1 week Ago
Daybreak • Did the Miller family throw strikes or balls with its newest creation? On a chilly April night, the Salt Lake Bees welcomed the public to their first home game at The Ballpark At America First Square. And they won a wild game that left no shortage of spectacles, beating the Reno Aces by a 13-10 score Tuesday night. But is The Ballpark “the place to bee” as ads for the park suggested? The truth is that Utah’s new Triple-A home for baseball is impressive and first-class nearly from top to bottom.
However, there are some definite caveats and things to know before coming to a game. Strike: Construction progress When we toured The Ballpark less than two weeks ago on media day, I was concerned: There was very obviously, so, so much more construction still to be done before the Bees’ opening day. If your house were that level of unfinished 10 days before move-in day, you’d be booking some hotel nights.
I’m happy, and a bit surprised, to report that the experience on day No. 1 didn’t reflect the ongoing construction. Indeed, more was ready to go than the Bees originally indicated.
The center field entrance facing the Trax station was open to hordes of fans, a mini-golf run outside the left outfield was ready to go, and the vast majority of concession stands were available. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) People walk through the new stadium for the Salt Lake Bees on opening night in South Jordan Tuesday, April 8, 2025. About the only sign of how much work had been done in the last few days was the dust on my shoes’ soles picked up by walking around the concourse.
But credit to the construction workers who reportedly worked literally overnight to get the stadium ready. Ball: For now, barren grounds Many baseball game attendees like to make a day of a game’s ticket — perhaps by getting a bite to eat or drink before coming into the ballpark. While Smith’s Ballpark wasn’t surrounded by many dining options, there were walkable possibilities, like Lucky 13, Duffy’s, and RoHa Brewing within a half mile.
That’s simply not currently available at The Ballpark at the moment. While there are restaurants and even one bar in the Daybreak neighborhood, it’s not a walkable distance away. The closest restaurant from home plate is a 1.
1-mile walk, and would necessitate crossing the Mountain View Highway. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) People walk towards the new stadium for the Salt Lake Bees on opening night in South Jordan Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Now, there are dining options planned for the area — a Hires Big H, a Moana Cafe, a Nomad Eatery — that they hope to open at some point this summer.
But for now, I’d do your eating and drinking before coming out, or know it will have to happen within the ballpark itself. Strike: A top-tier experience inside Once inside, the experience The Ballpark offered fans was as good as a minor-league ballpark can offer. For fans of the game, it’s a great place to watch some baseball.
The smaller capacity offered a more intimate view of proceedings. The field, imported from Washington , was gorgeous, as was the infield dirt. The backdrop still features the Wasatch mountain peaks, as center field faces southeast — though those mountains are farther away than at the Bees’ old home.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) People watch the baseball game on opening night at the new stadium for the Salt Lake Bees in South Jordan Tuesday, April 8, 2025. And for more casual fans and families, there were just more amenities and more running-around space than at Smith’s Ballpark. The left field plaza has food trucks, face painting, the mini-golf course, cornhole, and more.
The center field plaza offers a place to watch the game and even play some catch right up against the outfield wall. And in right field, more concessions and a significant number of picnic tables provide a place to eat comfortably. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) A man picks up a container of food on opening night at the new stadium for the Salt Lake Bees in South Jordan Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
As a result, there were a lot of people who attended Tuesday’s game who spent more time walking around the ballpark and checking out what it had to offer than in their seats. Ball: Prices and castes Getting inside to experience the show is significantly more costly than it was at Smith’s Ballpark on average. While the team has retained cheap $10 outfield general admission tickets, with which fans can bring blankets and sit on the grass, they have significantly reduced the number of those tickets compared to Smith’s Ballpark.
Only the area beyond the right field wall hosts the general admission crowd at the Daybreak ballpark. Tickets along the baselines cost $40. Worse, the best places to sit are simply locked out for the average family.
The seats closest to home plate were available to the masses at Smith’s Ballpark. At The Ballpark at America First Square, the four separate sections closest to the action are reserved for suite and club ticket holders. A number of the best seats at the park went unused for the latter couple of innings simply because the people who owned those suites decided to go home early.
Those seats have their own special entrance and own special amenities; the top-level club featured a Salt Lake Bees ice sculpture on this night. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Cookies are on display on opening night at the new stadium for the Salt Lake Bees in South Jordan Tuesday, April 8, 2025. One of the best things about Smith’s Ballpark was its community feel, the feeling that the park was meant for everyone to gather and share spaces.
I thought the new ballpark had a much more caste-like feel on Tuesday. The experience will be very different for those with the big moolah than for those without it. Quick hitters • In general, seats feel more comfortable than those at Smith’s Ballpark; some even have significant cushy padding.
• Riding UTA’s Trax to the ballpark was easy and painless. I would recommend that, if you experience a long game like Tuesday’s 23-run epic, that you check the timing of the last train leaving the ballpark. I made the ride home, but caught the last train on the schedule.
• One quirk: While the big jumbotron in left field has a ton of information about the game, pitcher, and batter, it doesn’t show the score, the number of outs, or the pitch count. That is currently relegated to ring LED signs in the stands. I imagine this gets fixed soon, because it was confusing.
• Will the new ballpark create more home runs? While the outfield walls have largely been moved out, wind is more of a factor here — and it seems that it’s more likely to push the ball deep. • Concession prices were ..
. about as expensive as you’d expect, unfortunately. It was $12.
50 for a draft beer, $15 for a pulled pork sandwich, $9 for a bratwurst, $7 for an ice cream cup, and $5 for peanuts, churros, and water. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) People buy food on opening night at the new stadium for the Salt Lake Bees in South Jordan Tuesday, April 8, 2025..
