"The Home of the Big Red Machine" "The Jungle" | |
 The Stadium in 1980 | |
 | |
| Former names | Riverfront Stadium (1970–96) Cinergy Field (1996–2002) |
|---|---|
| Location | 201 East Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati 45202 |
| Coordinates | 39°5′48″N 84°30′30″W / 39.09667°N 84.50833°W |
| Owner | City of Cincinnati |
| Capacity | 52,952 (baseball, 1970–2000) 59,754 (football) 39,000 (baseball, 2001–02) |
| Field size | 1970–2000 Left field – 330 ft (100 m) Left-center field – 375 ft (114 m) Center field – 404 ft (123 m) Right-center field – 375 ft (114 m) Right field – 330 ft (100 m) Backstop – 51 ft (16 m) 
2001–2002 Left field – 325 ft (99 m) Left-center field – 370 ft (110 m) Center field – 393 ft (120 m) Right-center field – 373 ft (114 m) Right field – 325 ft (99 m) Backstop – 41 ft (12 m) |
| Surface | AstroTurf 8 (1970–2000) Grass (2001–2002) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | February 1, 1968 |
| Opened | June 30, 1970 |
| Closed | September 22, 2002 |
| Demolished | December 29, 2002 |
| Construction cost | US$45 million ($353 million in 2023 dollars[2]) |
| Architect | Heery & Heery FABRAP |
| Structural engineer | Prybylowski and Gravino, Inc.[1] |
| General contractor | Huber, Hunt & Nichols[citation needed] |
| Tenants | |
| Cincinnati Bengals (NFL) (1970–1999) Cincinnati Reds (MLB) (1970–2002) Cincinnati Bearcats (NCAA) (1982–1988; part time, 1990; full time) | |
Riverfront Stadium, also known as Cinergy Field from 1996 to 2002, was a multi-purpose stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1970 through 2002 and the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL) from 1970 to 1999. Located on the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, the stadium was best known as the home of "The Big Red Machine", as the Reds were often called in the 1970s.
Construction began on February 1, 1968, and was completed at a cost of less than $50 million. Riverfront's grand opening was held on June 30, 1970, an 8–2 Reds loss to the Atlanta Braves. Braves right fielder Hank Aaron hit the first home run in Riverfront's history, a two-run shot in the first inning which also served as the stadium's first runs batted in.[3] Two weeks later on July 14, 1970, Riverfront hosted the 1970 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This game is best remembered for the often-replayed collision at home plate between Reds star Pete Rose and catcher Ray Fosse of the Cleveland Indians.
In September 1996, Riverfront Stadium was renamed "Cinergy Field" in a sponsorship deal with Greater Cincinnati energy company Cinergy. In 2001, to make room for Great American Ball Park, the seating capacity at Cinergy Field was reduced to 39,000. There was a huge in-play wall in center field visible after the renovations, to serve as the batter's eye. The stadium was demolished by implosion on December 29, 2002.
- ^ "Cincinnati Riverfront Stadium". Architectural Record. 147. Record and Guide: 54. 1970.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds Box Score, June 30, 1970". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 7, 2021.