By MIKE LOFTUS
The Patriot Ledger

QUINCY - They haven't paved paradise to put up a parking lot.

They've taken over a parking lot, and dropped a version of beach volleyball paradise on top.

Construction continued on Monday, Aug. 13, 2007 on the portable stadium and outside courts that will play host to the country's top male and female beach volleyball pros from Thursday through Sunday, when the AVP Crocs Tour stages its first Bob's Stores Boston Open at Marina Bay. The main order of business today was to be the delivery and erection of corporate and sponsor tents and signs. By the time fans arrive for Friday morning's first main-draw matches, the site will look more like volleyball nirvana than what it usually is, and what it will become again next week - the parking lot adjacent to Waterworks.

"As someone who came here when I was younger for the bar and restaurant scene, and knowing the mixed-use community Marina Bay is, it's interesting to see the evolution of this event, and how everything has come along," said Nick Gregorian of Fenway Sports Group, the marketing and promotions arm of the Red Sox bringing pro beach volleyball back to the state for the first time since 1997.

"From the days back in March when we were marking off the parking lot, to actually seeing the sand trucked in and the bleachers erected, has been pretty amazing."

Anyone who hadn't stopped at Marina Bay to shop, sail, eat or party in the last week would probably double-take at the transformation (not to mention the promotional posters of swimwear-clad athletes), but Gregorian has learned that with proper planning and sufficient space, an AVP event can spring up most anywhere.

"I've been to tournaments in Atlanta, in Miami and in Charleston, South Carolina," he said. "It was definitely good to see other areas, other venues.

"And it's interesting. The Atlanta tournament was held in a town center setting. In Charleston, it was at the Family Circle tennis venue. So we learned that pretty much any venue can be adapted into a beach volleyball venue."

Not that the AVP or FSG considers Marina Bay any old venue. With its on-the-water location and a view of Boston that's expected to figure prominently in NBC's live telecasts on Saturday (men's final) and Sunday (women's final), "we thought this was the perfect venue," Gregorian said.

And it's almost ready to host players and spectators.

Workers on Monday, Aug. 13, continued adding seats to the mini-stadium that will be the site of feature matches, while a bit closer to the water's edge, nine individual courts that will be used starting with Thursday's qualifying matches (free to the public, they run from 8 a.m. to approximately 6 p.m.) awaited finishing touches.

"We do a little bit of everything, which keeps the job interesting," said Stoughton resident Don McEacheron of McLaughlin Brothers Contracting, working a shovel over a fraction of the 2,000 tons of double-washed mason's sand that was delivered last week. "But it's different to be involved in something this big that's happening right here in the community.

"When we see this on TV, we can say we helped put it together, and I'll probably watch more than if I wasn't involved."

Tournament organizers hope the public is just as eager to check things out. Tickets ($20 general admission, $40 courtside rows 3-6, $75 rows 1-2) can be ordered via avp.com.

"We're right on schedule," Gregorian said. "We couldn't be happier with what's going on. Now, we hope to see everyone out here for the event. It should be a lot of fun."

Mike Loftus may be reached at mloftus@ledger.com.