The Arizona Diamondbacks will play in front of a sold-out stadium Monday in their home opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"The sellout clearly reflects the excitement and passion we are feeling from the community towards this team and organization," said D-Backs President Derrick Hall.
This year, the team spent $3.5 million on capital improvements, including the addition of Fatburger and Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. to the food lineup, more digital signs on concourse levels, remodeling of the Strike Zone Lounge, and the upgrade of 20 suites.
In centerfield The Arizona Republic marquee and scoreboard, which debuted when the stadium opened 10 years ago, will be gone. In its place, new signage will read "Chase Field" in capital letters, with "Home of the Diamondbacks" underneath. Chase Bank's logo will be plastered in the middle.
Below that, a 46-foot-tall, 136-foot-wide, high-definition video scoreboard will display game and player information. The Maricopa County Stadium District, which owns the facility, fronted the $14 million to build and install the colossal board.
Fewer than 450 standing-room-only tickets are available for Monday's game at $6 per ticket at the Chase Field ticket office or by phone at 602-514-8400.
Hall said the franchise set a club record during its offseason by renewing season tickets at a 94 percent rate. The club sold more than 2,000 season tickets during the offseason and has more than 14,500 full season ticket equivalents heading into regular 2008 play.
The increase marks only the second time in club history the team added to its base. The only other time was going into the 2002 season after the D-backs beat the New York Yankees in the 2001 World Series.