Repairs, paint, new video screen to greet fans at PNC Park

Old concrete is removed near the left field entrance of PNC Park next to the statue of Willie Stargell.

Monday, March 26, 2007

By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Whether it's a new high-definition screen for fans or some fresh paint and new chairs for the press, PNC Park is sprucing up for the home opener April 9.

The city-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority has approved $294,780 in spending from a capital reserve fund set up as part of the PNC Park's construction to repair concrete outside the ballpark, paint steps inside, and make improvements to the press box.

But for fans, the biggest change will be on the scoreboard.

For the third time since the park opened in 2001, the Pirates are replacing the giant video display board on their main scoreboard, this time to take advantage of the ever-changing technology.

With the new display board, the Pirates will have the option of enlarging the screen size for replays and other presentations or breaking it into windows to show lineups, statistics, out-of-town game information, video clips, animation, and other features.

"It will give us the opportunity to provide more information, more statistical information that people like," said Patty Paytas, vice president of communications for the Pirates.

The new screen also will be high-definition ready, providing a resolution 160 percent greater than before. It was developed by Daktronics, the firm that made the existing board.

Team officials turned to Daktronics two years ago after the ballpark's original screen, purchased as part of a $1.89 million contract with Sony Electronics, suffered moisture damage and needed to be replaced.

Ms. Paytas said there were no such problems with the existing board.

"The product has performed beautifully. We're very happy with it. This is just to go ahead and enhance it," she said.

The existing video display board will be used to create another feature bound to capture fans' attention this season. That will be a new 3-foot high LED display that will run foul pole to foul pole along PNC Park's upper deck.

Daktronics said it would be one of the largest ribbon displays in professional baseball.

It will provide fans with up-to-date in-game information and player and team statistics as well as pitch counts, a feature that appears to be in great demand among fans attending games at PNC Park.

"It's something that people really like," Ms. Paytas said. "It's a very popular statistic right now."

She would not disclose the cost of the new video display board or the LED display, both of which are being paid for by the team.

The new video displays likely will be the most noticeable improvement but they will not be the only ones.

Outside the ballpark, workers will be repairing and replacing concrete on sidewalks, including large decorative diamond-shaped inlays.

Inside, they will be repainting the yellow stripes on steps throughout the park. The press box will get a fresh coat of paint, new carpet and new chairs.

Ms. Paytas classified the improvements as normal maintenance.

"We go through this every winter. Obviously, the winter does things. It's just the normal wear and tear."

She noted that PNC Park is considered one of the best ballparks in the country and "every year we work very hard to maintain it that way. Every year we try to enhance the fans' experience, and we think the new video displays will do that."

The $294,780 from the sports authority capital reserve fund will cover the cost of the concrete repairs, the painting of the steps, and the painting and the carpet replacement in the press box. The Pirates will pay to replace the chairs in the press area.

Money for the capital reserve fund comes from a ticket surcharge. Each year, $650,000 is deposited into the account. There's now $5 million to $6 million available, authority Executive Director Mary Conturo said.

The Pirates' lease spells out what can be funded through the account. Ms. Conturo said the work qualifies.


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(Mark Belko can be reached at mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262. )