AirHogs Stadium

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Coordinates: 32°46′06″N 96°59′11″W / 32.768219°N 96.98635°W / 32.768219; -96.98635

AirHogs Stadium
File:New AirHogs Stadium concept.jpg
New concept for the stadium's design
Former namesQuikTrip Park
Location1600 Lone Star Pkwy
Grand Prairie, TX 75050
OwnerCity of Grand Prairie
OperatorAmerican Cricket Enterprises
Capacity15,000 (planned)
Field sizeLeft Field - 330 ft (100.58 m)
Center Field - 397 ft (121.0 m)
Right Field - 330 ft (100.58 m)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke groundMay 31, 2007
OpenedMay 16, 2008
Construction cost$20 million
ArchitectHKS
Tenants
United States national cricket team (planned)
Grand Prairie/Texas AirHogs (AA) 2008–2019
Dallas Desire (LFL) 2009
Texas United (USL2) 2017–2019

AirHogs Stadium (formerly QuikTrip Park) is a former ballpark in Grand Prairie, Texas. Opened in May 2008, it served as the home stadium of the Texas AirHogs of the American Association of Professional Baseball from 2008 through 2019, and of the USL League Two soccer team Texas United from 2017 to 2019.

After the AirHogs folded in October 2020, it was announced that American Cricket Enterprises—the commercial partner of USA Cricket—had acquired the lease to AirHogs Stadium, and planned to redevelop the ballpark as a cricket pitch. The $20 million redevelopment began in April 2022, after which the stadium is expected to host a Dallas-based team in the domestic Twenty20 league Major League Cricket, and serve as a home and training facility for the United States national team.

History

The ballpark was constructed for the newly-formed Texas AirHogs baseball team; Tulsa-based convenience store chain QuikTrip funded and acquired the naming rights to the stadium, considering it a part of the company's 50th anniversary.[1]

In 2013, its natural grass surface was replaced with Matrix artificial turf.[2]

By 2016, after the expiration of QuikTrip's naming rights, the park was later referred to as The Ballpark in Grand Prairie[3] or AirHogs Stadium.[4][5]

In 2017, the AirHogs' ownership group Neltex Sports Group established a new Premier Development League (PDL) soccer team, Texas United, which would play home matches at AirHogs Stadium.[6]

In 2020, the Texas AirHogs opted out of the American Association season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas,[7] and then terminated their membership in the league in October of that year.[8]

Conversion to a cricket pitch

On November 17, 2020, it was announced that American Cricket Enterprises had signed a long-term lease for the stadium, which will undergo redevelopment to convert it into a facility that can host domestic and international cricket matches, and a Dallas-area team for its upcoming Twenty20 cricket league Major League Cricket. USA Cricket, the US governing body, also announced that the facility would be used as a high-performance training center.[4][5]

In May 2021, USA Cricket announced that Major League Cricket had been pushed back from 2022 to a 2023 launch due to a "lack of high-quality cricket stadiums" in the United States.[9] It was also announced that the stadium renovations were set to begin the same month, and would last from mid-2022 to summer 2023.[10] With the acquisition of the stadium, Texas United began playing most of their home matches on the campus of the University of Texas at Dallas beginning in the 2021 season.[11]

The renovations include refurbishment and enhancement of the stadium’s 13 luxury suites and Hall of Fame and Officer Club Rooms, installation of "premium seating experiences" around the field, and the renovation and reopening of the stadium’s sports bar facility.[12] Other cricket amenities such as training nets, batting lanes, and outside turf fields are planned to be added in "subsequent renovation phases".[13] Dallas-based architect HKS was retained by ACE for this stadium, with the Manhattan Construction Company tapped to act as Construction Manager.[13]

In March 2022, ACE stated that it expected to complete the project by March 2023, with the stadium being part of a $110 million investment into new and refurbished cricket-specific stadiums for MLC, and other ventures such as the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.[14] Ground broke in April 2022,[15] and construction started that July.[16] The project is expected to cost $20 million.[17]

Tenants

Texas AirHogs

Main article: Texas AirHogs

The park was built for the Texas AirHogs of the American Association in 2007. They began play (as the Grand Prairie AirHogs) in May 2008 and finished their inaugural season with a final record of 56–40, also winning the Southern Division title before falling to the Sioux Falls Canaries in the finals. A few years later, they would win the 2011 American Association championship by winning a decisive game five at QuikTrip Park. The AirHogs folded in October 2020.[18]

The AirHogs hosted the American Association All-Star Game on July 21, 2009.[19]

Dallas Desire

Main article: Dallas Desire

The Dallas Desire were one of two teams that were introduced to the women's Lingerie Football League (now Legends Football League) in 2004. They played two home games of their 2009 season in Grand Prairie. The team then moved to the Cotton Bowl for the 2010 season.

Texas United

In 2017, new Premier Development League (PDL) soccer team Texas United announced that they would play their inaugural season at Airhogs Stadium.[6]

Southern Arkansas University Muleriders

The Mulerider baseball team has used Airhog Stadium to host their Air Hog DII Classic since 2015. This "Classic" has featured several of the top teams in NCAA DII College Baseball.[20][21] The Muleriders did not return for the 2019 Baseball season.[citation needed]

Other

Gallery

  • Picture of the first base side two weeks before opening day 2008

    Picture of the first base side two weeks before opening day 2008

  • Picture of action during an AirHogs game on Aug 16, 2008

    Picture of action during an AirHogs game on Aug 16, 2008

  • Panoramic picture taken from center field.

    Panoramic picture taken from center field.

  • Smile Empty Soul performing at South by So What?! music festival in March 2014

    Smile Empty Soul performing at South by So What?! music festival in March 2014

  • Dallas alternative rock ensemble One Soul performing at South by So What?! on October 26, 2013

    Dallas alternative rock ensemble One Soul performing at South by So What?! on October 26, 2013

References

  1. ^ "QuikTrip Park Nearing Completion". Convenience Store News. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  2. ^ Reichard, Kevin (February 26, 2013). "New turf installed at QuikTrip Park - Ballpark Digest". Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  3. ^ "Grand Prairie, Amarillo baseball franchises to become 'Texas AirHogs' for one season". Dallas News. February 25, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Grand Prairie approves stadium redevelopment plan that could make the city a premier U.S. cricket destination". The Dallas Morning News. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Former Dallas baseball stadium to become 'new home of USA cricket'". ESPNcricinfo. November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "PDL Welcomes Texas United". www.txunitedfc.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  7. ^ "Independent American Association to start baseball season July 3 with limited fans". ESPN. June 12, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  8. ^ Crisp, A. J. "Texas AirHogs terminate membership in American Association". Cleburne Times-Review. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  9. ^ Houston, Michael (May 24, 2021). "American Major League Cricket tournament launch pushed back to 2023". Inside the Games. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  10. ^ Penna, Peter Della (May 21, 2021). "USA's MLC T20 tournament pushed back to 2023 at AGM". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  11. ^ Carrick, Buzz (April 12, 2021). "Texas United 2021 home field and schedule". 3rd Degree. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  12. ^ Rajwani-Dharsi, Naheed (July 28, 2022). "North Texas' cricket stadium project is underway". Axios. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Timeline Announced for Completion of Major League Cricket Stadium in Grand Prairie, TX". Major League Cricket. July 26, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  14. ^ Penna, Peter Della (March 18, 2022). "USA T20 franchise league MLC projected to spend $110 million on facilities ahead of 2023 launch". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  15. ^ Rajwani-Dharsi, Naheed (June 13, 2022). "Pro cricket is coming to North Texas". Axios. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  16. ^ Manning, Tyler (July 28, 2022). "Here's when the Major League Cricket Stadium in Grand Prairie is set to open". KDAF. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  17. ^ Livengood, Paul (July 27, 2022). "$20M renovations coming for Major League Cricket stadium in North Texas". WFAA. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  18. ^ "Texas Airhogs Terminate Membership in American Association". American Association. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  19. ^ "AirHogs to Host Amer. Assoc. All-Star Game". OurSports Central. July 15, 2009. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  20. ^ "2017 Air Hogs DII Classic". Southern Arkansas University Athletics. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  21. ^ "2018 Air Hogs DII Classic". Southern Arkansas University Athletics. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  22. ^ "AirHogsBaseball.com - QuikTrip Park to host NJCAA Region 5 Tournament May 11-15". Archived from the original on May 12, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2016.

External links

Events and tenants
Preceded by Host of the AAB All-Star Game
QuikTrip Park
2009 		Succeeded by
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