Memorable Moments at Cinergy Field All Star Game Site: 1970 & 1988 World Series Site: 1970, '72, '75, '76, & '90 Braves' Hank Aaron 714th homerun on April 4, 1974 Tom Seaver's no hitter vs. the Cardinals on June 16, 1978. Pete Rose's 4,192 hit on September 11, 1985. Home of the Big Red Machine of the 1970's. CINERGY FIELD 100 Cinergy Field Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Ballpark Store

More Ballpark Items

    Today, after 30 years of looking like a multi purpose stadium, Cinergy Field looks like a ballpark. A new stadium for the Cincinnati Reds was first discussed in 1948, but it was 20 years until ground was broken for a new stadium. After the American Football League announced that Cincinnati would get a football team called the Cincinnati Bengals; a new stadium on the Ohio riverfront was built. On February 1, 1968, groundbreaking took place for the stadium. The stadium was named after it location, Riverfront Stadium. From 1970 until 2000, the stadium was a circular multipurpose, cookie cutter stadium that had a capacity of 52,952 for baseball; and 59,754 for football. Astroturf was chosen as the stadium surface so the field could be converted from baseball to football more quickly than using grass.

Cinergy Field has four levels of seating, each color-coded from the field up: blue, green, yellow, and red. The lower field box seats for baseball from home plate to the left field foul line were moved on wheels so that the field could be turned into a football gridiron. The scoreboard was located above the centerfield seats in the upper deck. Fans enter Cinergy Field on the plaza level, and must walk down ramps to get to the field (blue) level of seats. The stadium itself is surrounded by a large three level parking garage, which can accommodate 2,500 cars.

The first baseball game was played at Riverfront Stadium on June 30, 1970 against the Atlanta Braves. Until 1995, Riverfront Stadium underwent few changes. In 1996 the naming rights were sold to Cinergy Corporation. Riverfront Stadium was renamed Cinergy Field. The Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL  moved out of the stadium at the end of the 1999 season. In 1998, the Reds announced that a new ballpark was going to be built next to Cinergy Field. In order for construction to begin, approximately 14,000 seats from the outfield were removed after the 2000 season from Cinergy Field. Four tiers of seats now extend from the left field foul pole to homeplate, to the right field foul pole, and around to right center field.  The bullpens were relocated to behind the right field wall. With the removal of 14,000 seats, the Reds installed natural grass, replacing the Astroturf. Cinergy Field now looks like a ballpark. Fans now receive excellent views of the Ohio River, and the surrounding area when they go to a Reds game. Fans will also be able to see Great American Ballpark rise beyond the outfield wall. Cinergy Field is scheduled to close at the end of the 2002 season.

   
Next Ballpark

Have any pictures of this stadium? Send them in and get credit for them! pictures@ballparksofbaseball.com

Name: Cinergy Field 
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Tenant: Cincinnati Reds
Capacity: 52,952 (1970-2000), 40,008 (present)
Surface:  Grass (2001-Present), AstroTurf (1970-2000) 
Construction Began: February 1, 1968
Opened: July 16, 1970
Cost: $50 Million
Dimensions: 325-L, 370-LC, 393-C (30-foot wall) , 373-RC, 325-R
Architect: Heery & Heery and Finch, Alexander, Barnes, Rothschild and Pashal
Seating Chart

Ballpark Photos

Click to Enlarge Pictures.