| Counting Down: On October 1, the Cincinnati Reds
announced the 2003 schedule. The Reds will open the season, as well as the
new ballpark, against division rival Pittsburgh on March 31, 2003. That now
makes it 179 days until Opening Day at Great American Ball Park! |
Fun Fact: The Reds host the Pirates in the inaugural game at Great American Ball Park. Ironically, the Pirates hosted the Reds in the inaugural game at PNC Park last season, as well as the first game at Three Rivers Stadium in 1970. |
| Safety Update: Through July 31, only five lost
workday incidents were reported for the construction of the ball park and
related projects. Even with these incidents, the project lost workday
incident rate stands at 0.88, well below the national average of 5.4. This
statistic encompasses more than 1,132,948 hours worked. |
| Construction Update: The Motz Group and the
Cincinnati Reds’ groundskeepers have made tremendous strides with the field
installation groundwork. During the excavation and preparation stages, over
two miles of pipe were installed below four inches of gravel and around
6,000 tons of sand. The drainage and irrigation system will help the playing
surface handle up to two inches of rain. With the drainage and irrigation systems now in place, focus can be shifted toward the installation of the turf. To capture the best cultivation period and climate, Head Groundskeeper Doug Gallant is working with Motz to begin installing the turf by mid-October. |
Fun Fact: Great American Ball Park will be the first facility to feature natural turf actually grown within a synthetic carpet. This will make the playing surface more durable to adverse weather conditions and the gradual wear and tear of a Major League Baseball Season. |
For more information
Barnard Baker
on next week’s ball park
Dan Pinger Public Relations, Inc.
activity, contact:
(513) 564-0700
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