When I walked out of Intimidators Stadium in Kannapolis, NC, in May of 2019, I was feeling all the feels, as the kids say.
I was thankful that I got to visit this ballpark before it closed. Sad that I wouldn’t be visiting it again. And happy that I’d get to check out the franchise’s new home in a few years. I love new ballparks, and I was profoundly impressed with what I saw when I returned to Kannapolis in 2023 to visit Atrium Health Ballpark. The new home of the franchise, which rebranded from the Intimidators to the Cannon Ballers, is spectacular — so much so, that I’ve been enjoying thinking about what features I love best.
This is the 12th edition of my “5 Things I Love” series, which looks at a short list of random things that I love about each ballpark I’ve visited. This series celebrates the sometimes subtle things that make ballpark experiences enjoyable and memorable, and hopefully encourages you to think about your favorite features at each park you visit.
Here are five things I love about Atrium Health Ballpark, home of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
1. The Location
It’s impossible to overlook the charm of the neighborhood around 1 Cannon Baller Way in Kannapolis. For me, the fun of a ballpark visit begins long before I enter the park’s gates, and there’s plenty to enjoy around this facility. It’s no exaggeration to say that you could park your vehicle a couple of hours before the game and have plenty of things to entertain you. A visit to the area begins with a stroll through Dale Earnhardt Plaza, a quiet park space that pays tribute to Kannapolis’s most famous son. Kannapolis City Hall and the North Carolina Research Campus are situated beyond the ballpark’s outfield, and offer some impressive architecture that is worth checking out. Finally, there’s no shortage of shops, bars, and eateries to keep your attention until you’re ready for the ballgame.
2. The Accessible Batting Cage
During my first visit to Atrium Health Ballpark, I heard the unmistakable sound of lumber meeting leather not long after I stepped out of my vehicle. This was thanks to the ballpark’s batting cage, which you’ll find next to Cannon Baller Way, close to the first base gate. The cage features three roll-up doors, one of which was open during this visit to give fans great access to players as they went through their pregame hitting. Not every player chooses to take BP on the field. Some prefer hitting in a cage environment, and at Atrium Health Ballpark, fans can stand on the sidewalk and watch every minute of the action. Even if you visit when the doors are closed, you can peek through the windows to see into the cage.
3. The Center Field Concourse
For me, the concourse at a new minor league park should do two things: It should wrap 360 degrees around the field and it should be wide. The concourse at Atrium Health Ballpark checks both of these boxes, and nowhere does it feel wider than in center field. The wide design not only makes it easy for groups of fans to traverse the area, but also helps to create a spacious feeling. There wasn’t a whole lot going on in this part of the park when I visited in May of ’23. In fact, a construction crew was working on part of the concourse. I get the feeling that it won’t be long until various features are added to this space — some inflatable attractions for kids, perhaps? — to make it one of the most popular zones of the ballpark.
4. The Outfield Bar
Bar areas are a nice addition to MiLB ballparks, and there are lots of these spaces at parks throughout North Carolina. Healy’s Right Field Bar at Segra Stadium and the Mother Earth Pavilion at Grainger Stadium are just two examples of great bar areas. At Atrium Health Ballpark, a spot simply known as the Outfield Bar deserves a tip of the cap. This space, which you’ll find in right-center, features several levels of seating in team-branded metal chairs. There are bar rails at each level, and this is a space that any fan with a ticket can visit. Design-wise, the lower seating levels of the Outfield Bar actually jut out into the field of play. (Take a look at the map rendering above to see what I mean.) This makes you feel extremely close to the action. I even found an Easter egg baseball in this area before my second game, which only makes me love it more.
5. The Adirondack Chairs
I’m a big fan of ballparks that offer a multitude of seating choices. I’m not just talking about folding stadium seats and bleachers. I also love it when there’s a grass berm (something that Atrium Health Ballpark has in left field), bar stools, and various other options. At this ballpark, one of my favorite features is the selection of Adirondack chairs that fans will find in right field. These chairs are painted white and feature Corona branding. They’re quite comfortable to sit in, and their wide armrests both offer support for your body and a good place to hold your drink or food. They’re open to fans on a first-come, first-served basis, and I can’t imagine a visit to this ballpark without spending an inning or two in one of these chairs.
What are your favorite things about Atrium Health Ballpark?