Zanesville Modernizing Gant Stadium with $1.1 Million in Improvements

Photos Courtesy of Marc Viquez

Gant Stadium in Zanesville, Ohio, looks different these days and may soon transform into a modern ballpark that Mayor Donald Mason says could be the best baseball stadium east of Columbus.

The renovations include a $62,000 demolition project that removed the football bleachers along the left-field line. Gone are the locker rooms and restrooms, which were nearly 87 years old and did not function properly, according to Mason.

“We have invested about $1,100,000 over the last five years in Gant, with electric and light improvements being a major investment. We have also added protected fencing to screen foul balls from the parking lot, a pitching cage, and new outfield fencing.”

The upgrades are part of the stadium's modernization for future development. According to The Times Recorder, the demolition was facilitated through Ohio's Building Demolition and Site Revitalization grant program and a portion of the $3.2 million the county received in the 2024 cycle.

The electrical system is located underneath the grandstand. Photo Courtesy of Marc Viquez

However, a section of the old football stands remains in place because it houses the control boxes beneath the seating. The boxes contain the $700,000 lighting and electrical systems installed in 2024.

Other parts of the stadium have seen improvements in recent years, including $50,000 for netting on the first-base side of the venue and $50,000 for a new roof and netting over the bleachers. The demolished grandstands had plumbing and mechanical issues beyond repair and had not been used for the past 15 years.

The expanded parking area is expected to accommodate larger crowds and is scheduled for completion in spring 2027. The project will also include modern restrooms for men, women, and people with disabilities.

Gant Municipal Stadium was constructed in 1939 and dedicated on September 20, 1940, with a football game between Zanesville and New Philadelphia, with more than 5,000 people in attendance. The following year, the Chicago Cubs placed a Class C team in the Middle Atlantic League at the stadium.

Photo Courtesy of Marc Viquez

They would play for two seasons, taking a hiatus with the league for World War II. The Zanesville Dodgers (1944-1948) and the Zanesville Indians (1949-1950) would later call the stadium home. The Zanesville Greys of the Frontier League brought professional baseball back from 1993 to 1996.

Although there are no plans for a summer collegiate baseball team at Gant Stadium, the mayor said that there had been interest in organized baseball.

​“About two years ago, we were approached by an individual who asked if he could locate a semi-pro team in Zanesville. I would love that, as we had a team 35 years ago. It was great baseball.​"

However, there is plenty of baseball played from March to August by Bishop Rosecrans High School and the Muskingum Valley Old-Timers Baseball Association. The nonprofit group was formed in 1954 when several local baseball players were concerned that Zanesville wouldn't have organized ball due to the surge of interest in softball. The city contemplated turning the diamond at Gant Stadium into a softball field around this time.

The group is responsible for developing diamonds and keeping programs running, not for profit, but for the love of the game. It operates multiple levels of baseball, including the Junior and Senior Legion teams, comprised of 25 teams of 13- and 14-year-olds. They also operate the Junior Pioneer (ages 16-20) and the Senior Pioneers ( no age limit)

“We play seven days a week with up to six games on Saturday and Sunday,” said Pat Bollinger, president of the MVOTA. “For our younger players, it’s like walking into a major league stadium. It has helped a lot of people. We have one player who just retired from playing at the age of 62. The youth baseball program is very good and draws crowds of around 100-200 people.”

Photo Courtesy of Marc Viquez

Bollinger added that MVOTA has put in over $50-$60,000 alone this year for new sod, basepaths, and dirt.

High school football has not been played on the field in over 15 years. The mayor states that there is room to develop an adult soccer field or similar to create a positive atmosphere for citizens in the evenings after work.

The stadium was renamed in 1996 for Nelson T. Gant, a former slave who arrived in town in 1847 and became the city's first African-American millionaire. He purchased the stadium land, and then leased it to the streetcar company in 1888, which developed a park and later bought the land from him. The stadium was then built when a WPA grant provided matching funds for a new stadium and swimming pool.

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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com