MLB All-Star Village in south Seattle will ‘showcase the city’
With the Major League Baseball All-Star Game just 64 days away and a week’s worth of festivities starting before that, MLB and the Seattle Mariners unveiled the first look at the Capital One All-Star Village via video featuring renderings of the area.
The village will be a massive area in the SoDo stadium area, including T-Mobile Park, Lumen Field and Event Center and the streets around those buildings. It’s described as the “focal point of All-Star Week fan engagement” in the news release.
The village will also be the host site for the first-round of the 2023 MLB amateur draft, which will be held inside Lumen Field on Sunday, July 9, at 4 p.m., with several of the top potential picks in attendance.
It will be a big day for the Mariners, who have three first-round picks at Nos. 22, 29 (for Julio Rodriguez winning rookie of the year) and 30 (competitive-balance pick).
The big attraction of the All-Star village is the Capital One Play Ball Park, which opens Saturday, July 8, and runs through Tuesday, July 11. Hours of operation on Saturday and Sunday are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.
Per news release: “It is the world’s largest and most playable baseball and softball festival with more than 50 indoor and outdoor attractions for fans of all ages.”
“It will be like a theme park,” said Edgar Martinez on Monday. “The fans are going to be able to see the legends of the game, but also they’re going to experience multiple activities. It’s going to be fun for all the fans in the city.”
For the fans, particularly kids, the area will hold Play Ball Park, which is an interactive fan experience that features:
• Batting cages
• Live panel discussions with former players
• Home run derby VR
• MLB The Show 23 gaming stations
• Diamond clinics with softball legends and coaches from USA Baseball and USA Softball
• Curated exhibit from the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum
• Interactive display from the Negro Leagues Museum
• Live cleat-customization painting
• Mascot home run derbies
• Home plate bounce and home run robber
• Major league trophy displays
• Pitching tunnels
Fans will have the opportunity to receive free autographs and participate in question-and-answer sessions and clinics led by former players, all of which is included with the price of admission to the park’s section.
Several former Mariners will be at the Play Ball Park to sign autographs, participate in clinics, lead demonstrations and pose for photos with from July 8-11. Former Mariners All-Stars, including Martinez, Bret Boone and Mike Cameron, will be there along with a total of 20 former players.
“It’s great to showcase the city,” Martinez said. “They are going to see how beautiful the city is and how great the people are here.”
Regular admission costs $35 for going into the indoor part of the Play Ball Park, while all activities outside will be free. For a limited time, fans can purchase $10 tickets at AllStarGame.com with the code PBPO. Eligible Capital One cardholders receive four free tickets and can redeem them while supplies last.