written by Brian Bice
500 Diamond Drive
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
Home of the Lake Elsinore Storm
After the 1993 season the Palm Spring Angels relocated about 70 miles west to the city of Lake Elsinore. The team rebranded as the Lake Elsinore Storm and became the home team for a new stadium, Lake Elsinore Diamond. The Storm played their inaugural game in Bakersfield, CA on April 7, 1994 against the Bakersfield Dodgers. The home opener at Lake Elsinore Diamond would take place just over a week later on Friday, April 15, 1994. That night the Storm hosted the Central Valley Rockies. A crowd of 6,620 witnessed the Storm fall to the Rockies 3-2 in 10 innings. California Angels pitcher Joe Magrane started for Lake Elsinore on MLB rehab assignment.
The current fixed capacity of Lake Elsinore Diamond is 4,835 with up to 6,000 with general admission (GA) tickets. Prior to the 2017 season the capacity was 6,066 seated with up to 8,000 with GA tickets. The largest crowd to ever watch a Lake Elsinore Storm game was 12,876 on July 4, 1998. In this game the Storm were defeated by the San Bernardino Stampede. This record also stands as the Single Game Attendance Record for the California League.
The dimensions of the ballpark are asymmetrical. The left field line is 330 feet. Left center is spacious at 425 feet. Centerfield sits 400 feet away. Right center is 386 feet and the Right field corner cuts in at 310 feet. One interesting feature: the right field wall is 36 feet tall. The backstop is 50 feet behind home plate. The playing field is sunken in by 12 feet so that the main gate opens on to the concourse with views down into the diamond.
The dugout for the Lake Elsinore Storm is located on the first base side while the visitor’s dugout is on the 3rd base side. The Storm’s bullpen is in foul territory down the right field line. The visitor’s bullpen is located just beyond the left field wall. The clubhouses for both teams are located on their respective sides. The entries for the clubhouses are down the line in foul territory.
On June 23, 2009 Lake Elsinore hosted its only California League/Carolina League All-Star Game. The California League won the game 2-1 in 10 innings. Signed jerseys from both teams hang in a corridor on the concourse on the third base side.
Around the Concourse
The Main Gate is the only gate that allows fans access to the stadium. The tree-lined walkway ushers fans to the welcoming gate of the stadium. Upon entry fans are greeted on the main concourse by a wonderful view of the playing field from behind home plate.
The concourse runs from foul pole to foul pole, which is typical for stadiums of this era. The walkway is wide and allows plenty of room for people to move around and view the game from various angles. In addition to the field views, the concourse provides a great view of the beautiful Temescal Mountains.
Down the third base line near the Diamond Tap Room there is a stage where pre- or post-game concerts or events can be held. There are 2 scoreboards in the outfield that provide fans with in-game information. The scoreboard in right centerfield displays the lineup, current batter and the line score. Out in left centerfield is a scoreboard that shows the current pitcher and current count.
Concessions
The typical ballpark fare can be found in most of the concessions on the concourse. If you are looking for something different the Michi Tacos stand delivers their popular street tacos. On the third base side is the Batter-Up Bakery. Their offerings can satisfy your sweet tooth or warm you up with a hot beverage.
The main attraction for concessions is the Diamond Tap Room. This is a full-service restaurant and bar near the left field corner. The Tap Room offers elevated stadium food like burgers, hot dogs and pizza. The bar has a full complement of local craft beers on tap. The Diamond Tap Room can be booked for a wide variety of events in season or year round.
Facilities
If you are looking to bring a larger group the Lake Elsinore Diamond has a couple of options. The Oscar Tortola Party Deck on the third base side near the Diamond Taproom can be reserved for groups of 50 or more. For those groups looking for a picnic atmosphere the Thunder’s Mountain Picnic Experience is on the first base side near the batting cages.
Many of the suites on the second level can accommodate groups of 10-20 people. For small groups there are quite a few of the 4-Topps tables at the top of the concourse. Ticket packages can include food and drinks with these tables.
The Kids Zone is located down the right field line near the Storm Bullpen. The Kids Zone includes jumpers, slides and a playground. There is a grass berm next to the playground.
Team Store
Storm Thredz is the official team store at the Lake Elsinore Diamond where you can find the most recent Lake Elsinore Storm gear. They even have a selection of game-used jerseys for sale. The Team Store is open to the public during game days. When the team is out of town or during the off season, the team store is typically open by appointment. The store is always open at their official website.
Alumni
Since 1994 the Lake Elsinore Storm have won 5 California League Titles: 1996, 2001, 2011, 2022 and most recently in 2026.
On the concourse there is a sign that highlights Lake Elsinore Storm Alumni who have made it to the big leagues from the time of inception to 2014. Xavier Nady is one of the former Storm highlighted on this sign as he was a Cal League MVP in 2001, is currently in the Cal League Hall of Fame and was a World Series Champion with the 2012 San Francisco Giants.
Other notable alumni and year with the Storm:
Jake Peavy (2001)
Darin Erstad (1995)
David Freese (2007)
Austin Hedges (2013)
Eric Lauer (2017)
MacKenzie Gore (2019)
Robert Hassell III (2021)
Jackson Merrill (2022)
Ethan Salas (2023)
Outside the Ballpark
The ballpark is situated outside of any downtown area or entertainment district. There are a couple of smaller shopping centers nearby that have a variety of stores. However, these are more for the locals rather than visitors. Typical fast food and local restaurants are nearby if you are looking to eat before or after the game.
There are still a couple of attractions nearby where you can make a full day out of visiting Lake Elsinore. A few miles from the stadium is Lake Elsinore, the city’s namesake lake which is the largest freshwater lake in Southern California. Other nearby lakes include Canyon Lake and Diamond Valley Lake.
Another great aspect of the location of Lake Elsinore Diamond is that it sits within a one hour drive of three other ballparks in the California League: San Manuel Stadium (Inland Empire 66ers), Morongo Field (Rancho Cucamonga Quakes) and ONT Field (Ontario Tower Buzzers). One can easily plan a trip to several ballparks when visiting Lake Elsinore.
Final Score
Lake Elsinore Diamond is a gem in the California League. It is easily one of the top 2 or 3 ballparks in the league. The ballpark is very well maintained. The sitelines to the nearby mountains add to the beauty that is the ballpark.
The only thing that would enhance the ballpark experience would be a 360-degree concourse. I enjoy being able to take in a couple of innings from the outfield. This is one of the only ways we can experience any ballpark from the player’s perspective.
The Crown Jewel at the Lake Elsinore Diamond is the Diamond Tap Room. If you are only able to make it to this ballpark one time, then you need to get your meal from there. The food is great and the atmosphere is fantastic.
