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| Baltimore Orioles Spring Training | Area Info - Sarasota |
| Stadium | Location | Parking | Seating | Schedule | Hotels | Restaurants |
Ed Smith StadiumSpring Training home of the Orioles beginning in 2010 Ballpark address: Opened: 1989 |
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Ed Smith Stadium is the part of the City of Sarasota Sports Complex, a 53-acre site that previously contained all of the Cincinnati Reds' spring training operations. The stadium's address is listed as the intersections of two streets (12th and Tuttle) but its official mailing address is 1090 N. Euclid Avenue, which is the home plate box office.
Directions
Take I-75 South to exit 213 (University Parkway) and go west on University to Tuttle Ave. Turn left onto Tuttle and the stadium is located at the intersection of Tuttle and 12th St.
Take I-75 North to exit 210 (Fruitville Road) and travel west on Fruitville to Tuttle Ave. Turn right onto Tuttle and the stadium is located at the intersection of Tuttle and 12th St.
Parking
There is a small paved/grass lot behind left field, but the large grass field across from the ballpark on 12th Street is where most fans end up. Neither option is wallet friendly, as $10 is charged unless vehicles hold 4 or more passengers. Then the cost drops to $5. You're better off to screw the city and park in one of the lots belonging to businesses on Euclid Avenue.
Cost: $5 (neighborhood) or $10 (official)
Stadium Information
There's not much to say about Ed Smith Stadium, primarily because there is nothing distinct about it. It has a symmetrical seating grandstand and, except for the exterior behind home plate, a weathered look. Cracks in the pavement on the concourses, faded and rusted seats are all a part of an uninspiring package. The stadium was the winter home of the Cincinnati Reds from 1998 to 2009 and the railings and wall surrounding the playing field are colored in the team's shade of red. A few months after the Reds played their final game in the Grapefruit League (they moved to Goodyear, AZ) Sarasota officials were able to lure the Orioles to town from Fort Lauderdale by promising to fund $31.2 million of upgrades to the two decades-old stadium, a process that will begin in April 2010. So for the first year of their 30-year lease in Sarasota, the Orioles will look like visitors in their red-hued home, which is named in honor of Ed Smith, a long-time member and president of the Sarasota Sports Committee.
Fast Facts
Practice Fields
Types of Seating
All of the weathered blue seats in the grandstand have chair backs and armrests. There are freestanding sections of bleachers down each outfield line.
Notes about the seating
Sections and rows
A to G in sections 1-4; A to E in sections 5-6; C to G in sections 7-10; A to E in sections 11-12; D to E in section 13; A to E in sections 14-15; C to G in sections 16-19; A to E in sections 20-21; A to G in sections 22-25; AA to RR in sections 101-112; AA to KK in section 113; AA to QQ in section 114; AA to RR in sections 115-125
Seats to avoid
It may be a boring ballpark, but Ed Smith Stadium doesn't have a bad seat, although the bleachers are far from the action.
Seats under cover and in the shade
A roof is overhead the top seven rows (KK & up) of every reserved section except 101, 112-115 and 125. At the start of afternoon games the sun is behind the first base side of the grandstand and rows LL & up are shaded in sections 103-111 and 115-123.
VIP seating
This stadium is one of the more recent ones built (1989) to lack any suites. It does have a private picnic area next to the left field bleachers (on the other side of the outfield fence) that can be reserved by groups of 40 or more for pregame gatherings.
Game Day
Gates open 2 hours before game time.
Food, drink and bag policy
Getting autographs
The Orioles' clubhouse is behind right field and players will sign for fans on their way to it following the game in the same first baseline sections (1-6) where they sign before games.
Unique ballpark fare
Although this is likely to change with the arrival of the Orioles, two of Cincinnati's favorite delicacies are here. The Big Red Smokey (Polish sausage) is widely available and there's a Skyline Chili stand in right field. Budweiser products are readily available on draft and there's a specialty beer stand in the left field concourse that has a few additional choices on tap and numerous options available in bottles. All fountain drinks come from Pepsi.
2010 Orioles Spring Training Schedule(only home games at Ed Smith Stadium are listed) |
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| March | Day | Time | Visiting Team | StubHub |
| 3 | Wednesday | 1:05 | Rays | Tickets |
| 5 | Friday | 7:05 | Pirates | Tickets |
| 7 | Sunday | 1:05 | Red Sox | Tickets |
| 8 | Monday | 1:05 | Twins | Tickets |
| 9 | Tuesday | 1:05 | Rays | Tickets |
| 12 | Friday | 1:05 | Marlins | Tickets |
| 14 | Sunday | 1:05 | Phillies | Tickets |
| 17 | Wednesday | 1:05 | Blue Jays | Tickets |
| 20 | Saturday | 1:05 | Pirates | Tickets |
| 25 | Thursday | 1:05 | Yankees | Tickets |
| 26 | Friday | 7:05 | Twins | Tickets |
| 27 | Saturday | 1:05 | Red Sox | Tickets |
| 29 | Monday | 7:05 | Yankees | Tickets |
| 30 | Tuesday | 1:05 | Tigers | Tickets |
| 31 | Wednesday | 1:05 | Red Sox | Tickets |
| April | Day | Time | Visiting Team | StubHub |
| 3 | Saturday | 1:05 | Mets | Tickets |
* Single game tickets went on sale Saturday, January 16.  See the full 2010 Orioles Spring Training schedule |
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Ballpark Area Info
The immediate area around the stadium is a mix of residential and commercial enterprises. Downtown Sarasota is on the waterfront and only about two miles away from Ed Smith Stadium. And don't consider the bland ballpark symbolic of Sarasota. The rest of the city is First Class all the way, probably the Grapefruit League's finest destination. Home to many celebrities, great beaches and beautiful scenery, there's plenty to do and plenty to enjoy, all a short drive from the stadium.
Travelers' notes
 Restaurants close to Ed Smith Stadium |
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| Distance | Restaurant | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
| 0.1 miles | Sports Zone | 1100 N Tuttle Ave | Sarasota, FL 34237 | 941-955-8515 |
| 0.1 | El Patio Latino Peruvian | 1100 N Tuttle Ave | Sarasota, FL 34237 | 941-955-5093 |
| 0.1 | Maria's Chicken | 1100 N Tuttle Ave | Sarasota, FL 34237 | 941-955-1818 |
| 0.1 | Subway | 1100 N Tuttle Ave | Sarasota, FL 34237 | 941-954-8794 |
| 0.1 | Domino's Pizza | 1100 N Tuttle Ave | Sarasota, FL 34237 | 941-365-4900 |
| 0.1 | Uncle Wen's | 1100 N Tuttle Ave | Sarasota, FL 34237 | 941-365-0434 |
| 0.1 | Gus 12 St. Cafe | 2594 12th St | Sarasota, FL 34237 | 941-952-1172 |
| 0.45 | Cedars Bar & Grill | 2385 12th St | Sarasota, FL 34237 | 941-953-5531 |
| 0.55 | La Sabrosita | 3070 17th St | Sarasota, FL 34234 | 941-366-3330 |
| 0.6 | KFC | 925 N Lime Ave | Sarasota, FL 34237 | 941-955-3898 |
| 0.6 | Buffalo Wing Factory & Pub | 3082 17th St | Sarasota, FL 34234 | 941-316-9518 |
| 0.7 | Marianna's Cafe | 3232 17th St | Sarasota, FL 34235 | 941-366-5523 |
 List your restaurant or bar |
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 Hotels close to Ed Smith Stadium |
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| Distance | Hotel | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
| 1.1 miles | Classic Residence by Hyatt | 677 N Washington Blvd | Sarasota, FL 34236 | 941-952-5806 |
| 1.1 | Homewood Suites | 3470 Fruitville Rd | Sarasota, FL 34237 | 941-365-7300 |
| 1.5 | Hotel Ranola | 118 Indian Place | Sarasota, FL 34236 | 941-951-0111 |
| 2.0 | Hotel Indigo | 1223 Blvd of the Arts | Sarasota, FL 34236 | 941-487-3800 |
| 2.0 | Galaxy Motel | 1716 N Tamiami Trl | Sarasota, FL 34234 | 941-953-5568 |
| 2.0 | La Quinta Inn | 1803 N Tamiami Trl | Sarasota, FL 34234 | 941-366-5128 |
| List your hotel |
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 Airports close to Ed Smith Stadium |
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| Distance | Airport | Airport Code | ||
| 3.3 miles | Sarasota Bradenton International | SRQ | ||
| 39.9 | St. Petersburg-Clearwater International | PIE | ||
| 43.6 | Tampa International | TPA | ||
| 71.7 | Southwest Florida International (Fort Myers) | RSW | ||
