Inside New York Mets' $688,000,000 Citi Field ballpark, where orange foul poles carry on Shea Stadium's legacy

The New York Mets' home, Citi Field, is an iconic ballpark that has witnessed some of the iconic moments of the team since 2009. The ballpark is located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, in the borough of Queens, New York City, United States.

The stadium was intended to replace the adjacent Shea Stadium, which opened in 1964 and was designed by the infrastructural company Populous. Moreover, Citi Field has carried on Shea Stadium's legacy of using orange foul poles instead of standard yellow.

According to Forbes, the new ballpark has a seating capacity of over 41,000, and the average ticket price is $29. All seats are green to pay homage to the original home of the Mets, the Polo Grounds. This ballpark was built after spending $688 million.

Citi Field's architecture has an overall bridge motif, mirrored in the Mets logo, as the team is the symbolic connection to the city's previous National League franchises, the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers.

To provide the best in-game experience, it also features a Fan Fest area, which is a family entertainment area behind the centerfield scoreboard. The entertainment area also includes a miniature wiffle ball field replica of Citi Field, a batting cage, a dunk tank, video game kiosks and other attractions.

New York Mets ownership shift

On Oct. 30, 2020, Steve Cohen, founder of hedge fund Point72 Asset Management and S.A.C., became the majority owner by taking 95% stake in the team. He paid $2.475 billion, purchasing the team from the Wilpon family, with the Wilpons maintaining the remaining 5%.

However, the team's ownership change hasn't really translated into postseason success, as it is still looking to win its third World Series title, since winning it last in 1986 against the Boston Red Sox.

In 2023, it couldn't make it to the postseason, finishing fourth in the NL East with a record of 75-87.