Veterans Memorial Stadium
Veterans Memorial Stadium near Cedar Rapids was initially built in 1949 in memory of those who lost their lives in the Second World War. The original stadium served for a monumental 52 years, hosting several games. It hosted the MWL All-Star Games, concerts, high school and amateur baseball games. An idea for a replacement stadium began taking shape in the mid-1990s. The current Veterans Memorial Stadium opened in 2002 and is one of the homes for professional baseball in Cedar Rapids.
The stadium has seating for 53,000 fans, not including standing room only areas, and 12 diamond suites and three picnic/group areas. Fan comfort is paramount at the Memorial Stadium. Fans in the premier and club seating areas enjoy box style seats complete with cupholders. There are several concession stands throughout the stadium during busy game nights for fans. A TV system displays information on several TVs at each concession stand, so fans miss as little of the action as possible while waiting for service. The stadium is also ADA compliant, meaning it has universal accessibility.
The Cedar Rapids Kernels are a minor league baseball team and play their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Cedars Rapids Ball Club owns them. Residents have an affinity with the sport, making the Veterans Memorial Stadium even more special. The Cedar Rapid Kernels offer a variety of ticket options for the fans, from complete season ticket packages to 10 game coupon books and individual game tickets. You can also support the stadium by purchasing gift certificates that can be used towards tickets, merchandise and at the concession stands. You can even celebrate birthdays at the stadium. They are called “Kathy’s Pies Birthday Parties”. The party is held at a private picnic table with the mascot Mr Shucks dropping by. The birthday package includes meal vouchers, tickers, souvenirs, birthday cakes and a first-pitch experience for the birthday boy or girl.
If you’re a sports enthusiast, Veterans Memorial Stadium has several opportunities for you. There are many internship opportunities that allow students to gain a better understanding of the operations of a professional sports organisation. The internships can be pretty intense but will enable students to not only gain valuable knowledge but develop skills needed for future job placements. The work ethic you will develop during this internship will serve you well in the future, even if you don’t believe that sports organisations are for you.