surprise

Saturday was perhaps the first true spring day of the year in D.C. With the sun shining and clear skies, we decided it was a good time to go check out the construction progress at the new baseball stadium.

We expected to take a look through the fence, walk around the perimeter and be on our way. As we came up to the main outfield gates, there was one other man standing there who had the same impulse. As construction workers walked around us, generally ignoring our spectating, one came over and asked if we wanted to see the view from the seats.

Turns out, it was Greg O'Dell, CEO of the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission. He was out on a Saturday checking out the park (and, I think, waiting for someone with more clout than us who wanted a personalized tour). Apparently he had a few minutes of downtime, or he was hoping to build some PR karma, and decided to give the random fans a personal, comprehensive tour of the stadium under construction.

The view from the outfield seats turned into the view from the suites, progressing from the simple club level to the box suites to the super-exclusive club down behind home plate, complete with a lounge with one plexiglassed wall overlooking the players' batting cage underneath the seats and, in another area, the press conference room. Then down further, to an area without a field view. The locker room, the training area.

The stadium seems generally ready for Opening Day, although there was still plenty of construction debris to clean away. I imagine there will be slight odds and ends that don't quite get finished up by the first game, but the important stuff - the playing surface, the seats, the scoreboard - certainly look good.

I should be seeing quite a bit more of the stadium this year as a fan and as working press. The unexpected preview wasn't a bad way to spend Saturday afternoon.