209 Main St | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-776-5448 |
| 0.3 | Abacoa Snack Bar | 105 Barbados Dr | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-622-0323 |
| 1.0 | Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches | 3755 Military Trl | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-748-7827 |
| 1.0 | Ray's Italian Restaurant | 3755 Military Trl | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-744-2003 |
| 1.0 | China Wok | 3755 Military Trl | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-575-4088 |
| 1.0 | Pyro's Grill | 5440 Military Trl | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-630-8990 |
| 1.0 | The Little Cafe & Tea Shoppe | 5440 Military Trl | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-630-4044 |
List your restaurant or bar |
 Hotels close to Roger Dean Stadium |
| Distance | Hotel | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
| 3.2 miles | Fairfield Inn | 6748 W Indiantown Rd | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-748-5252 |
| 3.2 | Comfort Inn & Suites | 6752 W Indiantown Rd | Jupiter, FL 33458 | 561-745-7997 |
| 3.4 | Best Western | 810 S US Hwy 1 | Jupiter, FL 33477 | 561-575-2936 |
| 3.8 | Doubletree Hotel | 4431 PGA Blvd | Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 | 561-622-2260 |
| 3.8 | Embassy Suites | 4350 PGA Blvd | Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 | 561-622-1000 |
| 3.8 | Holiday Inn Express | 13950 US Hwy 1 | Juno Beach FL 33408 | 561-622-4366 |
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 Airports close to Roger Dean Stadium |
| Distance | Airport | Airport Code |
| 14.2 miles | Palm Beach International | PBI |
| 43.6 | St Lucie County International | FPR |
| 56.6 | Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International | FLL |
| 76.1 | Miami International | MIA |
| 88.7 | Melbourne International | MLB |

Contact Us With Any Questions About Cardinals or Marlins Spring Training
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