Sneak Peak Inside Citi Field Reveals Final Touches
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With only a month to go before opening day, construction crews at Citi Field are putting the finishing touches on the new home of the Mets. NY1's Ruschell Boone filed the following report.Sitting in the field-level seats at the new Citi Field ballpark will give spectators quite a view. But if you don't want to open your wallets that wide, you can always head up to the cheaper seats in the promenade -- a much different experience from the old Shea Stadium.
"Shea was about 1.2 million square feet and Citi Field is about the same square footage. The major difference is how we're using the space," said David Newman, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Citi Field.
With 15,000 seats fewer than Shea, the ballpark is designed to bring fans closer to the game by angling all the seats towards second base.
"The thought was to really create something for everyone," said Newman.
On opening day on April 13, most fans will probably enter through the Jackie Robinson Rotunda and ride the escalators or elevators up to the different concourses where there are more concession stands than what was at Shea.
The promenade concourse will feature an area where people can eat and watch the game on one of the stadiums' 800 plasma screens.
There are also more bathrooms than at Shea. If you've ever had to use the bathrooms at Shea, you know how important that is.
"There are more of them for men and women. They are waterless urinals in the men's room clearly not the ladies room and what they are defined as there is no water there is no flushing," said Newman.
Mets officials say the fixtures will save about 40,000 gallons of water per year and the stadium is also going green in other ways.
"There are a number of enhancements to Citi Field that include a green roof, recycled steel as part of the construction all types of recycling programs off site for refuse after the game. Unsold food to be delivered to various community groups," said Newman.
But while just about everything in the new ballpark is supposed to be different from Shea, some things will stay the same, like the homerun apple.
During a private tour Thursday, NY1 could only get a glimpse of what the new apple looks like. But the old apple from Shea Stadium is in full display at the bullpen gate entrance for those feeling a bit nostalgic.
Season tickets are already on sale but your first shot at buying single game tickets for home games in April or May will be on Sunday starting at 10 a.m.