Safeco Field - History

History

On March 30, 1994, King County executive Gary Locke appointed a task force to assess the need for a new baseball stadium to replace the rapidly-deteriorating Kingdome. Many feared that the Mariners would leave Seattle if a new stadium was not built. In January 1995, the 28-member task force recommended to the King County Council that the public should be involved in the financing of the stadium. The task force concluded that a sales tax increase of .01% would be sufficient to fund the stadium. King County held a special election in September 1995, asking the public for this sales tax increase. The measure was narrowly defeated.

On the baseball field that same month, the Mariners mounted a late-season comeback after being as many as 13 games out of first place and won their first American League West division title after winning a one-game tiebreaker against the California Angels. They went on to defeat the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series, a series that was clinched on a memorable 11th inning double by Edgar Martínez. Despite the Mariners' subsequent loss to the Cleveland Indians in the American League Championship Series, the late-season comeback and postseason run renewed the public's interest in keeping the team in Seattle. In particular, Martinez' double is known in Seattle today simply as "The Double" (à la Willie Mays' "The Catch") and is regarded by many as having "saved baseball in Seattle".

On September 9, 1996, the site was selected for the new stadium, just south of the Kingdome. In late fall, several members of the King County Council wrote a letter to the Seattle Mariners, stating that officials consider postponing construction and the opening of the (then projected) $384.5-million stadium project. In response, Mariners ownership held a news conference stating that they would either sell the team, or move the team from Seattle. After a public outcry, the King County Council voted to reaffirm their cooperation with the Mariners in building a new stadium. Mariners ownership contributed $145 million to cover cost overruns.

Construction officially began on March 8, 1997 with a groundbreaking ceremony featuring Mariners star Ken Griffey, Jr. The construction continued until July 1999. The first game in the new stadium was played on July 15, 1999 against the San Diego Padres. The Padres won, 3–2.

Before the stadium was initially christened, the naming rights to the stadium were sold for advertising. Seattle-based Safeco insurance company paid $40 million for the naming rights for the ballpark's first 20 years. However, the acquisition of the Safeco company by Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group has opened the distant possibility that the name could be changed before the contract expires in 2019. However, experts speculate this will only happen if Liberty Mutual retires the Safeco name during that time.

When Ken Griffey, Jr., returned to Safeco in 2007 with the Cincinnati Reds, he came to a hero's welcome, receiving gifts from the Mariners organization, and fellow former players Jay Buhner and Edgar Martínez. They unveiled a new poster that declared Safeco Field "The House That Griffey Built." The series was also noteworthy for the beginning of the Rally Fries tradition at Mariners games.

The Mariners announced in October 2012 that, beginning in the 2013 season, they will move the fences at Safeco Field closer to home plate in order to "create an environment that is fair for both hitters and pitchers," according to General Manager Jack Zduriencik. Safeco has long been considered one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in the majors since it opened.