The City of Crookston will be adding new seating behind home plate at Jim Karn Field. The project is valued at $180,000, which will be paid for by the Crookston Baseball Association.
There will be 238 seats added, with 133 of them stadium seating. “The seats immediately in front of the press box will be removed, and stadium seating will be implemented,” said City Administrator Corky Reynolds. “What stadium seating means there will be a fold-up base where you would sit, with a backside attached. This is much like a professional stadium.” The stadium seats will also have cupholders.
BREAKDOWN OF SEATING
The total number of seats that are being added is 238. Of those 238 seats, 133 of them are considered stadium seating. Four wheelchair spaces are handicapped accessible, along with 100 bench seats designed as bleacher seating. “If you think about Karn field, right in front of the press box is where the 133 stadium seats will go, and they will be right against the backstop,” said Reynolds. “Everybody seated will be able to see the entire field.” Seating offset to each side of the stadium seating will have bench seating with backs attached.
The Southern Bleacher Company is set to start this project in late November or early December, and the expected completion time would be before Crookston High School takes the field next spring in early April.
BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT
The city believes this upgrade will benefit all the Crookston baseball teams. With stadium seating being added, this can make attending a game much more enjoyable. “This will make it much more comfortable and conducive to a delightful experience,” said Reynolds. “These seats will give a better view of the field.” Crookston Baseball Association is hopeful that this will give Crookston a leg up as far as premier fields in the area, where they can host more section, legion, and Babe Ruth League tournaments.
The architecture layout sheets for Karn Field are below. Click images to see full size.
