Photos by Paul Baker and Marc Viquez , Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.43
First Horizon Park 19 Junior Gilliam Way Nashville, TN 37219
Year Opened: 2015
Capacity: 10,000
Sounds Like a Winner
Professional baseball has been played in the city of Nashville since 1884. Numerous teams played at historic Sulpher Dell, located just north of Tennessee’s state capital building, from 1885 to 1963. Most notable among these teams were the Southern Association’s Nashville Vols, who called Sulpher Dell home from 1901 to 1963. When the Vols disbanded after the 1963 season, Nashville was left without pro baseball for 14 years.
In 1978 Vanderbilt Commodores baseball coach Larry Schmittou, along with a group of investors who included country music stars Conway Twitty, Cal Smith, and Jerry Reed, financed the building of a new ballpark and the purchase of a new team. This ballpark, Hershel Greer Stadium, was built two miles south of downtown on the grounds of Fort Negley, a Civil War fortification. The new team was named the Sounds in honor of the city’s country music heritage.
By the early 2000s, Greer Stadium was outdated and in need of replacement. Several proposals for a new ballpark were made and rejected over the years as Greer was upgraded in a piecemeal fashion. The team made threats to leave Nashville as plans stalled repeatedly. The team favored a site downtown near the Siegenthaler Pedestrian Bridge and Nissan Stadium, while the city preferred the old Sulpher Dell site as a new focal point of the Germantown neighborhood. The $37 million First Tennessee Park was agreed upon in 2013 and completed in time for the 2015 season.
The Sounds franchise began life as an expansion team in the AA Southern League. In 1983 Sounds ownership looked to establish Nashville as a viable Major League market. They purchased the AAA Evansville Triplets and moved them to Nashville, joining the American Association. When that league dissolved in 1998, the Sounds joined the Pacific Coast League. When MLB reorganized the minor leagues in 2021, the Sounds were assigned to the International League. The Sounds are the oldest professional sports team in the city of Nashville. In their time at the AAA level, Nashville won one championship, in 2005.
Food & Beverage 4
As is the case in many new ballparks, concessions are a focal point of the First Horizon Park experience. There are four main stands scattered along the concourse above the seating bowl. Smokehouse BBQ, Hot or Not Chicken, Music City Grill, and Sulpher Dell Slices are the main attractions. Each stand features a menu with unique items, so you may need to do a little searching to find your desired items. Of course, Nashville’s iconic hot chicken sandwiches can be found here. The main stands are augmented by portable carts that sell everything from cheesesteaks to donuts. The full concession map can be found here.
While the menus at the big stands are pretty diverse, even more specialty items can be found in the Band Box stand in right field. Among the items you’ll find here are jalapeno corn fritters, empanadas, tot-chos, and a full listing of specialty cocktails.
Pepsi products are featured at First Horizon Park. Fans looking for adult beverages will find a wide selection of beer, wine, mixed and frozen drinks. Craft beer fans will find many choices throughout the stadium, including brews from local favorites Harpeth and Tailgate Brewing.
Atmosphere 5
First Horizon Park’s glass and steel exterior instantly distinguishes it from its red brick and green seat peers around the country. You’ll find touches of Nashville throughout the park, from the Sulpher Dell marker in center field to the iconic guitar scoreboard in right. Nods to Nashville’s musical heritage are noted in more subtle ways throughout the ballpark, with guitar picks, clef notes, and strings adorning the seats, concourse, and signage of the facility.
Fans who may not necessarily be here for the ball game will still find many ways to entertain themselves, as they can play mini-golf, whiffle ball, cornhole, or even ping pong in the right-field party deck. This area, christened the Band Box, features an outdoor bar and restaurant with special menu items that can only be found here. This is undoubtedly the place to be at a Nashville baseball game.
The team store features a selection of throwback items featuring the Sounds’ classic logo, that of a batter taking a swing with a guitar rather than a bat. This logo can also be found in other locations around the ballpark.
Don’t worry, traditional baseball fans. Despite the numerous social gathering areas in the ballpark and the distractions happening in every nook and cranny of the facility, you won’t be clubbed over the head by the non-baseball activities. If you choose to visit First Horizon Park just to watch baseball, you’ll be able to do so. You may even find other things worth watching along the way.
Neighborhood 4
First Horizon Park is located in Nashville’s Germantown neighborhood, located about a mile from downtown. The ballpark was hoped to be the centerpiece of the revitalization of this neighborhood and judging by the amount of construction in the area, it might just be working. While the millennial-hipster vibe of the area may be a turnoff to some fans, this does seem like an area where you can spend a few hours before or after the game enjoying the sights and sounds.
Just steps from the ballpark’s main entrance is Von Elrod’s Beer Hall and Kitchen, specializing in smoked meats, sausages, and burgers, with an impressive selection of pretzels on the menu. If Bavarian fare doesn’t do it for you, there are plenty of other options in Germantown. Check out DeSano Pizzeria Napoletana, Neighbors of Germantown, Geist Bar, Waldo’s Chicken and Beer, or Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint. Third and Home is a popular sports bar with a deck that overlooks the field.
While there are few lodging options adjacent to the ballpark, Nashville is a large city, with infinite options around if you expand your search. Of course, downtown isn’t too far away if you want to stay where the action is.
Fans 5
The Sounds have averaged over 7,500 fans per game over the past three seasons, which places them in the top five in minor league baseball in terms of attendance. Nashville has had a spot among the national attendance leaders since the opening of First Horizon Park in 2015. Stadium Journey visited Nashville on the Fourth of July, and as you may expect, there was a standing-room-only crowd in attendance.
With the numerous social gathering areas located throughout First Horizon Park, more curmudgeonly fans may complain that a large percentage of fans in attendance are not paying much, if any, attention to the game. Indeed, there are so many things to do here that the game may seem almost secondary, but there are plenty of die-hard baseball fans here in Nashville. The demographics of the crowd here are no different than you’ll find in any minor-league ballpark. There are lots of families, groups, and casual fans enjoying the show.
Access 4
First Horizon Park is easily accessible from Interstates 65, 40 and 24. If you are visiting Nashville and looking to visit the downtown area, it’s only a mile away. Fans taking public transportation will find WeGo bus routes that run along both 2nd Avenue and Rep. John Lewis Way.
The Sounds boast that 6,000 parking spots are located within a half-mile of the ballpark. A parking garage is located adjacent to the ballpark, as well as numerous surface lots nearby. A full listing of parking options can be found here.
Fans will enter First Horizon Park via one of three entrances, located behind home plate, in deep left field and deep right field. All entrances deposit fans onto the spacious 360-degree concourse, with the field visible from virtually all points. Fans will walk down to their seats from the concourse. While there is much activity all over First Horizon Park, navigating the concourse is easy, and lines are not an issue. Restrooms are spacious and clean, and there are plenty of accessible areas for fans who require such accommodation.
Return on Investment 4
While Minor League Baseball continues to be a great entertainment value, especially when compared to the Major Leagues, remember that Nashville is a large city, so you will be paying big city prices. Still, there are great bargains to be found at a Sounds game. Tickets start at $10 for spots on the berm, while reserved seats start at $15. The majority of seats in the ballpark can be found for under $30. Purchasing your tickets on the day of the game will increase prices between $2-$5, depending on where your seats are.
Parking in the Sounds Garage beyond the right field wall will cost you ten dollars. In addition, there are several surface lots to the north of the ballpark along Jefferson Street and 2nd Avenue North. While concession prices may feel a bit high, they are in line with other facilities at this level of baseball.
Extras 5
The focal point of First Horizon Park is undoubtedly the iconic guitar scoreboard. While the original Greer stadium scoreboard did not make the transition to Germantown, the Sounds made sure an upgraded version of the scoreboard was part of their new home.
The country music legends race in the middle of the fifth inning features oversized caricatures of George Jones, Donny Parton, Johnny Cash, and Reba McIntyre. If you enjoy the racing Presidents in Washington or the racing pierogies of Pittsburgh, you’ll enjoy these shenanigans.
Behind the batter’s eye in center field is a marker honoring the site as the location of Sulpher Dell, the historic home of baseball in Nashville.
First Horizon Park is home to what is perhaps the best mini-golf course in all of baseball. If mini-golf isn’t your thing, try the wiffle ball field, or one of the many games in The Band Box.
A final extra point is awarded for the ballpark's address. The ballpark is located on Junior Gilliam Way. Gilliam was a Nashville native and one of the city's finest Major League players. His number 19 was retired by the Dodgers organization. Gilliam began his playing career with the Nashville Black Vols, who played at Sulpher Dell, in 1945.
Final Thoughts
While wandering around First Horizon Park, it’s strange to think that a short time ago, Nashville was in danger of losing its team. The Sounds’ new home has been transformative for baseball in Nashville and the city’s Germantown neighborhood. It should be considered as one of the finest minor league facilities in the country.
----
Comments