Fans driving from Interstate 65 to Legion Field for the Women’s National Team’s Victory Tour game with Haiti won’t find a red carpet on Graymont Avenue.

But their ride will be just about that smooth.

“There was some paving done about a month ago and some sidewalk improvements on that road as well,” said Kevin Moore, director of Birmingham Park and Recreation. “It was very much needed and it gives a better look.”

The road improvements are part of an overall spruce up of Legion Field and the roads leading to it. Moore said city crews have been cutting grass in those areas – including some abandoned properties – to make sure the drive to the stadium is more pleasant to the eye.

This effort dates back before the Labor Day Golden Classic football game pitting North Alabama against Miles College.

“They went down to the freeway and cut those rights of way on Fifth, Graymont and Sixth (avenues) and by Parker High School,” Moore said. “They will be doing that work in preparation for this event as well.”

The stadium has been touched up as well, beginning with a vacuuming of the artificial playing surface and painting in the locker rooms and throughout the stadium.

These are senior students from John Carroll and Holy Family helped spruce up around the stadium last Friday as part of the national day of service. (Photos courtesy of Kay Vance/John Carroll for Alabama NewsCenter)

“I know that the locker rooms are as good as I’ve seen them in a very long time,” said Bruno Event Team president and CEO Gene Hallman. “We’re definitely rolling out the welcome mat for the team and for a lot of soccer fans who are coming from throughout the Southeast.”

Moore said landscaping began before the Miles football opener. More recently, pine mulch was purchased and volunteers from John Carroll Catholic and Holy Family Cristo Rey high schools began putting it in place. City workers finished that task this week.

“Before the Miles game, we did have the new HVAC and roofs installed over the college locker rooms, which the USA Haiti will use,” said Moore.

The Americans will have an open practice at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and a crew will come in the clean the stadium to assure it is ready for Sunday’s 1:30 p.m. contest. And reinforcements will be on hand to make sure it stays tidy.

“We’re bringing in a few extra folks to assist with that,” the park director said. “Starting last year, we have attendants in all our restrooms to make sure everything is clean during events. Although it’s an old facility, that doesn’t mean it has to be dirty.”

To date, around 36,000 tickets have been sold to see the Women’s World Cup champions take on Haiti. Hallman anticipates nearing the 40,000 mark.