Progressive Field

Known as Jacobs Field when it opened in 1994, Progressive Field offered baseball fans a distinctly different gameday experience than other parks around major league baseball. While Baltimore’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards is widely known as the first of the new, retro-style ballparks, Progressive Field opened just two years later with many similar design features and helped to send a clear message around baseball that the enormous stadiums of the 1970s and 1980s were soon to be a thing of the past. With wide, open concourses, an impressive view of Cleveland’s downtown skyline and a lengthy list of fan-friendly features, Progressive Field quickly gained a reputation as one of the gems of the American League. It has earned a number of accolades, including being named the best ballpark in baseball by Sports Illustrated in 2008.

Progressive Field is part of Cleveland’s Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex, which also includes Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, home of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, Tower City Center, the Jack Cleveland Casino and a large open-air plaza that hosts all sorts of outdoor events. The park has been called Progressive Field since 2008, thanks to a 16-year naming rights deal with The Progressive Corporation, an insurance company based just outside of Cleveland. Despite this name, many Cleveland Guardians fans continue to call the ballpark “The Jake” as a tribute to its original name.

The park has gone through several major renovations over the years to give it a new feel, even nearly three decades after it opened. The most recent renovations occurred in 2014 and 2015, resulting in the addition of a large concession space in right field, the repositioning of the bullpens into center field and multiple changes in the upper deck, including large mural displays of the team’s all-time best players. A large Kid’s Clubhouse space, offering numerous entertainment options for children, was also expanded, while the Gate C plaza was remodeled to offer fans an expansive and stylish place to gather before the gates open. The park’s seating capacity has decreased from 42,865 to 34,830 since the time it opened, allowing for more open areas and standing-room spots.

Progressive Field’s construction cost was $175 million, which is equivalent to about $320 million in today’s dollars. The construction cost was shared between then-Guardians team owner Richard Jacobs and a Cuyahoga County sin tax, which was approved by county voters in 1990. Prior to the opening of Progressive Field, the Cleveland Guardians franchise played its home games at a pair of parks in Cleveland: League Park (1901 to 1932 and 1934 to 1946) and Cleveland Municipal Stadium (1932 to 1933 and 1937 to 1993).

Features

Progressive Field has an extensive selection of iconic features, including 19 toothbrush-shaped light towers that stand 200 feet above street level and are visible from numerous areas around downtown Cleveland. Inside the park, features include the 19-foot left field fence, the largest video board in baseball at 13,000 square feet, enormous bleachers in left field, and Heritage Park, a two-level space that pays tribute to the franchise’s history over the last century. You’ll also want to check out the numerous bronze statues that honor the team’s all-time greats, including Hall of Fame members Bob Feller, Larry Doby and Jim Thome, as well as take a moment to enjoy the spectacular view of the city’s downtown skyline from the upper deck.

Dining

Cleveland is known as a good city for foodies, and Progressive Field lives up to the city’s reputation. There are enticing culinary options throughout the ballpark, but no area is better to visit with an empty stomach than the Right Field District. The crown jewel of this area is The Corner Bar, a two-level bar with close to 40 beers on tap. Just a few steps away, you’ll find The Neighborhoods concession area. It features several different concession stands that offer such diverse options as gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, Mexican fare, gourmet hot dogs, custom burgers, and more. Melt and Momocho are two staples of the city’s dining scene that have popular concession stands at Progressive Field. Read more about Progressive Field Food.

Directions

Even though it’s situated in downtown Cleveland, Progressive Field is easy to reach by car. If you’re driving into Cleveland on I-90 East or West, you’ll want to take the East 9th Street exit. Within seconds of getting onto East 9th Street, you’ll begin to see lots of parking options. If you’re traveling on I-71 North or I-77 North, look for the Ontario Street or East 9th Street exits to get you close to Progressive Field. Read more about How To Get To Progressive Field.

Parking

Despite Progressive Field’s downtown location, parking around this American League ballpark is relatively affordable. While you can add a parking pass to the team’s official Gateway East Garage when you purchase your game ticket, you’ll spend less by using any of the covered or open-air lots a block or two from Progressive Field. A multi-level parking garage on East 9th Street, in particular, is a popular choice for fans. Their prices vary, but you should expect to pay between $10 and $20. Browsing your parking options and booking a spot in advance through SpotHero can save you up to 50 percent off the drive-up rate. Read more about Progressive Field Parking.

Facts and Stats

• Name: Progressive Field
• Original name: Jacobs Field
• First Game: April 4th, 1994 vs Seattle Mariners (won 4-3)
• Team Name: Cleveland Guardians (2022 – Present)
• Former Team Name: Cleveland Indians (1915 – 2021)
• Address: 2401 Ontario Street, Cleveland, Ohio, 44115
• Year opened: 1994
• Architect: HOK Sport (Kansas City)
• Construction: Gateway Economic Development Corporation
• Owner: Cuyahoga County
• Seating capacity: 34,830
• Luxury suites: 115
• Record attendance: 45,274 (1997 ALDS)
• Grass type: Kentucky Bluegrass
• Field size: 325 feet (left field), 410 feet (center field), 325 feet (right field)
• Bullpen location: Center field
• Construction cost: $175 million
• Consecutive sellouts: 455 games (1995 to 2001)
• World Series hosted: 1995 vs Atlanta Braves (lost), 1997 vs Florida Marlins (lost) and 2016 vs Chicago Cubs (lost)
• MLB all-star games hosted: 1997 and 2019
• Longest home run: 511 feet (Jim Thome, 1999)

Progressive Field Photos