AutoZone Park Sprouts Miracle-Gro Rooftop
March 21, 2017 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release
MEMPHIS, Tennessee - The Memphis Redbirds are proud to announce the Miracle-Gro© Rooftop Garden, a one-of-a-kind addition to AutoZone Park that has wide-reaching benefits for community health, education, and environmental sustainability.
The Miracle-Gro© Rooftop Garden will be built on the 3rd Floor landing at AutoZone Park, which overlooks the plaza inside the front gates at the corner of B.B. King and Union.
"When the Memphis Redbirds approached Miracle-Gro with a plan to repurpose the third level deck at AutoZone Park, we were thrilled to partner with them and bring this project to life," said John Sass, Vice President and General Manager of Miracle-Gro. "The soil and plant food we provided will help create a space that educates and inspires all who visit this iconic urban space."
"As we continue to prioritize connectivity within the Memphis community, we are proud to build the first urban rooftop garden in all of Minor League Baseball," said Redbirds Principal Owner Peter Freund. "And to have an opportunity to partner with Miracle-Gro on this project, one of the most innovative corporations in America, will ensure its long-term success and opens the door for an exciting evolution of how the garden can grow."
The applications of the ballpark's Rooftop Garden are numerous and cross multiple segments of the community. The Redbirds are planning to use a portion of the food and herbs grown in the garden in food served at the concession stands during games. Local and sustainable food is a major push in Memphis' culinary culture, and the Redbirds have recognized the movement with the ability to use some of the most local and sustainable food seen anywhere.
In addition, during the Redbirds' annual Education Days, school children in attendance could tour the garden, learn about nutrition, and see how they could grow a garden of their own in whatever space they have at their home. Additional garden tours on gamedays and during special events are being planned as well.
The community will be able to access information about the garden, watch videos, and get gardening tips through the Miracle-Gro© Rooftop Garden webpage located at www.memphisredbirds.com/miraclegrogarden.
The components of the Miracle-Gro© Rooftop Garden are constructed with over 3,200 linear feet of Cypress lumber. The footprint of all raised beds is about 1,200 square feet, which is one-quarter of the entire landing area, and the beds hold 80 cubic yards of soil.
The Redbirds will be able to grow many different varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs, such as broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, peppers, spinach, tomatoes, basil, cilantro, dill, mint, oregano, and many more. More varieties will be added throughout the growing seasons.
The 2017 season begins on Thursday, March 30 against the St. Louis Cardinals in a "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game. The regular-season home opener is Tuesday, April 11 against Colorado Springs. For more information on single-game tickets and mini-memberships, visit www.memphisredbirds.com/tickets. For more information on "Battle of the Birds," visit www.memphisredbirds.com/battleofthebirds.
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