Covenant Health Park – Knoxville Smokies

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86

Covenant Health Park 500 East Jackson Boulevard Knoxville, Tennessee 37915

Knoxville Smokies website

Covenant Health Park website

Year Opened: 2025

Capacity: 6,355

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“It’s Baseball Time in Knoxville”

Professional baseball has deep roots in Knoxville, dating back to 1897 with the Knoxville Indians of the Southeastern League. That league didn’t last, but pro ball briefly returned in 1904.

A more stable run began in 1909 with the Knoxville Appalachians, followed by the Reds in 1914. After a short hiatus, baseball once again returned in 1921 with the Knoxville Pioneers, who soon adopted the name Smokies, a nod to the nearby Great Smoky Mountains. Knoxville’s first affiliation was with the Boston Bees (Braves) in 1936.

In 1953, Knoxville Municipal Stadium opened just east of downtown. It was renamed a year later for Bill Meyer, a Knoxville native and former Pirates manager. The stadium became the heart of pro baseball in the city for nearly 50 years, until it closed in 1999 and was demolished in 2003. Though the stadium structure is gone, the field is still in use by Pellissippi State College.

Knoxville joined the newly formed Southern League in 1963, elevating the level of play and giving the Smokies a lasting place in Double-A baseball.  Over the years, Knoxville has partnered with more than one-third of the MLB franchises, the longest running of which has been with the Chicago Cubs, beginning in 2007.

In 2000 the Smokies moved to Kodak, 20 miles east, leaving Knoxville without professional baseball. That changed in 2025, when the Smokies returned to the city with the opening of Covenant Health Park. The new stadium marks not just a homecoming, but a revival of Knoxville’s long-standing history in minor league baseball.

Food & Beverage   5

Food and drink options are plentiful throughout Covenant Health Park.

Forks on First specializes in ballpark staples like burgers, hot dogs, and chicken tenders. Burger options include a classic, a veggie, and the Smoky Mountain Burger, featuring bacon, pimento cheese, crispy onions, and BBQ sauce. Coop 865 focuses on chicken dishes such as chicken and waffles, chicken mac & cheese, and a Tennessee favorite, the hot chicken sandwich. 

Knox Smoque serves pulled pork, beef brisket, and mac & cheese, with sides like fried pickles and house-made kettle chips. Ballpark Bites caters to fried food fans with mozzarella sticks and “Rocky Tots”, namely tater tots topped with bacon, queso, ranch drizzle, and green onions. Finally, BarleyMe offers fresh pizza options.

In addition to the above, carts scattered around the concourse sell everything from tacos and cheesesteaks to specialty hot dogs. To ease congestion, self-service drink refill stations are also available – an underrated but effective solution for keeping lines moving.

For dessert, head to Sweets along the third baseline; this stand offers over 80 sno-cone flavors, ice cream milkshakes, and cinnamon-sugar churros.

Also, a grab-and-go market in the left field corner offers convenience store-style snacks and drinks. Most notable, however, is the impressive selection of local craft beers; breweries featured include Knoxville’s Alliance Brewing Co., Schulz Braü, Ebony & Ivory Brewing, Gatlinburg Brewing Co, and Uxl Beer Co. (known for its popular PB+J Mix Tape), as well as Iron Forge Brewing Co. from Sevierville (which brews the Smokies-branded Light Lager). In total, fans can choose from about 50 beer options representing nearly 20 breweries. The selection also includes canned cocktails, seltzers, and wine.

There are also two full-service bars in the stadium – behind home plate The Backstop is a full-service bar offering a wide range of mixed drinks. For a livelier social scene, however, the Modelo Watering Hole in right field is a popular hangout.

Atmosphere   4

In line with modern stadium design trends, Covenant Health Park lacks a traditional grand entry gate. Instead, fans enter at the corner of Patton Street and East Jackson Avenue, ascending a multi-tiered stairway painted with the word “Knoxville”. While the stairs may appear disjointed at first glance, a view from above reveals the full artistic design.

The concourse resembles a scenic walking path more than a standard corridor, highlighted by a steel pedestrian bridge in center field that crosses over First Creek. The creek, which also runs behind former Bill Myers Stadium, one of the homes of the early Knoxville Smokies, is an unintentional link to the city’s baseball history.

Traditional seating runs roughly halfway down each line and to the foul poles with what are called picnic areas, but are probably more akin to group social seating areas with high top tables. Along with these seating areas, other social seating areas include concourse suites, and four-seat half-moon tables that increase the social part of the game much more than trying to talk down the row to others in your group. Drink rails are also popular with fans who do not want to be confined to a seat. Other than a section in right field, however, there is very little outfield seating.

The underside of the grandstand canopy is finished with yellow pine, adding a small but beautiful touch to the aesthetics of the stadium.

In what has become the norm for stadium design, social areas have been implemented throughout Covenant Health Park, including the aforementioned Modelo Watering Hole. This bar has a dozen different beers on tap, ten different spirits, and a selection of wines. The area is also backed by lounge couches, corn hole, and a ping-pong table.

The voice of public address announcer George Yardley is a throwback to a classic stadium feel; Yardley’s intentional cadence and southern drawl really bring out the charm of the region.

One of the stadium’s most striking visual features is the massive scoreboard shaped like the state of Tennessee – it is heralded as the largest scoreboard in minor league baseball. In addition to the line score and ball-strike count, it also displays real-time player stats and pitch speeds.

Neighborhood   4

The area directly around Covenant Health Park is still a work in progress.  Apartments beyond left field, and the Delaney Condominiums in right, are nearing completion, while additional spaces accessible from outside the stadium are expected to become retail or restaurant venues.

The stadium is within walking distance of Knoxville’s Old City district, known for its vibrant bar and restaurant scene, as well as the nearby Market Street neighborhood, which offers excellent dining options and hotels. The area is also known for its nightlife that should still be bustling following a Smokies game, especially on Fridays and Saturday nights.

Other nearby attractions enhance the experience of a game day visit; the University of Tennessee is less than three miles away, making it easy to catch a college baseball or softball game. The Knoxville Ice Bears of the Southern Professional Hockey League may also be in season, while for basketball fans, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame is just down the road.

Knoxville was also home of the 1982 World’s Fair – probably nothing celebrates The Fair more than the 266-foot tall Sunsphere on the grounds of World’s Fair Park. The neighboring Knoxville Convention Center is also home to then World’s Largest Rubix Cube.

Note that the area just north of Covenant Health Park does feel a bit concerning, so having a bit of a heightened sense of awareness if heading in that direction might be advisable.

Fans 4

The Smokies’ return to Knoxville has come with a lot of excitement. Even while being in the top 50 of all minor league attendance while in the more isolated Kodak, the move back to the city has seen an increase in average attendance per game, drawing roughly 5,300 fans per home date thru the early months of this season. Despite many of the fans populating the social areas of the stadium, most are in tune with the ups and downs of the game and help create a true home-field environment.

Access   3

With its downtown location, parking around the facility comes at a premium. The Smokies promote parking with a free shuttle bus service to and from the ballpark from the Summer Place, Langley, and Market Square parking garages. Those looking for free parking might look to the West Magnolia Avenue parking lots, or private lots in the area in proximity to the stadium start at $20.

Those using rideshare to get to Covenant Health Park are dropped off on the north side of the stadium, and must walk the exterior of the venue to the main entry at the corner of Patton Street and East Jackson Avenue.

For the most part, the concourse is wide enough to easily handle large crowds with minimal congestion, but there are some spots behind home plate where food carts and promotional tables do create a bit of a choke point. The remainder of the concourse is spacious, however, leaving plenty of room for fans to navigate the stadium.

Return on Investment   3

Ticket prices seem to be a touch on the high side, with adult tickets starting anywhere between $18 to $23, depending on whether it is a weekday, weekend, or holiday game; these rates are prior to taxes and a convenience charge of $2.50 to $3 applied to each ticket. Therefore, when all is said and done, an individual ticket ends up costing $22 to $27.

At $5 for prepaid parking or $7 for day-of parking, the return on investment is more than reasonable when considering parking at similarly-sized ballparks.

Concession and apparel prices definitely are subject to stadium premiums, but not much more than would be expected at other sports facilities. There are some deals that can be found on t-shirts in the team shop, though.

Extras   4

The Smokies have three mascots who make the rounds throughout the game – Knox and Jackson, a father and son bear duo, as well as mountain man Mountain Joe. As with most mascots, the trio spends their time taking endless photos with fans and helping host mid-inning games.

Space is at a bit of a premium, and Covenant Health Park does a good job of squeezing features into interesting areas. For example, the children’s play area has found a home tucked under a section of apartments in left field.

Statues of Knoxville Giants legends Jerry Benjamin, William M. Brooks, Claude Dickey, Forrest Maddox, William Nathaniel Rogers, and Jim Tugerson honor Knoxville’s Negro League history. Another statue commemorates the Payne Avenue Little League, the city’s first league for Black children.

In a nod to their parent club, the Smokies play “Go Cubs, Go!” after each win, bringing a little bit of Wrigley Field’s charm to Tennessee.

Final Thoughts

Baseball’s return to Knoxville has come with a great deal of excitement, and with good reason. The stadium experience in Kodak was enjoyable, but pretty much started when you entered the gates and ended as soon as you left. Alternatively, what the Smokies have created in Knoxville is a minor league baseball experience that seamlessly transitions from outside the stadium, in, and back out again once the ball game is over.

Despite there being some challenges that impact the overall experience, the Smokies have done what they can to mitigate the impact they make on the experience. Baseball at Covenant Health Park is one that will surely only improve as more of the surrounding area takes shape.