History
Opened as Omaha Municipal Stadium in 1948, the hilltop park became synonymous with college baseball after the NCAA moved the College World Series there in 1950. It was renamed for former mayor Johnny Rosenblatt in 1964 and expanded repeatedly.
The series moved downtown in 2011 and the Royals moved to suburban Papillion. The zoo bought the site, demolition began in July 2012, and a small memorial diamond opened on the grounds in 2013.
Why it matters: For six decades it was the home of the College World Series, and for years it was the largest minor league park in the country.
Timeline
- October 17, 1948Inaugural game[1]
Omaha Municipal Stadium held its first game.
- 1950
The NCAA College World Series moved to the stadium, where it stayed for six decades.
- June 28, 2010
South Carolina won the final CWS at the stadium.
- September 2, 2010Last Royals game[1]
The Omaha Royals played their last game there.
- July 25, 2012
Demolition began after the zoo acquired the site.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Henry Doorly Zoo grounds, including the 'Infield at the Zoo' memorial mini-diamond[1,2] |
| Surviving remnants | A miniature ballpark memorial on the site recalls the stadium. |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Omaha Cardinals / Dodgers / Royals | Western League / American Association / Pacific Coast League · 1949–2010 |
|---|---|
| College World Series | NCAA · 1950–2010 · tenant |
| Omaha Nighthawks | United Football League · 2010 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Official name | Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium |
|---|---|
| Other names | Omaha Municipal Stadium (1948–1964); Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium |
| Location | 1202 Bert Murphy Ave., South Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska[1] |
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Baseball, Football, Soccer |
| Level | Minor League, NCAA, UFL |
| Opened | October 17, 1948[1] |
| Last used for sports | September 2, 2010[1,2] |
| Demolished | 2012–2013[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Final capacity | 23,145[1] |
| Capacity notes | 23,145 for the College World Series; 8,859 for Royals games; 24,000 for football (Wikipedia). |
| Architect | Leo A. Daly[1] |
| Closure | The College World Series and the Omaha Royals both moved to new stadiums in 2011. |
Documented details
- Wikipedia calls it the largest minor league ballpark in the US until its demolition.[1]
Sources
- Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, opened, teams
- End of an era: demolition begins on Rosenblatt Stadium, KIOS-FM (NPR). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, demolished
Research confidence
Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- KIOS says the stadium opened in 1947; Wikipedia gives the inaugural game as October 17, 1948, after a construction delay.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.