Coors Field

Construction began on October 16, 1992, and the ballpark was built at a cost of $300 million while the Rockies played their first two seasons, 1993 and 1994, at Mile High Stadium. It was the first baseball-only stadium built in the National League since Dodger Stadium opened in 1962. It has a hand-laid brick facade and a clock tower, and the playing field sits 21 feet below street level — a deliberate design choice to minimize the stadium's visual impact on the surrounding neighborhood. During construction, workers discovered dinosaur fossils on the site, which led to consideration of "Jurassic Park" as a stadium name and influenced the choice of a triceratops mascot, Dinger. The ballpark's high elevation — 5,200 feet, one mile above sea level — and semi-arid climate produce a hitter-friendly environment; baseballs are stored in a humidor and the outfield fences are placed unusually far from home plate, giving Coors Field the largest outfield in Major League Baseball, and a row of purple seats marks the one-mile-elevation point. Before the 2018 season a new video display, 59 feet high by 116.5 feet wide, was installed in left field, replacing the previous scoreboard. The Coors Brewing Company purchased the naming rights in perpetuity in 1991, as part of a $30 million investment, and a 2017 lease agreement ensures the name remains at least through 2047. The Colorado Rockies' official team name has been unchanged since the franchise began play in 1993, and its principal owners are Richard and Charles Monfort.