Renovations to Ed Smith Stadium, the spring-training home of the Baltimore Orioles, are proceeding right on schedule and should be done in plenty of time for the team’s March 1 Grapefruit League 2011 debut.
For those attending past spring-training games in Sarasota — whether it be when the Chicago White Sox or Cincinnati Reds were in town — the changes will be dramatic. First, the ballpark walls were extended toward the street, giving the facility an indoor concourse. Second, awnings were installed over the seating area. Third, fans will find more than 100 new bathroom fixtures. And fourth, new exterior elements give the whole place a lighter, more Florida look.
Other changes to the ballpark include the installation of 7,100 seats recycled from Oriole Park at Camden Yards, as well as a slew of new concession and beer stands.
The work was designed by the Orioles with assistance from a local architecture firm; International Facilities Group is overseeing the renovations.
RELATED STORIES: Judge refuses to block Ed Smith Stadium renovations; Sarasota approves Ed Smith Stadium renovation contracts
Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us at editors@augustpublications.com.
Subscribers to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter see features before they’re posted to the site. You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.
Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!