Updated: Hammons Field renamed Route 66 Stadium

Last edited 11:59 a.m., April 23, 2026 [Editor's note: More information has been added, and a name has been corrected.]

Hammons Field has been given a new name: Route 66 Stadium.

Dan Reiter, general manager of the Springfield Cardinals, announced the renaming of the stadium this morning to media and fans who had gathered at the ballpark’s front gate.

Reiter said the partnership was a first-of-its-kind naming strategy, marking the stadium as a destination to define the community. It is sponsored by four entities: Mercy, Missouri State University, O’Reilly Auto Parts and the city of Springfield, which owns the facility.

Reiter described it as an initiative geared toward the betterment of the entire community, rather than one company. 

Cora Scott, director of public information and civic engagement for the city and chair of the National Route 66 Kickoff Celebration, said Route 66 is more than a road.

“It’s a symbol – a symbol of freedom, of movement, of American ingenuity and the communities like Springfield that gave it life,” she said.

The renaming happens in time for the national Route 66 centennial celebration that kicks off in Springfield on April 30.

The terms of the city’s negotiated purchase agreement of the ballpark in 2023 allowed naming rights to be sold to make improvements to the field, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

In an interview after the presentation, Reiter declined to disclose the cost to the partners for the renaming, but he emphasized that it's to be an ongoing effort that continues after the Route 66 centennial. Reiter said the partnership will include more improvements to the newly renamed stadium in the coming months, though he declined to reveal specific upgrade plans on the day of the announcement.

Scott said in an interview that the city is not spending a “cash outlay” from public funds on the renaming partnership, and that plans are still being finalized for how the city will contribute. She said she would provide details at a later date.

She added that other partners made a cash outlay, as did ownership group Diamond Baseball Holdings LLC. Scott said the ownership group of the Springfield Cardinals has contributed more toward the ballpark’s capital fund than was specified in its purchase agreement.

During the ceremony, partnership representatives expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration with the ballpark and with each other.

John Myers, the president of Mercy Springfield Communities, noted his organization has been the medical provider of the Cardinals since the very first pitch in the ballpark in 2005.

“Collaborating with this ballpark is just one way we are able to give back to professional and student athletes in Springfield,” he said.

Hugo Sanchez, vice president of marketing and advertising for O’Reilly Auto Parts, said his company’s success has always been tied to the community, and he noted the company’s first store was located right across the street, the site of the current Creamery Arts Center.

“A foul ball could literally hit our first door,” he said.

Patrick Ransdell, director of intercollegiate athletics for MSU, highlighted the history of MSU at the field, which is the home of the Bears baseball squad.

Ransdell said the team has had a lot of winning seasons in its history at the field, and that community members stepped up to make the partnership opportunity possible for the university.

Scott said the ballpark represents a public asset where the community comes together.

“This kind of collaboration doesn’t happen by accident,” she told the audience. “It reflects a community that believes in working together, investing together and building something meaningful together.”

Opened in 2004 as home of the Springfield Cardinals, the field was previously named for the late hotelier and developer John Q. Hammons. In his remarks, Reiter expressed gratitude to Hammons for building the ballpark.

“His vision, persistence and get-it-done attitude laid the foundation for 23 years of memories for myself and over 10 million people to come through these gates,” he said. “The plaque commemorating that vision will always remain inside the gates.”

Former Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, a Cardinals fan, was on hand to witness the announcement.

“I think it’s a great name,” he said in an interview at the park. “It recognizes the heritage of the community, and the fact that there are several well-known community partners speaks well. Route 66 is so important.”

McClure agreed with Reiter that the role of Hammons was pivotal for the Springfield Cardinals.

“Without him, the Cardinals would not be here,” McClure said. “This is a good mix of honoring the legacy and at the same time looking forward to what Route 66 means to the community.”

The city of Springfield has owned the park since March 2023, when it bought the property from the John Q. Hammons Charitable Trust. The purchase was approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Kansas, amid an ongoing bankruptcy proceeding between the trust and the city, according to past SBJ reporting.

The city paid $6.5 million for the ballpark and $5.5 million for two nearby parking lots, with $4 million slated for repairs to the park.

The ballpark underwent $4 million in renovations prior to the 2025 season, and these included an upgrade to press-level seating, fueled by a $3.5 million allocation from the state of Missouri. It has also received a new audio system, matching the one in place at Busch Stadium of the MLB St. Louis Cardinals, plus revamped party decks, new fan experience features and upgraded roofing and brickwork, according to past SBJ reporting.