Five County Stadium
Zebulon, NC
Team: Carolina Mudcats
Affiliation: Florida Marlins
Capacity: 6,000
League: Southern (AA)
Completed: 1991
Renovated: 1999

I can honestly say that I haven't ever been to a park quite like Five County Stadium.  It seems like they were trying to buck convention all the way around when they designed this place.  There is a fancy brick facade, but it's not red brick.  The seats, however, usually green in most newer parks, ARE red.  And while there are a few double deck arrangements in minor league baseball, I doubt that any of the others are configured quite like this.  

The double deck is perhaps the most unique aspect of this interesting park.  In fact, it dominates the rest of the park.  The lower deck is almost nonexistent with only a few rows of seats, with the upper deck looming above it.  The upper deck is placed so close to the field that it is virtually right on top of the lower seating area, resulting in upper deck seating that is very close to the field.  Down each line are two large sections of seats, which are orange rather than red (the contrast is greater in person than in my pictures).  

The setting isn't much to speak of.  There isn't much of a view, and, in fact, there isn't really much else in the neighborhood besides the park.  As it is pretty much out in the proverbial "middle of nowhere", the park IS the attraction.  

While this place is certainly worth seeing for its uniqueness, it still has a bit of an unfinished feel to it.  There is a lot of unpainted concrete in the grandstand, the general admission areas are constructed mostly of aluminum, and the team offices are still mostly in trailers.  I am told by team employees, however, that there are still a few more phases left in the renovation plans.  

Incidentally, this is the only place I've been to where they don't sell "tickets."  Instead, they sell you a "fishing license" to come see the Mudcats (which are catfish, I suppose).  Nice touch.  

Bottom Line:  Definitely unique.  An above average stadium because of that.  

They don't sell tickets here, but rather "fishing licenses".  Nice touch

The roaming PA announcer (with clipboard)