By AP/KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Workers on Wednesday began laying more than 100,000 square feet of Kentucky bluegrass in the new Busch Stadium.
The first game there will be an exhibition game April 4 featuring the Cardinals' two top minor-league teams. The first regular season game will be April 10 (against the Brewers).
Upkeep of the grass was a constant problem at the old Busch. Officials blamed poor ventilation and humidity - the stadium was enclosed on all sides, limiting wind movement and causing shadows. For many years, turf was used to avoid those problems, but the grass returned in the 90s.
The new ballpark, meanwhile, is open in the outfield, letting the sun and wind in. Also expected to help is a sprinkler system that sprays 41-degree water on the grass, and an underground system that removes harmful gases.