CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — It is a renovation that was a decade in the making.
Whataburger Field is getting a facelift and its signature grass field has a different look right now. The Corpus Christi Hooks front office said that the work was planned for a while.
Home of the Hooks and various events throughout the year, Hooks General Manager Brady Ballard said that Whataburger Field got a similar renovation 10 years ago.
"We had had about 10 years of the old field, and that's about the lifespan you're going to get, and so, this has been planned for a while," Ballard said. "So, we're happy to be really redoing the field from the ground up."
Ballard said that the project will fix irrigation, distances of baseline and warning track widths and more. The field will also transition its grass to TifTuf, which Ballard said is common on golf courses and baseball fields.
A Corpus Christi landmark, Whataburger Field hosted more than 108 baseball games so far in 2024—including college and high school games. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Islanders Head Baseball Coach Scott Malone said that the new field will be great since they open their season there next February.
"From just the baseball fans in Corpus, to my guys, to the high school kids, anybody that gets a chance to go play down there," Malone said. "It's the top of the mountain. It's awesome."
Islanders Baseball will play The University of Kansas during its opening weekend in 2025 at Whataburger Field. Malone said that they will also play there against Washington State University, University of California-Los Angeles and the University of Notre Dame in the Kleberg Classic. He explained that it is an exciting venue for every team to play in.
"When I get on the phone and tell them, 'Hey, it's Coach Malone from Corpus Christi. We're holding the tournament at Whataburger Field. Are you interested?' It's yes, it's always yes," Malone said.
The Whataburger Field renovations began on Sept. 23 and are expected to last three to four weeks, weather permitting. More than 50 tons of red clay—the infield surface—will be donated, and the Hooks will partner with Corpus Christi Parks and Recreation. Ballard said that donated clay and grass can be used for youth fields in the community.
"To continue to take our field, pay it forward to perhaps youth fields around the area to have the, you know, good nutrients, good Bermuda grass that we have and make sure that that gets passed on," Ballard said.
Movie nights at Whataburger Field are on-hold for now, Ballard said. However, Halloween with the Hooks in October, a baseball camp in November and Trevi's Homecoming in December are still planned.