Fenway Gets Minor Fixes Before Season Opens

Fenway Park has had a little spring cleaning — just in time for Opening Night.

On Monday, Boston Red Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino led Mayor M. Thomas Menino and members of the press on a tour of recent upgrades to the ballpark.

Lucchino emphasized that this year’s projects focused on improving the experience for Red Sox fans.

"This year, we focused on some less sexy items like bathrooms and concession stands, but I think the fans who come here are going to find it easier to get around the ballpark," Lucchino said.

Much of the work centered on seating. Seats in lower left field now have cup holders and seats in the field box and dugout sections have cushioning. Rows of blue wooden seats in the left field grandstands — which have been in place since Fenway opened in 1912 — have been fitted with mechanisms that allow the seat to retract automatically, enabling freer movement within the aisles.

Restrooms located on the grandstand concourse were also removed and new, larger restrooms were built on the mezzanine level below.

The grandstand concessions have also been revamped. Fans this season can eat lobster rolls and funnel cake and the new menu also caters to vegetarian members of Red Sox Nation with expanded meatless and gluten-free options.

The mayor got a chance to sample some of the new food offerings and admitted a certain preference for one particular item.

“I thought the double cheeseburger was very good," Menino said. "It’s not good for my diet, but it’s very good."

The Red Sox open the regular season Sunday night at home against the New York Yankees.