Mariners building strong lineup in the SoDo region with “The Boxyard”
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – Right across the street from beautiful T-Mobile Park and in the same building as the Hatback bar & Grille and Steelheads Alley, the Seattle Mariners organization have announced “The Boxyard.” The boxyard is the name of the complex that will house the two previously mentioned entities, as well as “Victory Hall” and a new training center in partnership with EL1 Sports. The name itself is a reference to the development’s ties to the railroad industry dating back to 1914. The announcement of this complex, now spanning the entirety of the city block to the West of the ballpark, is another step in the ballclubs plan to rejuvenate the SoDo area through continued development.
“We’re excited about the expansion of The Boxyard and hope that these new businesses will provide more economic opportunities and equitable outcomes for the broader community. This is only the beginning, and we’re looking forward to seeing this neighborhood continue to evolve and prosper.”
A rendering of the outside of the “Boxyard” once finished (Courtesy of the Seattle Mariners)
Celebrating in Victory Hall for years to come
Opening right next door to Steelheads Alley, Victory Hall will actually be attached to the current development of Steelheads + Hatback Bar & Grille. All of 9,500 square feet, the space will be open to the public in time for the Mariners to kick off their 2023 campaign on opening day, March 30th. While surely, it’ll be outfitted with modern necessities, the architecture of Victory Hall will proudly boast the original 1914 building’s brick walls and exposed wood beams from its past. The Mariners understand that while looking towards the future is where we all strive to be, being able to acknowledge the past is a key to realizing who we are and how our journey has progressed, which is also beautifully displayed on the walls of Steelheads Alley.
On gamedays, whether that be for the Mariners or perhaps other teams that play in the area, the space will become an indoor beer garden while also hosting various events throughout the calendar year that include concerts, watch-parties, and other community celebrations. When not being used for those events, the hall will be available to rent for corporate events, weddings, and other celebrations or occasions.
A rendering of the inside of Victory Hall (Courtesy of the Seattle Mariners)
EL1 and the Mariners grow their partnership early
In our interview with EL1 Co-Founders Aaron Trolia and Jameel Cante just last week about their new partnership with the Mariners to launch the “Mariners Training Center,” both men echoed that the five training centers already in place were just the very beginning. Cante talked about how EL1 plans to continue development throughout the Mariners TV region (Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana), and the news in today’s announcement about the complex is part of that. With a facility just a stolen base length away from the ballpark, the opportunity to train in the shadow of the building of their heroes becomes a reality for young baseball and softball players.
The part of the complex that used to be the “Great Floors” will be renovated to become a new all-encompassing facility for baseball and softball training. It will include eight batting cages, an open space in the middle of the facility, while also housing state-of-the-art technology to help these young athletes grow their games. It won’t just be a spot for training, though, as in addition to clinics and camps the facility will host Little League events, kids’ parties, corporate events, pregame activities ahead of games for the teams that call either Lumen Field or T-Mobile Park home.
As if it wasn’t already sparking excitement like a late inning comeback, the facility will also house a Mariners retail store and concession booth. The latter will be serving pre-packaged snacks, soft drinks, and adult beverages. While Victory Hall is expected to be ready for opening day on March 30th, 2023, this facility is expected to be ready in the summer. It may be a little later than the rest of the complex, but as Mariners fans of the team over the last few seasons know, some victories take time to develop.
Aarona Trolia and Jameel Cante, Co-Founders of EL1 Sports, speak outside of T-Mobile Park (Photo by Liv Lyons)
Continued development in the SoDo area
While the Pandemic and its lasting effects have obviously harmed several businesses around the stadiums and general SoDo region, the Mariners organization seems to have found opportunity to not only encourage fans of the team to spend more time near the ballpark, but to make it a place to be year-round. In speaking with Mariners Executive Vice President Fred Rivera, he stated that the organization had several plans for the land surrounding the ballpark to become a sort of hub similar to Wrigleyville (Chicago Cubs) and Titletown (Green Bay Packers).
Many teams across the multiple leagues in the United States of America really don’t have too much development around them, whether that be because of location, lack for effort to implement, or others. Mariner fans are some of the most dedicated in all of baseball, let alone American sports. As someone heavily involved in the Seattle sports scene, a lot of the chatter I get in the time of the year that is the Mariners offseason is about missing the season. With the further development of the SoDo region, Mariner faithful will have opportunities to be in the shadow of the ballpark even when the team isn’t striking out Yankees or slamming homers off of Athletics. Embracing the Chaos can now be a year-round activity.
Another rendering of Victory Hall (Courtesy of the Seattle Mariners)
Read about our experience at the grand opening of the Hatback Grille back in August here: https://www.whereweconverge.com/post/hatbackbargrille-and-steelheadsalley-sneakpeek