Take yourself out to the ballpark; Rangers’ new home will have an open house Saturday
Fans can get a glimpse Saturday of Globe Life Field, which the Texas Rangers say is 91% complete. Those who attend the Comerica Peek at the Park might have the same question the media had Thursday morning.
Really?
The Rangers continue to insist that their new home will be substantially completed March 1 and ready to roll March 14 for the Chris Stapleton All-America Road Show and the March 23 exhibition game against the St. Louis Cardinals and certainly the March 31 home opener against the Los Angeles Angels.
There might be some loose ends here and there that pop up for a couple months, but, trust them, construction will be completed on-time even though it appears more than 9% remains to be done.
“We don’t have a choice,” Rangers executive vice president Rob Matwick said. “Until you walk through the front door on Opening Day you always are concerned. But we’ve got a great team. In some cases we’re working 16 hours a day, seven days a week.”
The majority of the work is focused on the retractable roof and the playing surface, which should be in place by the end of next month.
Matwick said that nearly half of the ETFE (Ethylene Tetra Flouro Ethylene) panels on the roof have been installed. Those are the clear panels that will allow natural light into the ballpark when the roof is closed.
Crews are also working to complete the decking on the north and south ends, and finishing the sealing that will keep water and wind out.
Concrete is being poured on the playing surface, and the shape of the infield is visible. The Shaw Sports Systems turf should be in place by Feb. 24.
The rest of the remaining work includes the installation of seats and furniture for suites, the wireless networks, final electric work and landscaping.
The ballpark now has its main outside signage after a 108-foot long Globe Life Field sign was unveiled Thursday on the North Plaza.
Should construction lag behind, Matwick said, work shifts can be adjusted to 24 hours a day, seven days a week if necessary.
But baseball will be played on-time at Globe Life Field.
“I’m relying on the construction experts, but we’ll get it done,” Matwick said.
Saturday’s Peek at the Park event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The address is 734 Stadium Drive in Arlington. Attendees are being directed to use the left field section. The event is free.
This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 12:38 PM.
