Citi Field

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The path to Citi Field began in the 1990s when the Mets sought to replace Shea Stadium, which had become suboptimal for baseball after serving as a multi-purpose venue since 1964. Early plans included a retractable roof and movable field, but political shifts altered the course entirely. Mayor Rudy Giuliani initially agreed to massive public subsidies for new stadiums, but his successor Michael Bloomberg rejected these deals as "corporate welfare," insisting teams pay for construction while the city only funded infrastructure. The final design emerged from New York's failed 2012 Olympic bid; when the West Side Stadium plan collapsed, the Mets' ballpark was considered only for baseball events. This pivot allowed the project to move forward under a strict financial model where the Mets repay $615 million in bonds with interest. The resulting park features green seats honoring the Polo Grounds and orange foul poles—a nod to Shea that Citi Field shares with Oracle Park—blending historical homage with the clean lines of PNC Park.

In Their Own Story

Construction began in July 2006 in the parking lot beyond Shea Stadium's left field, racing toward a late March 2009 finish. By April 13, 2008, the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was structurally complete with its arched windows paneled and glazed. September saw most signage installed, and by December 1, 2008, every seat and the playing field were in place. The park welcomed its first visitors on March 29, 2009, when St. John's Red Storm played Georgetown Hoyas in a college game. Two days later, the Mets faced the Boston Red Sox in charity exhibitions on April 3 and 4. Their first regular-season home contest occurred on April 13 against the San Diego Padres, a series that immediately exposed an obstructed view from the visiting bullpen caused by the Mets' own bullpens. During the 2010 off-season, crews rotated both bullpens 90 degrees so pitchers threw toward the field. The stadium later hosted the 2013 All-Star Game, marking only the second time in franchise history it hosted the event.

Reader's Guide

Visitors to Citi Field will find a capacity of 41,922, significantly fewer than Shea Stadium's original count. The majority of seats are green, paying homage to the Polo Grounds, while the exterior brick facade echoes Ebbets Field. Unique features include orange foul poles instead of standard yellow ones and a pedestrian bridge in the outfield named Shea Bridge. Fans should note that dimensions have changed over time: the "Great Wall of Flushing" (a 16-foot wall) was modified in 2012 with an 8-foot wall added to increase home runs, and right-center distance was reduced from 415 feet to 390 feet. In 2015, center and right-center walls moved to 380 feet. By 2023, the right field fence shifted in another 8 feet, removing a nook and installing a new 17,400-square-foot scoreboard, the largest in MLB. The address changed on March 21, 2019, to 41 Seaver Way to honor Tom Seaver.

Did You Know?

• Citi Field is one of two Major League Baseball ballparks to feature orange foul poles instead of the standard yellow ones, the other being Oracle Park.
• The stadium's address was officially changed to 41 Seaver Way on April 3, 2019, in honor of Hall of Famer Tom Seaver, whose jersey number was 41.
• During its first three seasons, Citi Field played as an extreme 'pitcher's park' due to large field dimensions until changes were made in 2012 and 2015 to favor hitters.
• The Jackie Robinson Rotunda was completed later in 2008, after the initial construction phase.
• Citi Field has over 15,000 fewer seats than its predecessor, Shea Stadium, creating a more intimate fan experience.

Origins and Political Struggles

Since the 1990s, the Mets pursued a replacement for Shea Stadium, which suffered from seating located too far from the field despite being retrofitted as baseball-only after the Jets left in 1983. A preliminary model unveiled in 1998 proposed a retractable roof and movable grass to host conventions and basketball. The team also considered sites at Mitchel Field, Belmont Park, Sunnyside Yard, or the West Side Yard. In December 2001, Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced tentative agreements for both the Mets and Yankees to build new stadiums with $800 million in public construction funds and $390 million for transportation. The deal allowed teams to keep parking revenues and 96% of ticket sales while receiving tax breaks. However, Michael Bloomberg succeeded Giuliani and exercised an escape clause, calling the plan "corporate welfare" after discovering a clause allowing teams to leave on 60 days' notice if the city backed out. Under Bloomberg, public funding was restricted to infrastructure improvements only. The final plans for Citi Field were developed as part of New York's unsuccessful 2012 Olympic bid; when the West Side Stadium project failed, the Mets' ballpark was designated as an alternate venue for track and field, though London ultimately won the games.

Financial Structure and Public Investment

The $850 million park relied on $615 million in public subsidies funded by New York City municipal bonds. The Mets are responsible for repaying these bonds with interest over time, a mechanism designed to offset property taxes for the stadium's entire lifetime. Citigroup purchased naming rights for $20 million annually. The Mets own the facility through their wholly owned subsidiary, Queens Ballpark Company, under a 40-year lease that keeps them in New York until 2049. This financial structure emerged after Mayor Bloomberg rejected direct public funding for stadium construction, insisting teams pay while the city covered only infrastructure improvements. The original projected cost was $610 million, with the Mets contributing $420 million. This arrangement balanced the need for a state-of-the-art facility with fiscal constraints imposed by city leadership, ensuring taxpayers were not left with long-term debt obligations beyond the initial bond issuance.

Construction Timeline and Architectural Vision

Designed by Populous, construction began in July 2006 in Shea Stadium's parking lot, targeting completion before Opening Day 2009. By April 13, 2008, the Jackie Robinson Rotunda structure was complete with arched windows receiving glass and paneling. September 2008 saw most signage installed, and by December 1, 2008, all seats and the playing field were in place. The design focused on a baseball-only configuration to solve Shea's issues, featuring green seats as an homage to the Polo Grounds and an exterior resembling Ebbets Field. Interior influences included PNC Park, Great American Ball Park, Coors Field, and Citizens Bank Park. A key architectural motif is the bridge theme, reflecting New York City's 2,027 bridges and symbolizing the Mets' connection to the Giants and Dodgers. The park also features unique orange foul poles carried over from Shea Stadium.

Inaugural Events and Operational Refinements

Citi Field hosted its first game on March 29, 2009, a college matchup between St. John's Red Storm and Georgetown Hoyas. The Mets played their first two games against the Boston Red Sox on April 3 and 4 as charity exhibitions. Their inaugural regular-season home game took place on April 13, 2009, against the San Diego Padres. This debut revealed a design flaw where the visiting bullpen had an obstructed view due to the Mets' bullpen placement. During the 2010 off-season, both bullpens were rotated 90 degrees so pitchers faced the field directly. The venue also saw significant dimension changes: in 2012, an 8-foot wall was added in left field and right-center distance reduced from 415 to 390 feet to encourage home runs. In 2015, center and right-center walls moved to 380 feet. On March 21, 2019, the address changed to 41 Seaver Way in honor of Tom Seaver. In 2023, the right field fence moved in another 8 feet, and a new 17,400-square-foot scoreboard was installed.