Five County Stadium
The baseball stadium Five County Stadium has been the home ballpark of the Carolina Mudcats since it opened in 1991.
Located in Zebulon, North Carolina, the stadium is found in Wake County, but within 5 miles of four other counties: Franklin, Nash, Johnston, and Wilson. Hence, the name Five County Stadium.
Seating capacity: 6,500
Field surface: Grass
Gates open: One hour before first pitch, unless otherwise noted
Field dimensions
Left field: 330 ft (100 m)
Left-center field: 365 ft (111 m)
Center field: 400 ft (120 m)
Right-center field: 365 ft (111 m
Right field: 309 ft (94 m)
Where is the Five County Stadium?
Coordinates: 35°49′2″N 78°16′12″W
Address: 1501 NC Highway 39, Zebulon, North Carolina, USA
Five County Stadium is located immediately off the NC Highway 39, and the US 264 passes by the stadium at a northwest-to-southeast angle.
Directions from Raleigh:
- Take the I-440 Beltline to the US 64/US 264 Bypass East (exit 14).
- Follow for approximately 17 miles and merge onto US 264 East.
- Take NC Highway 39 exit and turn right.
- The stadium is on the right-hand side.
Zebulon
The town Zebulon is located near Raleigh, and is considered a suburb of that city. Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, and the 10th most populous city in the Southeast United States. So, even though less than 7,000 people live in Zebulon, the Five County Stadium is within easy reach of a much larger population base. As of 2020, 465,000+ people lived in Raleigh City and over 1,4 million in the larger metropolitan area.
Who owns the Five County Stadium?
The Five County Stadium is owned by Wake County.
Who operates the Five County Stadium?
The Carolina Mudcats Professional Baseball Club, Inc.
Box office
The box office at Five County Stadium is open Monday – Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm.
When there is an event at the stadium, the box office is open from 10 am through the time of the event.
Parking
Parking is available on the Highway 39 and Old Highway 264 sides.
The fee is $5 per vehicle, cash only.
Parking lots open two hours before first pitch.
The Tackle Box
The Tackle Box is the Mudcats Team Store, with souvernirs featuring the Mudcats, Micro Brews, and Pescados. The assortiment even includes authentic game used items.
During the regular season, it is open Monday – Friday from 10 am to 4 pm, and also during all games.
Phone in advance to arrange a visit during the off-season.
The Mudcats Party Deck
This is a tented event location found above Sections 404 through 406.
The Luxury Suites
Five County Stadium has nine luxury suits, and each suit has its own balcony with seating.
History
The Five County Stadium was constructed in 1991, and renovated and expanded in 1999.
Construction broke ground in January 1991 and the arena opened the day before Independence Day that same year. The construction cost was $2.5 million.
Architect: Odell Associates
Structural engineer: Excel Engineering
General contractor: Richard Beach Builders, Inc
In order for the 1991 construction to be really fast, the arena got metal seating instead of concrete. During the renovations in 1999, most of the metal was replaced with concrete.
Why Zebulon?
In 1991, Steve Bryant, the owner of Columbus Mudcats, wanted to move the club to North Carolina, but needed a location that would not infringe on the territories of the other minor league clubs in the state. Eventually, he selected Zebulon, since it is outside anyone elses territory while also being easy to access for the public. In Zebulon, the Mudcats could be fairly close to the big city Raleigh and not infringe on the territorial rights of the Durham Bulls in Durham.