What happened to Rosenblatt Stadium? What to know about former College World Series venue
Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, the home of the College World Series, has been open since 2011, when it replaced Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium.
One of Arkansas, LSU, Oregon State, Coastal Carolina, UCLA, Arizona, Murray State or Louisville, the eight teams to qualify for the CWS in 2025, will come away with a national championship at Charles Schwab Field, which cost $131 million to build.
While Charles Schwab Field gave the CWS a much-needed facelift and allowed for more fans to attend the event, the aura of Rosenblatt Stadium still lives on. But what happened to it?
Here's everything you need to know about Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium:
What happened to Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium?
Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium, the host for the College World Series for 61 years, was demolished beginning in 2012 after hosting its last CWS in 2010.
Rosenblatt Stadium's days were numbered after the City of Omaha promised the NCAA a new stadium in 2008 in order to keep the CWS in Omaha for the next 25 years. The area that held Rosenblatt Stadium was then sold to the nearby zoo, which demolished the venue in order to expand the zoo and add parking.
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, in a classy move, built an ode to Rosenblatt Stadium by recreating a small version of the field on the confines of its park. It's called the "Infield at the Zoo," and includes some original pieces from the old stadium.
The kid-friendly infield is located in the same area as the original field, and is commonly visited by teams that reach the College World Series.
In May 2007, an organization named "Save Rosenblatt" came into being amid ongoing talks of building a new CWS venue. The organization even ran local commercials that called for renovations to the stadium, with Kevin Costner appearing in the advertisement.
What to know about Rosenblatt Stadium
Rosenblatt Stadium opened in 1948 and was the home of the College World Series from 1950-2010. The historic venue also hosted the Omaha Royals (now Omaha Storm Chasers), the Kansas City Royals' Triple-A affiliate, until 2010.
Rosenblatt Stadium was the largest minor-league stadium in MiLB until its demolition.
The famed "Road to Omaha" sculpture that graces the entrance at Charles Schwab Field, the new home of the College World Series, was originally dedicated at Rosenblatt Stadium, but was moved once the CWS moved.
The stadium was named after former mayor Johnny Rosenblatt, who was in office from 1954-61. An avid baseball fan, Rosenblatt was a semi-pro baseball player and played in games against the likes of Satchel Paige and Babe Ruth, and he played a key role in bringing the CWS to Omaha.
The stadium was originally named Omaha Municipal Stadium but was renamed to honor Rosenblatt in 1964.