A Gem of the Southwest

Main entrance to Cohen Stadium, Aug-2007. The relatively new tent shades are in view.

The deep red press-box level, with mountains behind.

The outfield wall, which was once painted red to resemble adobe, is now green.

Chronological Tour: Stop 187

• Location: Patriot Freeway (Route 54) just south of Trans Mountain Road (Loop 375), El Paso, Texas
• Opened: 1990
• Demolished: 2019
• Home team: El Paso Diablos, Texas League (1990-2004), Central League (2005), American Association (2006-13)
• Capacity: 9,725

Rating: 4 baseballs

Additionally, I enjoyed the outfield wall, which, like the rest of the ballpark, had the appearance of adobe (although by 2007 it had been painted green). I just thought it was a very pleasant place to watch a ball game.

Unfortunately, with the park so far from downtown, they charge for parking here, and the concessions here were the most expensive of any minor league park on my 2000 trip.

In late 2004, the El Paso Diablos announced that they were moving to Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo., for 2005. This prompted speculation over who, if anyone, might use Cohen Stadium. There was momentary talk that the Tacoma Rainiers, dissatisfied with the condition of Cheney Stadium, might move here; in the end, the Central League moved in and took over the Diablos name.

Also upon my visit to the park in 2007, the third-base line was a bit less open-air than before, as huge white sun shades had been erected on that side of the park.

The 2013 season was the last for Cohen Stadium as a professional venue, as a new ballpark has been built in the downtown area, on the site of the previous city hall, and it hosts a Triple-A Pacific Coast League team starting in 2014. Cohen Stadium was torn down in the summer of 2019 to make way for a new entertainment complex on the site.