The Oakland Ballers on Wednesday released more details of their $1.6 million plan to renovate the independent professional baseball team's new home, Raimondi Park.
The team's first home game of its inaugural season in the Pioneer League is scheduled for June 4. The Ballers will play 48 games at the West Oakland park. The Oakland City Council last month signed off on the team's planned upgrades, which are being funded by private investors.
The Ballers said Raimondi Park will be accessible via Oakland's reservation system for community members to enjoy whenever the field isn't in play. This accessibility extends to the video scoreboard, perfect for hosting community movie nights.
The playground area near the ballpark has been repaired and updated for families and children to enjoy during Ballers' games and more.
All of the streets and sidewalks immediately surrounding the park will be paved by opening day. There will be new dugouts, batter's eye, netting, fencing and backstop. There will be 4,000 seats with a "colorful" park layout with easy access to restrooms, food, and drinks.
Concession stands will feature standard baseball menu items, including hot dogs, nachos, burgers, fries, vegetarian food options, beer, wine, cocktails, soda, and more. There will also be child-friendly menu options and food trucks in rotation.
The team said fans won't have to rely on personal vehicles to access games. The team will provide a shuttle from West Oakland BART to the field, running continuously starting an hour before game time and ending half an hour after the game ends.
A free bike and scooter valet will be provided near Raimondi Park, with local bike groups leading bicyclists to and from the park.
There will be three paid attended parking lots available for game day use, providing more than 1,000 parking spaces. One lot will be available for ride-hailing service pickup and an overflow lot will be available for peak volume days.
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Security will also be available around the park area to help manage crowd control and ensure an enjoyable experience for all attendees.
The Ballers have already repaired the lighting and irrigation systems and installed new sod.
The team will pause ticket sales Wednesday until May 6 to implement a new ticketing system. As of May 6, fans can save $5 on ticket fees. Single-game tickets bought in advance of game day will be available at $30, $25 or $15 a ticket (including fees). More information can be found at OaklandBallers.com.
