BIRMINGHAM - AL -
People we spoke with Monday say if the new baseball park is supposed to be open in six months, they don't see much advancement. Longtime fan, Steven Rylas, says "It's way behind in my opinion." His wife, Shellina Rylas, feels the same way. She says, "It's pretty far away from being recognizable at this point."
But Mayor William Bell doesn't think that's the case. He says things are on schedule and stays optimistic about downtown's new field opening on time. Bell says, "A lot of people were concerned that we weren't even going to get the Barons to agree to come, a lot of people were concerned we weren't going to come up with the money to build a stadium, we'll let everything unfold in its own time."
But time doesn't seem to be on the Barons side. Monday was the last official day for Barons' staff members to remove all of their belongings out of Regions Park in Hoover. The team has been playing ball there for the past 25 years. In a previous interview, owner Don Logan told ABC 33/40 that the old park has built great relationships. "Moving away and leaving that, is always very painful," says Logan.
Meantime, construction workers are still working to get the park where it needs to be in time for baseball season, leaving some fans on pins and needles.
"I hope their paying somebody overtime, because it's going to be a long night's work," says Shellina Rylas.
The ballpark is still expected to open in April 2013.
