As the July 3 showdown between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins approaches, crews are moving forward with the construction of a ballpark at Fort Bragg.
Major League Baseball and the Players Association are donating a 12,500 seat ballpark, which is currently taking shape at Fort Bragg. The game—which is believed to be the first regular contest from a major sport to be played on a military base—will be open to Fort Bragg personnel and their families.
With a little more than six weeks to go, construction is moving along. More from the Fayetteville Observer:
The base paths are set, the infield grass laid and crews have begun building what will become the temporary grandstand, bleachers and press box for the big game.
Scaffolding for the latter arrived earlier this week. By Wednesday morning, the future seating for the expected 12,500 spectators already was taking shape as dozens of workers labored over the site. It will take about three weeks to build the seats, officials said.
In the outfield, heavy machinery spread dirt over a layer of gravel, prepping the area for the grass that professional outfielders will patrol in a little more than 45 days. Workers are expected to begin work on the outfield sod next week.
The ballpark is being built on a site that was once used for a golf course. Once the game has concluded, the temporary structures —including seating and locker rooms—will be removed to help facilitate the process of converting the surrounding space into a multi-purpose recreation complex.
Adult softball will be a focal point for three of the fields, as military officials told the Observer that Fort Bragg hosts up to 112 teams annually. In addition, there will be nine multi-purpose spaces for youth sports. Ground will be broken on the new fields in 2017. Fort Bragg has had a need for a project of this type for several years, as it is estimated that the base has lost more than 20 recreation spaces since 2006 because of other construction projects.
The game will be nationally televised on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.