History
The $46.5 million stadium was built in eight and a half months, but extended periods of bad weather forced the River Cats on a season opening one month-long road trip, as completion was delayed 45 days. The completion time however was estimated to be about two years. The home opening day was May 15, 2000. The stadium is one of the few professional sports facilities in the nation built without a public sector contribution. Although constructed using bonds financed by the River City Stadium Financing Authority, bond payments are paid from ticket, concession, advertising, and other revenues, not taxes. Because the $46.5 million project cost was too large for the host city to finance, Christopher Cabaldon, in his first term as Mayor of West Sacramento, California, recruited Sacramento County, California and Yolo County, California to join his city in a joint-powers agency which became the stadium financing authority. Because of the success of the stadium, its private revenue sources have been more than sufficient to repay the construction bonds and build a bond reserve.
The stadium has 11,093 permanent seats and grass berms in both right and left field for a total capacity of 14,014. Its original capacity was 14,611 and was decreased to 14,414 in 2005 with the addition of a party deck. It further decreased in 2010 with the opening of the Diamond Club behind home plate. The field dimensions are 330 (LF), 403 (CF), 325 (RF). The stadium has 2,798 club seats and 616 seats in 36 suites.
The naming rights for the facility were sold to Raley's, a regional chain of supermarkets which is also based in West Sacramento. The stadium was not designed with expansion in mind; therefore, if a major league ballclub (such as the Oakland Athletics, who are the major league affiliate of the River Cats) ever moved to Sacramento there would be significant work required.
There has been discussion of the Sacramento Mountain Lions, an American football team in the United Football League, using the field during a potential 2012 season. A final agreement to this effect was announced on August 6, 2012.
Read more about this topic: Raley Field
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