Most people realize that there have been many changes to the facilities that house Falcons sports in the past year.

When the football team put in lights at Doyt L. Perry Stadium, it was big news. With the $2.1 million cost of the lights, as well as the talk of a multi-million dollar sports complex for basketball, some may have overlooked the downright minuscule sum of $209,000 that was spent to renovate the grandstands at Warren Stellar Field.

Assistant Athletic Director Jim Elsasser said that the improvements made to the park were necessary.

“The age of the previous grandstands and the amount of repair that it needed to maintain a safe and adequate seating environment for the fans was the reason for it,” Elsasser said. “We want to be able to provide first class facilities.”

Along with the new grandstands, the park also features a new, state of the art press box and new backstop netting. Elsasser said that the changes are just the first phase in a number of renovations that he hopes are forthcoming for the field.

“We want to provide more amenities to the fans that come,” Elsasser said. “We hope to put in a permanent concession stand, permanent rest rooms and locker rooms that would house both baseball and softball, but we can only go as fast as we can.”

Money is another issue. Elsasser estimates that completing the renovation would cost $1 million. With the recent financial struggles of the athletic department, that renovation could take time to implement.

Regardless, Elsasser wants the fans to know that coming out to watch the Falcons play will be a more enjoyable experience this season than last.

“The difference between this season and last season is night and day,” Elsasser said. “The accessible seating, the new feel to the grandstands and the new seats should make it so that you can really look forward to enjoying the game.”

With all these improvements, the only concerns of the fans should be with the weather.