Rangers Ballpark renovations making progress

ARLINGTON, Texas — Upgrades at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington are on schedule as the club prepares for the 2012 season.

Rangers officials showed off the construction progress Thursday morning to the media. The organization is putting $12 million into the renovations, which are scheduled to be completed March 20.

More than $1 million of that money is going toward the new railings, which are being put in place after the tragic death of fan Shannon Stone at a game last summer. Some of the new 42-inch rails are already in place. The new railings aren't tube-shaped like the existing ones at the ballpark and even though they will be higher than the old railings, they aren't expected to hurt the sight lines for fans. The 1-1/2 inch tubes that connect the railings are being replaced by wires.    

Rob Matwick, the club's Executive Vice President for Ballpark Operations, thinks the new railings may actually improve viewing at the park.

"We've accomplished what we want to accomplish," Matwick said. "We got the structural integrity we were looking for. It's thinner than the tubes."

The rails are being fabricated and will be put in section by section on the front rows at Rangers Ballpark. The only area that won't be affected is the upper home run porch, which already has 42-inch railings.

Construction is nearly a 24-hour daily process, as there are currently two 10-hour shifts handling the job. Wesley Weaver, the senior project manager, said the dry weather has helped keep the project on schedule. The March 20 target date will allow the personnel who work at the stadium a chance to get used to their new surroundings.

The biggest change is the 20,000-square feet area of indoor space in center. That area will hold both the new kid's zone as well as a two-story restaurant and sports bar that will also feature a television set for FOX Sports Southwest.

The old kid's area will feature four new concession areas as well as the Batter's Eye Club. There will also be a new television screen in center field for fans in the outfield to see the game.

In the outfield, there will also be more covered areas to provide shade. One of the drawbacks is the loss of about 1,000 seats, but the new visiting bullpen will provide new viewing areas for the games and could also serve as a better standing-room only area in games in which those types of tickets are sold.

"The amenities we'll be able to offer people out here to what we had previously will be night and day," Matwick said.