DBAP showing off new look at Thursday’s opener


With a renewed emphasis on the gameday experience and entertainment, the 18-year-old Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham broke ground on more than $20 million worth of renovations as soon as the last pitch was hurled in September. Fans will get to see the result when the Bulls begin the 2014 season tomorrow (Thursday) against the Gwinett Braves. Changes start at the front entrance, which has lost the gates but gained a grand facade. On the concourse, nearly a dozen new concessions options have been added. And for all the traditional upgrades, the overhaul did not skimp on technology either. An enhanced WiFi integration will allow up to 8,000 simultaneous users – up from fewer than 2,000 a year ago at a stadium that seats 10,000. New speakers have been installed and there are more than 4,100 square feet of brand new, state-of-the-art HD video boards highlighted by a 2,048-square-foot screen on the Blue Monster in left field. The field of play itself is a brand new surface, and the light banks are new.