KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Smokies last called Knoxville home in 1999 at Bill Meyer Stadium, originally called Municipal Stadium. They played at that park for 45 years, and it was demolished in 2003.
Baseball historian Mark Aubrey first visited Meyer Stadium in the late-1990s and it was not what he expected.
"I was excited because it was a new ballpark for me, and then I got inside," Aubrey said. "It was a little sketchy."
Aubrey recalls certain seating areas behind taped-off and concrete falling apart, with certain parts of the stadium leaking.
"I'm surprised they were able to stay there that long," Aubrey said.
The Smokies are expecting to move into their new Knoxville ballpark as early as 2025, which would mark 25 years that the team has been at its current home in Kodak, Tenn. Aubrey expects the team's return to Knoxville to be great for the city.
"They've taken great pains to make sure that it's financially responsible," Aubrey said. "As far as the team, they're going to want to be in a new stadium. Everybody likes a new stadium, it's shiny."
When the Smokies go back to Knoxville, Aubrey expects the devoted fans to still attend games, while the team will attract a new set of fair-weather fans in its new location. Fans like Aubrey will still cherish the experiences he had at Smokies Stadium in Kodak.
"It was nice, and I'll remember those," Aubrey said. "When the Smokies go away from [Kodak], I'll still going to have the memories. I'm still going to have the photos. I'm still going to have an autograph here and there. There's a new stadium coming and I'll create more memories there."
There is a new ballpark on the old Bill Meyer Stadium site called Ridley-Helton Ballpark. Knoxville native and former MLB star Todd Helton donated the money for the field's improvements.