📍 Houston, Texas
⚾ Home of the Houston Astros

Designed as a replacement for the legendary Astrodome – the first-ever domed sports venue in the world – Daikin Park opened at the turn of the millennium as the new home of MLB’s Houston Astros. The construction of this downtown stadium ultimately saved the ‘Stros from relocation and has proved itself as a worthy domicile for the team over the last few decades, hosting electric World Series games on several occasions. Today, the ballpark is known as one of the most recognizable and unique venues in the league.

Featuring an iconic retractable roof, Daikin Park – formerly Minute Maid Park – was nicknamed “the Juice Box”, a moniker which plays on both the stadium’s former name and its shape. Installed out of sheer necessity, the roof protects players and fans from the oppressive Texas heat during the dog days of summer. However, the canopy structure is sometimes retracted for a few days in the early spring and late fall, providing spectators the seldom-seen view of downtown Houston just beyond left field.

Incorporating former Union Station into its footprint, the ballpark exterior features a continuation of the old-fashioned brick and lattice architecture found on the historic 1911 building. Ceasing railroad operations in 1974, the station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 and was a focal point of the construction of the new ballpark. The shiny marble interior is now home to the team store, which fans can explore on gameday and during normal business hours.

The neighborhood’s railroad past is also memorialized inside the stadium itself. A replica 1862 steam locomotive, conducted by Bobby “Dynamite” Vasquez since 2001, rolls down a set of tracks located in the outfield – hauling its precious cargo of oranges – after every Astros home run. Each long ball is also counted on the Phillips 66 Home Run Pump, a nod to Houston’s rich oil-refining history. Daikin also used to feature Tal’s Hill, a one-of-a-kind incline in dead center field that made for some crazy in-game moments as players navigated the steep berm and the flagpole at its center. Although the modern-day MLB oddity was removed in 2016, the ballpark still has plenty of unique elements that help it stand out amongst its peers.

With the Astros rocketing into the spotlight in recent years – although not always for the right reasons – Daikin Park has subsequently also taken center stage as the site of marquee World Series matchups in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022. During the Astros’ run to the championship in ’17, the ballpark hosted Games 3, 4 and 5, the latter of which saw the ‘Stros win in walk-off fashion in what’s considered one of the greatest MLB playoff games of all time. The Astros continued their winning ways in 2022, this time clinching their second title at home in Houston.

Astros fans are, in a way, still riding the high from their two World Series wins. Through ups and downs, the crowds continue to turn out to the ballpark at the corner of Texas and Crawford Streets, hoping to see some of Space City’s biggest stars launch longballs into orbit.