Inside Colorado Rockies' $253,000,000 Coors Field stadium, built on a site of dinosaur bones and fossils

Known as the most hitter-friendly field in MLB, Coors Field in Colorado's high altitude sets it apart from other ballparks. However, the origins of the field are rooted in some rather archeic history.

Lying 5,200 feet above sea level, the stadium has been home to the Colorado Rockies since the 1995 season. Constructed with 1.4 million bricks, Coors Field aims to mirror the rugged Colorado landscape by featuring seven water fountains and a nature area in centre field which houses tree species native to Colorado.

"Vintage photo of the day: @MLB: Construction takes place on Coors Field prior to its grand opening in 1995. @Rockies #Rockies #Colorado #MLB #Baseball" - Chris Larson

Construction on the complex broke ground in 1993, the same year that the Colorado Rockies were inaugurated as an MLB team. Until their brand new stadium was ready, the Rockies played at Mile High Stadium, home of the NFL's Denver Broncos.

During construction, workers unearthed fossil remains of dinosaurs. Although the haul was originally reported to include an entire triceratops skull, the actual remains found were small and fragmented. In a move to honor the discovery, the Colorado Rockies began using a triceratops named Dinger as their mascot.

"Several fossils were discovered in downtown Denver, Colorado during the construction of Coors Field in the early 1990s, including a 2.1m long triceratops skull, which ultimately led to the Colorado Rockies choice of "Dinger the Triceratops" as their mascot" - Rex's Herpetology Facts

Construction of the field was completed in 1995 at a cost of around $250 million. The first-ever game was played between the Rockies and the New York Mets on April 26 of that year. In the game, Dante Bichette hit a walk-off home run in the fourteenth inning to seal the deal for the Rockies. According to Forbes, the stadium is worth $253 million.

Moreover, Coors Brewing purchased the naming rights to the field in 1991 for $30 million. The Colorado-based brewery will maintain the naming rights through the 2047 season. In 2014, a portion of the outfield standing area was converted into a party deck, which remains to this day.

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Coors Field is certainly a unique place to play baseball

Shrouded by a natural element, the cool breeze at Coors Field is often a welcome change from the mugginess found in other MLB stadiums. Built to mirror the rugged and crisp Colorado environment, it is likely that this field will remain a favorite for hitters for years and decades to come.