Lawrence-Dumont Stadium is similar in its physical structure to that of Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium, only on a smaller scale. It is an older park that had undergone several renovations over the past decade. While it has probably lost some of its original charm (mostly due to the artificial turf infield), the park is still a fine place to see a game. The grandstand features some box seats, but the majority of the seating is benches. Luxury boxes are built on stilts, providing covering for seats behind home plate. But this also means that some seats have obstructed views. The recent renovations have resulted in a concourse that lets one circle the park entirely. Along the outfield concourse is the National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame. The NBC is a tournament held here each August and features some of the best college league teams. Along the concourse behind home plate is a tribute to many of the famous players who have played in Wichita. Concessions are well varied and reasonable in price. Some of the food items include brats, tacos, hot links, and burgers. A small gift store ("The General Store") is located off the concourse behind home plate. The atmosphere at Lawrence-Dumont is an interesting blend of old and new. The old comes in the form of the manual scoreboard that was recently installed. It supposedly is a recreation of the one used here in 1947. Just like the scoreboard at Quebec's Stade Municipal, a goose lays an egg whenever the opposing team does not score. The "modern" atmosphere I can do without, though. Sound effects were numerous, including an annoying laugh that was played after each opposing out was made. Also, it was interesting to see how obsessed kids were with collecting trash - apparently they received a free ball if they filled up a bag. The ballpark is located just west of the Arkansas River and some of the city skyline can be seen in the backdrop. Parking is both plentiful and free. Lawrence-Dumont Stadium is certainly one of a dying breed. There aren't many old parks left in AA, so hopefully it can hang on to its professional team for a while longer. With a few more renovations (i.e. more comfortable seating and a real grass infield), this park might get more recognition as a classic. But as it stands now, it is really not missing any "amenities" that the average fan needs. Unforunately, because of subpar attendance, it appears that 2007 will be the last for the Wranglers in Wichita. A new ballpark is being built in Springdale, Arkansas where they will be relocating to. As expected, an independent team will take over using Lawrence-Dumont starting in '08. In May of 2018, it was announced that the ballpark would no longer be hosting baseball after the 2018 season as the city does not want to put more money into it. Then in the summer of 2018, it was announced that a new ballpark would be built for a AAA team in time for the 2020 season. Lawrence-Dumont Stadium was torn down in the fall of 2018 to make way for the new ballpark.
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