the early 1990s, many teams began renovating their spring training sites. At this time, the Pirates were threatening to leave Bradenton for Winter Haven in search of better training facilities. Many of the complaints which were associated with the pre-1993 ballpark included red sand that clotted the infield, old boards serving as bleacher seats and panels hanging loose on the outfield walls. The city then stepped in with a plan to use tourism tax money to rebuild McKechnie Field. The project ended up costing $3.4 million. In 1993 it was decided the aging stadium was in need of a massive renovation. Pittsburgh-based architect, Lou Astorino, of L.D. Astorino Companies, was put in charge of renovating the ballpark. Astorino's renovation was inspired by Forbes Field, the Pirates' old stadium in Pittsburgh, with its outfield walls which were covered in ivy, like Wrigley Field, and the view of trees outside the park. He also chose a Spanish Mission façade based on the old Bradenton railroad station. The Pirates and local officials agreed any renovation must preserve the neighborhood appeal of McKechnie. After extensive interviews and months of work, an intimate park was recommended with new grounds, wide access ramps, concession stands, kiosks and improved sight lines, while maintaining a ballpark's classic ambiance. McKechnie's old metal chairs that served as box seats and the wooden bleachers were also removed, in favor of more modern stadium seating. The grandstand seen today at McKechnie was built as part of the 1993 renovation and holds 6,602 people. Construction on the new park started in late 1992, and was barely completed by spring training 1993. Workers were still putting numbers on the stadium seats while the Manatee High School band played just minutes before the first pitch on March 5. The stadium's remodeling was applauded highly by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and essayist George Will for keeping the vintage baseball park look. Will was also a part-owner of the Pirates' opponents for their first game in the renovated park, the Baltimore Orioles and was in attendance. The renovation to the Spanish mission-style ballpark preserved the intimate, old-time atmosphere so well that USA Today dubbed it the "Fenway Park" of spring training stadiums. As part of the renovation the red infield dirt was replaced with a darker color dirt because Pirates' manager Jim Leyland complained of the glare and heat reflecting from the reddish sand. Lou Astorino subsequently designed