Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.43
William Hammond Stadium
14100 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy
Fort Myers, FL 33912
Year Opened: 1991
Capacity: 9,300
A Twins Peek at Hammond Stadium
Hammond Stadium has been the Minnesota Twins spring training home since 1991. It is located at the Lee County Sports Complex in Ft. Myers. The complex has five practice fields adjacent to Hammond Stadium, as the Twins spring training facility is attached to the stadium. The ballpark went through renovations in 2014-2015 and now seats 8,730. It is named for Bill Hammond, a former county commissioner who played a key role in getting the stadium built.
Food & Beverage 5
Hammond Stadium offers a good variety of food and drinks through its concessions program. It is made up of baseball standards and a number of foods that are unique to the palate of Twins fans. There are six concession stands serving Hammond Stadium, along with several portable carts. In addition to the concession stands, there is a beer garden at aisle 132 with a bevy of top brews as well as a broad selection of craft beers.
Baseball standards available at Hammond Stadium include hot dogs, burgers, pretzels, nachos, pizza, and grilled chicken sandwiches. Drinks include bottled water, Pepsi brand sodas, and beer.
The Nawty Hogg BBQ stand carries BBQ ribs, brisket, pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ chicken and a delicious BBQ sundae. Taco Bar and Grill offers beef and chicken tacos, and quesadillas ($8 - $9.25). The Lee County Grill serves up brats, chicken tenders, and corn dogs ($6.75 - $8.25).
The Taste of Twins stand offers a menu specially designed to meet the needs of Minnesotans. It serves cheese curds ($7.25), pancake bacon burgers ($8.25), poutine ($10), and Killebrew root beer ($5.75). You can wash all that down with a Leinenkugel beer or a beer shake ($10) in several different flavors.
Atmosphere 5
A day at a Twins spring training game is very enjoyable. You will notice this from the moment you arrive at a game. The parking lot is very convenient to the stadium, which features a Grand Floridian exterior, steeples and a large fountain in front of it. The grounds feature a set of palm trees, which frame your view of the ballpark as you depart the parking area. It makes for a wonderful photo of your visit.
Once in the stadium, you’ll immediately see the large opening in the stadium concourse, which gives you an excellent view of the playing field. The concourse is filled with a variety of concession stands offering stadium staples and Minnesota specialties.
It is hard to go wrong in your choice of seating, as all seats feature a great view of the action on the field. Most seats are on the 100 level of the stadium, but even the 200 level and the Terrace levels offer excellent viewing areas.
There are a number of price levels and viewing areas for fans to choose from. Some of the most economical seats are in the outfield. These would include the berms in deep left field or the lawn seats near the first baseline. Many people like to socialize as much as watch the game, and they purchase the drink rail seats, which allow them to move around to different locations during the game.
Hammond Stadium Berm Seating, Photo by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
Neighborhood 4
We need to mention one thing before we talk about the area that Hammond Stadium is in. Hurricane Ian caused a massive amount of damage to the Ft. Myers area. Please call ahead to any restaurant or attraction in the area to make sure it is open. The locations mentioned in this section are open in spring 2023.
The Boston Red Sox play their games at JetBlue Park, which is only six miles from Hammond Park. This is both a blessing and a curse. It is nice to have another Spring Training facility so close if you are trying to get in as many Grapefruit ballparks as you can during your visit. However, if the Twins and the Red Sox are both playing games at the same time traffic can be a nightmare. Allow plenty of lead time to get to the park.
There is plenty to do in and around the park before and after a game. Both Thomas Edison and Henry Ford had winter homes in Ft. Myers. Their estate lines a beautiful river, and their homes are open to the public. They are well worth a visit, both for the beautiful homes and grounds, but also for a look at the inventions they both created, in addition to the cars and the light bulb they both are better known for.
Sports fans will want to check out Fat Katz Sports Bistro for some great food before or after the game. The Fairfield Inn on Cypress Terrace is the closest hotel to Hammond Stadium and provides easy access to many of the other activities around Ft. Myers.
Fans 5
The Minnesota Twins fan base is very loyal to the team, and you will see tons of Minnesota license plates in the parking lots at Hammond Stadium. This is partially loyalty to the team, and partially due to the desire to escape the bitter cold that Minnesota experiences in March. The Twins fans are well educated about baseball and the Twins history and can answer any trivia you ask about the team. The team’s payroll tends to bring in the big free agents, but the Twins have been able to make the playoffs on a frequent basis in the last few years.
Another component of the crowds at Hammond Park are the ballpark chasers. These fans are intent on seeing games at as many ballparks as they can. Hammond Stadium is only 6 miles from the Red Sox spring training stadium, and the Braves and the Tigers facilities are also close by.
Ft. Myers is a popular retirement location for many. Since the Twins have trained in the city for more than 30 years, many of the locals have adopted the team as their own. They often form the season ticket base for the team.
Access 4
Getting to Hammond Stadium is easy to get to if driving from I-75.
The parking lots at Hammond Stadium are in front of the stadium. Each lane for parking is named for a great player of the past for the Twins. Remember this name when you depart the stadium to find your car’s location more easily.
Bicycle racks are available for locals.
There are three entry gates at Hammond Stadium. Stadium gates open 90 minutes prior to the first pitch.
Once inside the stadium, you will find the concourse to be very wide and easy to navigate. Signage at Hammond is excellent, and you should have no problem finding your seat. A concrete boardwalk encircles the stadium allowing 360 degree access for fans.
The closest airport for those flying into Ft. Myers is Fort Meyers/Southwest Florida International Airport. It is serviced by all the major carriers. However flights into Ft. Myers tend to be more expensive than other Florida airports. Tampa International Airport is within 100 miles of the ballpark and it is a much more affordlable alternative to consider.
Return on Investment 4
We found the price of attending a Twins game at Hammond Stadium to be lower than most Grapefruit League stadiums, as the ticket prices, concessions and parking are more affordable for families. All purchases at Hammond Stadium are credit card only.
Hammond Stadium has a wide variety of seats available at many price points. The range runs from as low as $12 and as high as $32. We urge you to buy your seats in advance, rather than at the park. The Twins frequently sell out their games.
Here is a listing of the price points for Twins tickets in 2023:
Center Field Grandstand ($12)
Left Field Berm ($13)
Right Field Lawn ($15)
Porch/Drink Rail ($16)
Scoreboard Pavilion ($20)
Bullpen Zone ($26)
Home Plate View/ 200 level ($29)
Diamond Box ($31)
Terrace Level ($32)
Parking is $10 at Hammond Stadium.
Extras 3
The Twins have a special Minnesota Day celebration each season. The event starts early in the morning before an afternoon game. This is the only day fans are allowed to tailgate. Fans are urged to bring some type of decoration that represents their area of the state. Lots of cheese curds and beer abound.
Hammond Stadium also serves as the home field of the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels of the Florida State League. They are the Single A affiliate of the Twins.
There are several good spots to get a selfie at Hammond Stadium. As you head towards the stadium, there is a pole showing distances from Hammond Stadium to the Twin Cities and each of the cities hosting a Twins farm club. A second spot to consider is the fountain in front of Hammond’s elegant Floridian exterior.
The Twins mascot T.C. Bear visits a number of the stands each game. He is very willing to pose with you in a photo.
Final Thoughts
Hammond Stadium delivers a strong Midwestern vibe to fans attending a Twins game during spring training.
The fans show the Midwest spirit in welcoming visitors to their Florida outpost. The concession stand menus are filled with items like cheese curds, corn dogs and brats… and beer shakes. They’ll even toast you with a Killebrew root beer!
The Twins have one of the largest and most loyal fan bases in Florida each spring, and the team shows its appreciation by holding a Minnesota Day at the end of spring training, where fans are urged to represent their hometown by wearing the colors of their community’s school for the final game before the team heads back up to Target Field.
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