The independent baseball stadium in Joliet, Illinois, eventually will be renamed Joliet Route 66 Stadium, it was announced Friday during the Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference in Joliet.
The name change may not occur for a year because of cost considerations, reported The Herald-News. Regardless, city officials trumpeted the news.
“This is international branding,” Joliet Economic Development Director Steve Jones told the conference, noting the appeal that Route 66 has for tourists in other countries. “We really look forward to implementing this.” […]
The idea is to light up the front gate of the stadium with images of a Route 66 highway sign, a classic convertible sports car, and the words “Joliet Stadium.” The front end chassis parts of 12 classic cars would be installed in the in the two towers – six in each tower – at the front gate of the stadium.
The Joliet Slammers‘ ballpark currently is named Silver Cross Field, after a local hospital that declined to renew its naming agreement. The team has called its home field Slammers Stadium for years.
The Slammers are part of the independent Frontier League and not affiliated with any major-league team.
(Artist’s rendering of the future entrance to Joliet Route 66 Stadium via the City of Joliet)
This is great news. I hate corporate stadium names. Now, they need to resurrect the muffler man they had in the outfield for years but took down once they became the Slammers. Muffler men and Route 66 are cut from the same cloth.