Watch CBS News

Wander Minnesota: The Saints, Soon To Be Marching In

If it's spring, baseball can't be far behind. But new to the spring of 2015 is the CHS Field, the brand-new home of the St. Paul Saints, located in St. Paul's Lowertown. The stadium hosts its first home game on May 21, against Sioux City.

StPS 1
(credit: Amy Rea)

While it's easy to mourn the loss of Midway Stadium as the home of the Saints, as it aged, it was not as usable a field as the new location will be. Among the benefits of the new stadium is a significant increase in the number of handicapped-accessible seats. The old stadium only had space for a few in one area, while the new stadium offers them in pretty much every section and price point. The Saints also went beyond ADA requirements by adding twice as many accessible seats as the ADA dictates.

StPS 3
(credit: Amy Rea)

The CHS Field fits well into its Lowertown space, with its concourse on grade with the adjacent streets and the field itself set lower into space behind it. It doesn't tower over Lowertown, letting the historic buildings around it continue to shine. (Note for St. Paul Farmers Market fans: the Saints will adjust their game times on market days, starting at 5 p.m. instead of 1 p.m., allowing plenty of time and space for the market to operate.)

StPS 4
(credit: Amy Rea)

A mural from the old stadium has been brought to life in the new. There's also an area that will be dedicated to its new home in the heart of art-filled Lowertown, where during all evening games, local artists will be invited in to exhibit their artwork.

StPS 5
(credit: Amy Rea)

There are spacious boxes overlooking the field. One with an unusual amenity:

StPS 6
(credit: Amy Rea)

Just a reminder that while the Saints may have a new field, they have not lost the sense of humor or silliness that's always been a key factor for them. (And yes, Mudonna the pig will be present, so don't worry.)

StPS 7
(credit: Amy Rea)

The Club is glass on three sides, providing beautiful views of the field and of Lowertown.

StPS 8
(credit: Amy Rea)

The natural light is a great complement to the stunning use of wood.

StPS 9
(credit: Amy Rea)

And the view up 5th Street is hard to beat.

StPS 10
(credit: Amy Rea)

There's no doubt that the clubhouse will make the Saints the envy of all minor league teams across the country.

Other fun features:
• There will be a grassy bank where fans can bring blankets and have a picnic while watching the game.
• The Saints have held their prices steady—90% of seats at CHS Field will be the same prices as similar seats at Midway.
• The stadium will also host Hamline University, both for their baseball team and for some of their classes.
• The stadium is one of the "greenest" stadiums in the U.S., with nearly half of its materials either salvaged or recycled, and there are extensive mechanisms in place to capture and reuse rainwater. The stadium is the first Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines B3-Compliant stadium. There are also solar panels that will provide about 12% of the stadium's energy needs.

What else is happening in our state? Be sure to check out the 10 p.m. Sunday night WCCO newscasts, where you can learn more in the weekly segment, Finding Minnesota.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.