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You can host a sleepover at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer

With no minor league baseball this season, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes have listed the entire stadium for $1000 a night

Situated right along side Interstate 5, there are 4,000 empty seats that are normally full during the baseball months of summer.

With the minor league season canceled for the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the stadium wasn't bringing in any money, that is until a small minor league team in Florida listed their stadium on AirBnB.

"I called our team, our employees and I said, 'Hey guys, this is a winning idea. We need to do it.' Within an hour we were listed on AirBnB," Volcanoes CEO Mickey Walker said.

The first night booked was June 4. For $1000 a night, renters get access to pretty much the entire stadium.

"You get access to the home team clubhouse, we let them sleep in there if they want and so access to the entirety of the clubhouse, training rooms, cafeteria, managers office," Walker said.

Not to mention access to the 5,000 square foot batting practice facility and on-field access to take batting practice at home plate or play a game. 

"We also give them access to the stadium sound system, which people love so they can play their favorite music through a sound system and we also give them access to a microphone. So they could do public address," Walker said.

A field of dreams of sorts for the avid baseball fan or anyone looking for a unique experience for a night's sleep.

"You walk into a baseball stadium, you feel like you're 12 years old again," said John Scukanec. He and eleven of his friends chipped in to cover the cost. 

Every year the group of friends gathers around to conduct an annual fantasy football draft order selection event, usually held every summer around the Major League Baseball All-Star game. Scukanec said he saw the idea a month ago and said it didn't take much to get everyone on board.

RELATED: MLB cancels All-Star Game for 1st time since 1945

"I love baseball, I'm a total baseball nerd," said Scukanec. "It's hard not to be romantic about baseball, when you get to be 46 and an old man like me, it's fun to feel like you're 12 again. To be down on the field and with my friends and my son was here and my dad was here and the lights are on and you're running around, you feel like you're 12 again."

Skucanek said he wanted to sleep in center field, but was talked out of it when Walker told him the sprinklers came on at 2 in the morning.

"I'm all for being romantic about baseball, but I'm all for being dry," he said.

Five of the friends stayed in the home team clubhouse, which is not exactly a 5-star hotel. Cots were laid out or you can bring your own, and the showers are the same one the team uses.

"It's as glorious as you think, sleeping in a single A clubhouse would be," said Scukanec.

The opportunity to sleep in a stadium isn't about the night of sleep, but the experience of having a stadium to yourself and playing catch or hitting baseballs with your best friends or family.

"So to get to come down to Salem, ballparks are great," said Scukanec. Cathedrals, I think they're beautiful, every one is special. To get to be here, in the ballpark by yourself with just your friends and family again very, very cool experience, well worth the cost."

The $1000 isn't enough to keep the stadium running, but it covers the cost to pay employees. The stadium sleepover has been so successful that you have to wait until at least August to book a night during the week and October to book a night on a weekend.

"The fact that we're able to do anything, any community events right now, we feel like is a win considering the restrictions in place," Walker said.

RELATED: Hillsboro Hops season canceled in 2020

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