ShoreTown Ballpark
| Company type | Stadium |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports venue |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Lakewood, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | Lakewood, New Jersey |
| Products | Baseball stadium, concert venue |
ShoreTown Ballpark is located in Lakewood, New Jersey and primarily functions as the home stadium for the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, a team competing in the South Atlantic League and affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. Since its inauguration in 2001, the venue has offered 6,588 fixed seats along with additional spectator space on surrounding grass berms and picnic zones encircling its full 360-degree concourse. Beyond baseball events, the ballpark also serves as a venue for outdoor concerts featuring prominent performers such as Bob Dylan.
History
Originally opened under the name GPU Energy Park, the stadium was named for General Public Utilities, Inc. After GPU merged with FirstEnergy Corporation in 2001, the facility was rebranded as FirstEnergy Park in 2002.
The highest recorded attendance occurred on August 26, 2002, when 13,003 fans were present. During the first eight years of operation, the ballpark saw crowds exceeding 9,000 on thirteen occasions and over 8,000 attendees eighty-one times.
FirstEnergy Park earned recognition by being included twice in Baseball America's 2009 Great Parks calendar. It also hosted the South Atlantic League All-Star Game twice, in 2002 and 2013, with a peak attendance of 8,571 during the 2002 game.
In 2022, reflecting a change aligned with its ownership group’s branding, the BlueClaws renamed the venue ShoreTown Ballpark.
Features
The stadium boasts two general admission grass seating sections located in left and right fields, complemented by sixteen luxury suites and two designated party decks. Additional amenities include the Monmouth Medical Center Champions Club, two picnic areas, and a large video board featuring a high-definition display measuring 1,587 square feet.
Since 2018, visitors attending home games have had access to the nine-hole Manasquan Bank Mini Golf Course, which includes holes named after former BlueClaws players.
The centerfield area contains the Toyota World of Lakewood Boardwalk section, offering classic carnival-style games such as Ring Toss and Balloon Darts.
In 2022, The Blue Wave Bar was introduced as a new hospitality venue aimed at enhancing the overall experience for attendees on game days.
External links
- Baseball venues in New Jersey
- Sports venues in New Jersey
- Minor league baseball venues
- Lakewood Township, New Jersey
- Sports venues in the New York metropolitan area
- Buildings and structures in Ocean County, New Jersey
- 2001 establishments in New Jersey
- Sports venues completed in 2001
- FirstEnergy
- South Atlantic League ballparks