PHILADELPHIA - Don't mind the mess. The welcome mat is out for the Philadelphia Phillies' new digs.

Workers paved sidewalks, planted trees and put the finishing touches Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday, three days before it opens for exhibition games against the Cleveland Indians. The home opener is April 12 against Cincinnati.

"It'll be nice to test it out, see what the grass is like," said manager Larry Bowa. "If we have any issues with it, they'll have a week to take care of it."

The Phillies are using this weekend as a dress rehearsal for the ballpark which replaces the recently imploded Veterans Stadium, their home for the last 33 years. The overall cost of preparing the stadium site and building the new park topped out at $458 million.

"We need to find out where there were traffic flow problems, if there were problems in the turnstiles. Do all the toilets flush?" Phillies spokesman Larry Shenk said.

Not everything will be ready for Saturday, most notably an area dedicated to Phillie Phanatic merchandise and a kid's zone. The cranes and workers will disappear for the weekend before returning for a crash course on construction clean up.

The biggest differences from the Vet? Real green grass softer than a perfectly placed bunt. An open-air stadium with a splendid view of Center City. Wider seats that are angled toward the field. More concession choices with a local flavor.

Fans at the ticket window Wednesday couldn't wait to get inside.

"I think it's beautiful," said Edwin Miller, 68, of Woolrich Township, N.J. "It looks like the one in Baltimore. I'm anxious to get inside and look at it."

So far, the new stadium has worked wonders for ticket sales. Shenk said the Phillies season-ticket sales jumped from 14,000 last year to 23,000 so far this year. Ticket prices range from $15 to $40 dollars and the ballpark holds 43,500 fans, down nearly 20,000 seats from the spacious Vet.

It doesn't hurt that unlike recent new stadiums built in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh or Detroit, this year's Phillies team has fans buzzing about more than the concrete.

"The ballpark will carry you for a year or two. We wanted to do better than that," Shenk said. "This was a team that was built to be ready to win for this year and beyond."

The ballpark combines some of the grand slam features of some of the newer ballparks with some of Philadelphia's own unique touches.

Ten-foot bronze statues of Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Jim Bunning and Richie Ashburn surround the red steel, brick and stone facade.

A gigantic scoreboard rises from the left-field seats and will include a video screen that Shenk said is the largest in the National League.

One of the major attractions will be Ashburn Alley, an outdoor entertainment area dedicated to the Hall of Famer and former broadcaster. Fans can walk past the All-Star Walk, devoted to Phillies All-Stars since 1933, or watch pitchers from both teams warm up in bi-level bullpens.

Fans can also take a stroll down Memory Lane, an illustrated history of Philadelphia baseball, including the Phillies, the A's and Negro League teams.

Fans with tickets in the Diamond Club area can watch players take their cuts in an indoor batting cage before heading out to their padded seats.

Thirsty? There are 40 water fountains at 20 locations. Last year, the Eagles were embarrassed when it turned out Lincoln Financial Field lacked drinking fountains, except in premium club lounges.

And yes, fans can bring their own hoagies. Just don't worry if you leave them behind.

The great double-play combination of peanuts and Cracker Jack are there, along with local favorites like cheesesteaks from Tony Luke's and Geno's. Former Phillies slugger Greg (The Bull) Luzinski has a Bull's BBQ stand at the eastern end of Ashburn Alley.

With the open concourses, fans can stand in line to buy a $4.50 hot dog, a $6 beer or $3.75 soda without missing a pitch.

If your stomach is as empty as your wallet, Citizens Bank ATMs line the concourses. The bank has a naming-rights deal worth about $57.5 million over 25 years.

Continuing the Philly theme, 100 feet above street level is a Liberty Bell that rings after ever Phillies home run.

The most unique feature on the field is an angle located between the left-center field power alley and dead center field that could cause havoc for outfielders and produce some wild extra-base hits.

"I'm a little curious to see how the ball plays, how it goes when you get it up in the air," said Phillies pitcher Kevin Millwood.

AP-ES-04-01-04 0013EST