FirstEnergy Stadium (Reading, Pennsylvania)
| Company type | Sports venue |
|---|---|
| Industry | Baseball stadium |
| Founded | 1951 |
| Headquarters | Reading , United States |
Area served | Reading, Pennsylvania |
| Products | Baseball venue |
| Website | www |
FirstEnergy Stadium is a baseball-exclusive venue located in Reading, Pennsylvania with a seating capacity of 10,000. It opened its doors for regular season play in 1951 and currently hosts the Reading Fightin Phils of the Eastern League. Celebrated for its exceptional spectator experience, it was ranked as the second top location to enjoy baseball by Minor League News in 2006 and was honored as the first-ever recipient of the Digital Ballparks.com Ballpark Of The Year Award in 2002. Remarkably, it stands as the first American baseball park to attract over ten million fans without featuring a team above the AA classification.
History
On March 28, 1945, the Reading City Council acquired 27 acres called Cathedral Heights for $64,491 with the intention of constructing a municipal stadium. Site grading began in 1947, followed by construction starting in 1949. The stadium was completed on April 15, 1951, at a total cost of $656,674 and was officially dedicated on July 15 that year to honor U.S. military personnel who lost their lives in service. Initially named Reading Municipal-Memorial Stadium, it was later renamed due to corporate sponsorship agreements.
Mike Schmidt made his professional debut at this ballpark on June 17, 1971, during an exhibition game featuring the Philadelphia Phillies against the Reading Phillies. Playing shortstop for Philadelphia, Schmidt hit the decisive home run that secured victory.
On July 13, 1977, Municipal Stadium hosted a concert by the band Chicago, marking the only major entertainment event ever held at this 10,000-seat venue.
Prior to Municipal Stadium’s existence, Reading’s professional baseball teams played at Lauer's Park.
Upgrades
The stadium saw its first significant renovation in January 1989 after 36 years: wooden bench seats were replaced with individual chairs, a roof cover was added over 1,500 seats, and the press box was enlarged. This upgrade exceeded $500,000 in expenses.
Between the conclusion of the 1989 season and start of the 1990 season, a picnic area near third base was introduced at a cost of $125,000. The right field food court was completed during the 1991–1992 offseason for $45,000. After the 1992 season ended, left field bleachers were replaced with a new grandstand that doubled seating capacity to 1,600.
In October 1992, renovations included updating the stadium’s exterior façade along with expanding team offices and adding a merchandise store. Following the 1993 season, construction added a batting tunnel and a left field deck featuring "home run" seats and an overlooking bar. By 1996, this deck was enhanced with an additional 483 individual seats and eight private suites.
Field improvements carried out in fall 1994 incorporated a new drainage system that significantly reduced rainouts from around ten per season to just three.
After the conclusion of the 1997 season, a standing area dubbed the "Boardwalk" accommodating approximately 150 fans was installed between the left field deck and fence. A $675,000 video scoreboard equipped with two cameras enabled color video display capabilities.
The Reading Phillies invested $1.4 million to build a pool pavilion beyond right field which includes a heated pool, picnic buffet space, umpires’ locker rooms, weight training facilities, and storage areas. In March 2001, the Power Alley Pub expanded onto the left field deck.
Following the 2002 season renovations replaced left field deck seating with a four-tiered picnic zone and added the Classic Café beneath first base bleachers.
Ahead of the 2004 season, a Daktronics ProStar video board measuring 36 feet by 15.5 feet (totaling 558 square feet) featuring high-resolution LED technology was installed.
A comprehensive $10 million overhaul prior to the 2011 season introduced VIST Financial Plaza ticketing area, climate-controlled team retail store, family restrooms, expanded administrative offices, increased parking capacity, upgraded lighting and seating components including padded outfield walls plus brand-new clubhouses for both home and visiting squads.
In 2024, as part of an extensive $45 million enhancement initiative, new clubhouse facilities and an event center were constructed along with modernized training amenities aimed at improving both fan engagement and team operations.