Reading Fightin Phils Unveil Redner’s Event Center

(Reading, PA) – The Reading Fightin Phils are excited to partner with Redner’s as the official naming partner for the R-Phils new Redner’s Event Center, set to open in 2024.

“Today we announced the naming rights’ partner of the all-new Redner’s Event Center,” R-Phils General Manager Scott Hunsicker said. “We unveiled new details and renderings of the building. We thank Redner’s for partnering with us on this new year-round facility – that will both provide wonderful state-of-the-art player development space, and allow us to host community events, meetings and banquets both at all R-Phils home games, and when the team is on the road, and in the offseason. Redner’s is a great, employee-owned, local business and we thank them so much for their partnership.”

“We are very excited to be able to further cement our relationship with the Phillies organization and Berks County through the naming of Redner’s Event Center. It will be an awesome focal point for meetings, weddings and many, many other uses which require a large and unique space,” said Ryan S. Redner, President/CEO of Redner’s Markets.

Additionally, more details and renderings were released, showcasing the exciting new space. Within the building, when it officially opens for the 2024 season, will be brand new home and away clubhouses, batting cages, weight rooms, female locker rooms, dining areas and kitchens, training room facilities, and much more. The player development facilities will exceed the new requirements of Major League Baseball, and provide both the Philadelphia Phillies Double-A team and the visiting teams, with outstanding opportunities to hone their baseball skills.

Equally exciting are the opportunities the Redner’s Event Center will provide for year-round use, both during R-Phils home games, when the team is on the road, and in the offseason. The Redner’s Event Center was designed to accommodate wonderful events and player facilities for the R-Phils 69 home games each season, but also to allow for those spaces, including the clubhouses and dining areas, to be utilized as event space when the R-Phils do not have a home game.

The second floor of the Redner’s Event Center, when viewed from the field side, will actually be ground level when entering the building from its own special entrance on the Route 61 side of the building. This large event space, with its brick warehouse styling, can accommodate up to 500 people in a banquet setting and also features a field-side veranda and state-of-the-art video and sound capabilities. The large event space will feature scenic views of FirstEnergy Stadium and can be utilized for upscale, climate-controlled group outings at all R-Phils home games. Additionally, the large event space in the Redner’s Event Center will also be a great year-round location for weddings, banquets, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and much more.

Additional space on the second floor will feature the all-new visitor’s clubhouse. In the offseason, and when the R-Phils are on the road, that visiting clubhouse space will transition to the “Baseballtown Club.” The lockers will be removed and the space will be perfect for groups ranging from 25-100 people to enjoy meetings, luncheons, rehearsal dinners, and all types of catered celebrations.

The first floor of the building, when viewed from the field side, will be home to the R-Phils clubhouse starting in 2024, and will feature field-side windows within the homerun wall that will provide tremendous views of the playing field at America’s Classic Ballpark. The first-floor space will provide a wonderful atmosphere for the Phillies' top prospects to train and develop each season. In the offseason, the home clubhouse will transition to the “R-Phils Club,” which will serve as an additional extra events space. The lockers will be removed, and like the “Baseballtown Club”, the “R-Phils Club” will be perfect for groups ranging from 25-100 people to enjoy all types of catered events and celebrations.

Beginning in 2024, events can be hosted at all 69 R-Phils home games and during non-game days as well. The Redner’s Event Center will feature its own separate entrance, new dedicated parking and drop-off areas, and multiple elevators. From a design element standpoint, the goal for the architecture of the Redner’s Event Center was to create a building that represented the look of a 1950s brick warehouse, so the new building would fit with the existing brick architecture of FirstEnergy Stadium, constructed in 1950. The Redner’s Event Center features all brick construction, with arches and windows, industrial warehouse-style wooden ceiling elements, recessed historical murals, and warehouse-style striping on the exterior walls, indicative of the 1950s time period.

The attached renderings feature many of the event spaces that will be ready to welcome groups and events beginning in 2024. Events on game days and non-game days will begin in June of 2024, or potentially earlier. Existing R-Phils’ group leaders and partners will have the first opportunity to reserve space in the Redner’s Event Center. If you are interested in reserving space, reach out to the R-Phils about becoming a group leader or partner in 2023.

For more information on the Redner’s Event Center, and to register your interest in hosting an event, you can visit rphils.com/rednerseventcenter.

“In addition to providing unmatched player development facilities for the Philadelphia Phillies prospects, and the visiting teams, we are equally excited to provide this event space here in Reading, PA,” Hunsicker said. “Reading and Berks County are wonderful places to visit. And now that we will add to the Redner’s Event Center to the event space opportunities of Reading and Berks County, we are grateful that more people will be able to host their corporate events, banquets, weddings and more, here in Reading, and not have to look to surrounding communities for event space.”

This Redner’s Event Center expansion of FirstEnergy Stadium was made possible thanks to partnerships with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the City of Reading, Berks County and Customers Bank. The R-Phils extend their deepest gratitude to everyone who made this possible.

Financial assistance is provided by The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program Grant. Honorable Josh Shapiro, Governor. We also thank State Senator Judy Schwank, State Representative Mark Rozzi, State Representative Manny Guzman, State Representative Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, and State Senator David Argall, for their support.

This project is funded in part through a grant from the City of Reading and the American Rescue Plan. We thank Reading Mayor Eddie Moran, Council President Donna Reed, and President Joseph R. Biden. We also thank the members of the Reading City Council and the Reading Stadium Commission.

This project is funded in part through a grant from the County of Berks. We thank Berks County Commissioners Christian Y. Leinbach, Michael S. Rivera, and Lucine E. Sihelnik.

This project is financed by Customers Bank. Customers Bank is based in Reading, PA. The general contractor for the FirstEnergy Stadium renovation project is Burkey Construction. Burkey Construction is based in Reading, PA. The R-Phils design partner for the project is Steve Boyd. The architect for the project is EwingCole.

While the Redner’s Event Center will not be completed until 2024, there are many exciting additions already in place at FirstEnergy Stadium for the 2023 stadium. Those include new stadium LED lights, a new home run wall, and a new red/brown warning track.

Catch a glimpse of the upgrades coming when the R-Phils open their 2023 season at home on Tuesday, April 11. First pitch is slated for 6:45 against the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies). Get tickets by calling 610-370-BALL, online at rphils.com/tickets, or in person at the Customers Bank R-Phils Ticket Office.