The Carpenter Complex is a complex of four baseball fields in Clearwater, Florida. It opened as 'Carpenter Field' in 1967. It is the Florida home of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball operations, spring training site for the Phillies’ minor league players, home to the Gulf Coast League Phillies, and adjacent to Spectrum Field, spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies and regular season home of the Clearwater Threshers. While the Complex is now adjacent to Spectrum Field, the Phillies, until 2004, played spring training games a short drive away, which gave the Complex its own identity in the Phillies organizational structure and the team's recent history.The Complex has four fields, each named for Phillies Hall of Fame players (all of whom trained with the Phillies in Clearwater and also were the first four Phillies to have their uniform numbers retired), the Rich Ashburn Field, Robin Roberts Field, Mike Schmidt Field, and Steve Carlton Field. In 2004, the Phillies officially renamed the Complex, the Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, which honored Paul Owens' memory but also served to distinguish the training fields from the primary spring ballpark, Spectrum Field, which is also at Carpenter Complex.History and renovationsThe Carpenter Complex was dedicated on March 5, 1967 where Clearwater Mayor Joe Turner surprised Phillies owner and president Bob Carpenter by naming the field in his honor. The complex was financed by a no-interest $250,000 loan from the Phillies to the City of Clearwater and repaid over 10-years. The complex was built on the site of a former city trash dump. Through the years, settling garbage has left dips and holes in the field and required repairs to the clubhouse buildings.
