One more step in the long process of bringing professional baseball back to north Alabama has been checked off the list.

Now the team has a place to play.

The Rocket City Trash Pandas and Hoar Construction announced Thursday that Toyota Field is officially built and the team has received its certificate of occupancy from the city of Madison.

“This is a landmark moment that was made possible through the remarkable commitment and creativity displayed by all of the design and construction professionals who turned our vision into reality,” Ralph Nelson, CEO of the Rocket City Trash Pandas, said in the announcement. “Hoar Construction has been a trusted partner throughout this journey, and we’re pleased to have reached a successful conclusion together. Our fans can now see for themselves that baseball is officially back in North Alabama.”

The Trash Pandas moved into the stadium last weekend.

MOVED IN ✅



TOYOTA FIELD 📍 pic.twitter.com/2R1Mt9NOXd — Rocket City Trash Pandas (@trashpandas) February 22, 2020

The city of Madison approved a $46 million budget for the stadium but Thursday's announcement put the price tag at $40 million. Construction began in November 2018 and the announcement said Hoar met all target milestones on time.

The stadium – in reality a multi-use facility with 82,328 square feet – anchors the Town Madison mixed-use development that includes single-family homes, an upscale apartment complex, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets.

Toyota Field will have a capacity of about 7,500, a fluid number because of berm seating available down the right field line. For comparison, Joe Davis Stadium – the home of the Huntsville Stars – held about 10,000 people.

The first game at the new stadium will be March 20 between the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Montevallo. The Trash Pandas open their 70-game home schedule on April 15 against the Mississippi Braves.