BIRMINGHAM — The hamburger was delicious. The hot dog, too. But when the woman behind the concession stand counter tried to take my $12.75 (I bought a bottled water, as well), the cash drawer wouldn't open. Oh, and don't order a “hamburger” or you'll create confusion. You must ask for a “cheeseburger” whether or not you want the dairy dolloped on top.

For the Barons’ home opener at their new stadium on April 10, 2013, the grass and infield at Regions Field were beautiful and the paint was fresh in the men’s room. I'd like to tell you the Bud Light was cold but I couldn't find the lone—on opening night—stand-alone kiosk, parked somewhere away from my concession area, where security officers were checking IDs and distributing “beer bracelets”. (By the time I found the kiosk a few minutes later, I was already full of burger and water.)

It wasn't a mistake-free opening for the Barons in their new, 8,500-seat stadium on Third Avenue South; in addition to a few customer service hiccups, the Barons and Mississippi Braves combined for three E's on the field. (Trivia: the first-ever home run at Regions Field was hit by Braves' designated hitter Kyle Russell, 26, of Houston, Texas.)

The game was a good one, though, won 9-5 by the Barons in comeback fashion. And when the construction crews get out of the way and the rocking chairs in right field finally have a clear view, Regions Field is going to be great. In fact, in a few days the stadium's interior perimeter along the outfield—including a Dreamland Bar-B-Que with an open dining area facing the field—will be complete and Regions Field will likely be considered the finest minor league baseball facility in the country.

The $64 million stadium is strikingly beautiful in a minimalistic, concrete and exposed steel sort-of-way. (Obviously, the architects knew their Birmingham city history.) The brick façade and incorporated lime-green signage that dominate the main entrance stand in brilliant, breathtaking contrast to the remainder of the structure. Back inside, open sight lines throughout the main concourse provide an unobstructed view of the action on the field.

But there is still work to be done. Three hours before game time on April 10, construction workers were scurrying around, covering exposed outlets and washing walkways. Outside, a section of Third Avenue was closed to provide space for heavy machinery to swerve around piles of gravel, dirt and landscaping mulch. Near the ticket office, a two-man crew striped crosswalks with bright, white paint--directly over layers of curbside dirt they hadn't the necessary time to wash away.

One contractor, who didn't give his name, said the inability to have the stadium finished before the Barons’ home opener was due to an excess of optimism, not a lack of effort.

“We worked every day, so it wasn't the weather that kept us from getting finished,” he said. “I think everyone was just hoping we'd have everything ready. We'll have it all wrapped up soon.”

Across the street, the good people at Good People Brewing Co. are giddy over their good fortune. The owners, who opened up in June 2010 before talk of a downtown stadium even began, have already incorporated the Barons into their business model.

“All of this grew up around us,” said owner Michael Sellers about Regions Field. “Accommodating the fans is a growing process for us and tonight will be our first learning experience. We've added a lot more staff, a front bar and a merchandising area.”

Over the blaring of Hall and Oates in the open-air production warehouse in the rear of the brewery, which doubles as the main seating area for patrons, Sellers said he and his partners plan even more improvements by summer in advance of a much-anticipated milestone.

“As Alabama's oldest brewery, we want to be able to show off everything on July 4 when we celebrate our fifth anniversary,” Sellers said. “We'll have all our renovations finished, including opening up a wall so our customers can see the stadium.”

Parking did not appear to be a problem for a sellout crowd and any security concerns were alleviated by extra police patrols and mounted officers galloping about the surrounding streets. Statewide media reported that the prevailing feeling after the home opener was that, even if it isn't quite finished, a downtown home for the city’s baseball team has been a long time coming (25 years, to be exact).

As al.com sportswriter Kevin Scarbinsky said in his April 11 column, “This is the start of something that has the potential to be bigger than a ballpark. Can you believe this is Birmingham?”

It was hard to believe, I admit. But overall, Regions Field was a wonderful surprise.

The next Barons home stand is April 20-24 against Huntsville. For ticket information visit www.barons.com.

On Twitter: @postpaper, @BhamBarons, @GPBrewing