LECOM Park

LECOM Park sits on the southern fringe of historic downtown Bradenton in a residential neighborhood that has held the ballpark since 1923 — a century of unbroken use that gives the surrounding blocks a quiet old-Florida character distinct from the more recently-built spring-training complexes elsewhere in the state. Downtown Bradenton's Old Main Street district, with its restaurants and the Manatee River Riverwalk, sits a short drive or walk north and is the closest walkable cluster. The Village of the Arts neighborhood just east of the ballpark is a colorful artist-studio district with several galleries and a handful of small restaurants. Anna Maria Island — the canonical Gulf-beach destination — sits about 20 minutes west across the bridges and is where most visiting fans stay. Sarasota's downtown and Siesta Key sit a short drive south.

Plan to arrive 60-90 minutes before first pitch for Pirates spring-training games in March — the snowbird Pirates fan base turns out heavily and 9th Street West backs up in the half hour before first pitch. For Bradenton Marauders Florida State League games during the summer regular season, parking flow is much gentler and a 45-minute arrival works. The ballpark opened in 1923 as Bradenton's first municipal ballpark and the Pirates have trained here continuously since 1969 — one of the longer continuous spring-training city tenures in MLB. The venue was renamed LECOM Park in 2017 under a naming-rights deal with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine; it was McKechnie Field from 1962 to 2017 (named for Hall of Famer Bill McKechnie, a longtime Bradenton resident). A 2008 renovation modernized the seating bowl while preserving the 1923 footprint and Spanish-mission architectural style. Mobile-only tickets are the norm. Bag policy and gate-open times shift season to season; confirm on the team site before going.

LECOM Park opened in 1923 as Bradenton's first municipal ballpark and is one of the oldest spring-training facilities still in continuous Major League use. The venue was named McKechnie Field from 1962 to 2017 in honor of Hall of Famer Bill McKechnie, the World Series-winning manager and longtime Bradenton resident. It was renamed LECOM Park in 2017 under a naming-rights deal with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. The ballpark serves a dual role as the Pittsburgh Pirates' Grapefruit League spring-training home (the Pirates have trained in Bradenton continuously since 1969 — one of the longer unbroken spring-training city tenures in MLB) and the year-round home of the Bradenton Marauders, the Pirates' Single-A Florida State League affiliate. A 2008 renovation modernized the seating bowl, clubhouses, and concourses while preserving the 1923 footprint and the Spanish-mission architectural style. Capacity sits around 8,500. The Marauders shifted from the High-A Florida State League to the Single-A Florida State League under MLB's 2021 minor-league reorganization.