| Chain O'Lakes Park was a great example of how a spring training venue should be. Set away from the hustle and bustle of the Tampa and Orlando areas, it had a relaxed atmosphere that made it feel like an escape. There were no luxury boxes, no flashy scoreboards, and no play areas for kids—fans came here for baseball and nothing else. While it may not have been the most comfortable ballpark, especially with large crowds, it seemed that most fans didn’t mind.
The park featured a large covered grandstand, which proved useful on the drizzly night I attended a game. Additional seating included a sizable bleacher section in right field and berm seating in left. Concession stands were located at the top of the grandstand and in the left-field corner. Food choices were fairly basic, limited to standard ballpark fare—hot dogs, pizza, pretzels, and french fries. Prices were about average for a spring training game.
The 2008 season marked the final year of Grapefruit League baseball at Chain O’Lakes Park, as the Indians relocated their spring training operations to Arizona in 2009. With no other teams looking to move to Winter Haven, the ballpark’s future became uncertain. Given its age, another MLB team was unlikely to use it unless significant renovations were made.
For years, there was hope that the stadium would remain standing for amateur baseball, preserving the nostalgic feel of a bygone era. However, in 2024, Chain O'Lakes Park was torn down to make way for youth baseball fields. While the original ballpark is gone, its legacy continues through the next generation of players who now take the field in its place.
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