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Crews to soon install grass on field of new downtown Knoxville stadium, as construction progresses

With around 6 months before the Tennessee Smokies throw their first pitch in the stadium, leaders said construction of the stadium is on time.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Crews are still hard at work on the downtown Knoxville stadium, newly dubbed Covenant Health Park. Developers said they are working to get things ready for the first pitch on April 15, when the Tennessee Smokies will play the inaugural game on their new home field.

Mohamed Abbas, a senior project manager with Denark Construction, said developers don't have any concerns the ballpark will miss that deadline. 

"The most exciting thing I'd say is the fact that that field is starting to get really started and the stadium seating obviously makes a very big visual impact," Abbas said. "We hope to have grass down in the next week or two."

Abbas said over the next few months, crews will finish up the final touches that will make the stadium look less like a construction zone. Already, seats are being installed.

"We'll have a lot of interior progress with millwork and countertops," he said. "The lockers will be going in the locker rooms, on the outside. You'll see a lot more of the site work out on the playing fields."

Some exciting features include a scoreboard in the shape of Tennessee, a retractable pitcher's mound and technology that the Chicago Cubs can utilize to track player performance in real-time.

Abbas also said players and coaches have come to see the progress of their future field.

"The Smokies team has been here with their coach, as well as the One Knox team," Abbas said. "Everybody's really excited to see it and kind of see it progress. I think once we get grass down, I'm sure we'll have a couple more of those visits upcoming."

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