Little Debbie will sponsor a space at Erlanger Park along with local accounting firm HHM and air conditioning and plumbing provider Eldridge Service Co., the Chattanooga Lookouts announced.
The stadium off South Broad Street will debut as the new home of the city’s minor league baseball team April 14 with the 7 p.m. opener against the Montgomery Biscuits. The site was formerly home to the U.S. Pipe foundry, which closed in 2006.
Little Debbie, the central brand of Collegedale-based manufacturer McKee Foods, will sponsor the berm, a grassy seating area designed for families above the left field wall. The area will be called the Little Debbie Berm.
(READ MORE: Landowners have ‘no concerns’ about progress near Lookouts stadium, attorney says)
“Erlanger Park is a community-driven project designed to bring people together, and these new partners help us build a world-class fan experience,” Lookouts President Rich Mozingo said in a press release. “Their support underscores Chattanooga’s enthusiasm for this ballpark and for the future of the South Broad District.”
The three new sponsors join a list of companies with local headquarters or offices that will have their names on various parts of the ballpark: the Unum Suite Level, the Rock City Bar off right field, the FirstBank Club above home plate, the Kubota of Chattanooga Club above the batter’s eye, the Coca-Cola Pattern Shop and the EPB Powerhouse.
HHM is sponsoring the party decks at the end of the two suite levels, and Eldridge Service Co. is sponsoring the field boxes and half rounds, seating designed for small groups along the left field line.
SPONSORS SPEAK
Leaders from the three new sponsors shared in the press release why their companies wanted to sponsor spaces at Erlanger Park.
— Mike Gloekler, spokesperson for McKee Foods: “Both of our organizations are so woven into the fabric of Chattanooga, and there’s something special about bringing together Chattanooga’s hometown team and its hometown girl. For us, this is about more than just a seat at the park. It’s about celebrating our shared history and giving families a place to relax and make those classic ballpark memories together.”
— Donnie Hutcherson, managing partner of HHM: “This is a big moment for our community — a new ballpark that’s going to bring people together and create something special for years to come. It’s exciting for our clients, our employees and the entire Chattanooga area. The stadium was built with the community in mind, and that aligns closely with how we approach our work and relationships.”
— Todd and Laura Eldridge, owners of Eldridge Service Co.: “As the first pitch at Erlanger Park nears, Eldridge Service Co. is honored to partner with the Chattanooga Lookouts to help welcome the community to its new ballpark. As a local, family-owned company with over 30 years of service to Chattanooga and North Georgia, we can’t wait to support the Lookouts alongside our neighbors.”
The Lookouts were established in 1885 as a founding member of the Southern League. The team is the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.
BY THE NUMBERS
— $115 million: The price tag of the publicly owned stadium, funded mostly with future property and sales tax revenue
— 8,032: The seating capacity of Erlanger Park for Lookouts home games
— 24,000: The usable square footage of the Pattern Shop, the largest indoor event space repurposed from a 1936 building
— 500: The number of guests the Pattern Shop will be able to hold for sit-down dinners, weddings, business meetings and concerts
— 12: The number of tickets that come with the stadium’s cabanas, a set of shaded seating areas in right-center field sold on a nightly basis
— 16: The number of luxury suites that come with 20 tickets and dedicated wait staff
— 7,000: The square footage of a two-story suite club directly behind home plate that will host 40-200 guests for luncheons, meetings and parties
— 450: The maximum number of guests for events in the Powerhouse, the oldest building in the development, dating to 1882
— Compiled by Daniel Dassow
