Clearwater is the smallest of the three urban centers in the Tampa Bay metro area in Florida. The city is in Pinellas County, and in 2005 it had just over 200,000 residents. The town is close to the major vacation destinations of Tampa Bay and St.Petersburg, and, with many miles of lovely beaches, it is a tourist center in its own right. The Clearwater Threshers are the local baseball team, and they play at Bright House Networks Field.
The Clearwater Threshers play in the West Division of the Florida State League. They are a high-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, and were in fact formerly known as the Clearwater Phillies.
Since quitting the Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in 2004, the Threshers have played their home games at Bright House Field (or Bright House Networks Field). This stadium has seating for 7,000, but can accommodate an additional 1,500 on grass berm seating. Bright House Networks are a local cable company, and they paid 1.7 million dollars over ten years for naming rights to the stadium.
The stadium is the spring training base of the Philadelphia Phillies. It is their third base in the city of Clearwater. The highest attendance at the ground was for a training game between the Phillies and the New York Yankees, which was seen by 10,724 spectators. The record for a Clearwater Threshers match is 9,090. The opposition was provided by Lakeland Flying Tigers.
Clearwater is served by two major airports. Most visitors come via Tampa International Airport (IATA code TPA), but an increasing number use St.Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (IATA code PIE). Tampa is generally favored by scheduled services, while St.Petersburg-Clearwater is a destination for low-cost and chartered airlines, including several based in Canada.
Tourism is important in Clearwater. The city is near to the major vacation centers of Tampa Bay and St.Petersburg, and Clearwater itself has many miles of beautiful beaches. Annual events and festivals in Clearwater include the Imagine International Film Festival, the Fun N Sun Festival, the Hispanic Heritage Festival and the Clearwater Jazz Festival.
The Sunset at Pier 60 event is held every night. It starts two hours before sunset, and ends two hours after sunset. This is attended by many locals and visitors, and is completely free. There are street performers, stalls selling souvenirs, arts and crafts, and live music concerts.
Visitors to Clearwater, FL and baseball fans who are watching the game at Bright House Networks Field may like to consider the Hampton Inn in Clearwater if they need overnight accommodation. The hotel’s amenities include fitness center, outdoor pool, hot tub, a children’s pool and playground, and a putting green.
Looking for accommodation conveniently located near Bright House Networks Field ? Get the low down on the best now in our guide to fab hotels in Clearwater Florida.