Astros fans, say goodbye to Tal’s Hill.
Groundbreaking on the team’s center field renovation project, which includes removing the famous Tal’s Hill, took place Monday at Minute Maid Park. The project also includes improved seating options, more food and beverage choices and additional escalators and elevators, resulting in three new bar locations, four additional food locations and a premium group seating area at field level.
With the removal of Tal’s Hill, the current center field distance of 436 feet will move to 409 feet, moving Minute Maid Park from the deepest center distance to the sixth-farthest in the league. In 2016, the Astros hit approximately 10 balls to Tal’s Hill for extra bases, all of which would be home runs in the renovated center field area, according to team officials.
Select items, such as dirt from Tal’s Hill and the pads on the outfield wall, have been authenticated and will be available for fans to purchase in the coming days. For more information on these items, email authentics@astros.com.
The project is set to be completed by Opening Day next year when the Astros take on the Seattle Mariners on April 3.