Tri-Cities Stadium

Front of Tri-Cities Stadium, Aug-2002.

The mostly-aluminum seating bowl near sunset.

The field looks out over a town park with seemingly uncountable soccer fields.

Chronological Tour: Stop 232

• Location: Burden Road east of Road 68, Pasco, Wash. (map it using Google Maps)
• Opened: 1995
• Additional names: Gesa Stadium (2007)
• Home team: Tri-City Posse, Western League (1995-2000); Tri-City Dust Devils, Northwest League (2001-present)
• Capacity: 3,730

Rating: 2 baseballs

Three fairly wide seating sections, made of aluminum, are joined by a street-level concourse. The field is sunken about four feet from street level. Only the box seats feature stadium seats on concrete; they surround the field independent of the aluminum seating sections.

The park faces due south; to compensate, they have stopped playing games that begin prior to 7:05 pm. There has also been an attractive sun screen added to the first-base side. Foul territory is narrow, especially behind the plate.

The most recent name of the park, Gesa Stadium, refers to a credit union that bought naming rights to the facility, which had gone by several generic names, including Dust Devils Stadium, over the years.

Watch for longtime employee Erik the Peanut Guy when you go to the game. Erik Mertens has worked at the ballpark for over a decade; he started as a humble peanut vendor and he is now a between-innings host and cheerleader for the Dust Devils. He was even honored with his own bobblehead several years ago.