There’s a definite deadline. The first pitch on Opening Day at Kauffman Stadium will be at 3:15 p.m., on Monday, April 10.
The field will be ready for the players, but will the stadium be ready for fans?
Just looking at the amount of work going on there, the answer would seem to be negative.
Royals spokesman Toby Cook admitted they are making a lot of changes.
"We've completely gutted and rebuilt the Diamond Club behind home plate. We've completely gutted and rebuilt the Team Store," he said.
The Majestic Team Store is open and gleaming with newness. But the Diamond Club is still swarming with workers. There's sawing, drilling, painting, tiling and who knows what else going on simultaneously.
Cook said not to worry.
"We go through this every year. If somebody comes out you're like, 'There's no way you're going to be able to play baseball,' and every single time a day or two before it looks like we're ready to play," Cook said.
Betty Hampton came all the way from north of St. Joseph, Missouri to buy tickets for this season and found herself drawn to the Team Store, where she even admired the floor. She purchased some clothing to wear to the games and said she's ready for the season to begin.
"We went over to buy some tickets to get ready. We've got about one a month to go to, so can't wait 'til it starts," she said.
The Royals promise that while fans may notice some updates to amenities, the baseball experience at The K will be the same.
One innovation this year will be a "bag-free" line, where fans without bags will be able to enter the stadium without waiting in line with people who have bags to be inspected.
Meanwhile, work continues.
"We've got a lot of construction dust that has to settle over the next couple of weeks... before Opening Day,” Cook said. “You might get that feeling, 'Are we going to be ready?' But we always are, and we will be this time.”
