This is what Rogers Centre will look like after it undergoes a $300-million renovation
For the first time in 33 years, the home of the Toronto Blue Jays will undergo a massive $300-million renovation that will see the city’s stadium transformed into a world-class ballpark.
The baseball club’s top brass announced the privately-funded overhaul on Thursday, which they say focuses on modernizing the fan experience and building elite player facilities.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“It’s been a long-time coming,” Jays President and CEO Mark Shapiro said at a presentation unveiling the changes.
“When fans come into the building next year, sit in these seats and the seats below, with the Canadian flag unfurled in the field behind us, it will be a dramatically different vision, a dramatically different vista and a different ballpark,” Shapiro said.
The first phase of renovations will begin in the 2022-2023 offseason, starting with the 100 level and 200 level outfield.
Those seating areas will see the installation of what the Jays call new “social spaces” with patios, drink rails, bars and viewing platforms.
Bullpens, where the pitchers warm up, will be raised and surrounded by new seats so that fans can get even closer to their favourite players.
This rendering shows some of the renovations planned as part of the first phase of a major overhaul of the Rogers Centre. (Toronto Blue Jays)
Seats at the 100 level will also be brought forward to new outfield walls, bringing fans within an arm’s reach of the field.
In the 500 level, there will be two new social decks, similar to the existing WestJet Flight Deck, where fans can grab a drink and socialize with other fans regardless of where their seats are.
As well, each and every seat in the 500 level will be replaced—something that hasn’t happened since the building opened.
The upgrades aren’t limited to the fan experience.
At the field level, there are plans in place to build a family room for the player’s families, a 5,000-square-foot weight room, as well as staff locker rooms.
All of those projects will be completed in the offseason and won’t impact baseball play, the club said.
This rendering shows some of the renovations planned as part of the first phase of a major overhaul of the Rogers Centre. (Toronto Blue Jays)
The team explained that the exterior of the building, turf field modification, and roof are not in the current scope of the renovation plans.
The second set of renovations will begin in the 2023-2024 offseason and include upgrades to the 100 level infield, field level premium clubs and social spaces, and clubhouses and player facilities.
The Rogers Centre opened in 1989 as the Sky Dome at a cost of roughly $570 million, or about $1 billion in today’s dollars, and was the first stadium ever built with a fully retractable motorized roof.
This rendering shows some of the renovations planned as part of the first phase of a major overhaul of the Rogers Centre. (Toronto Blue Jays)
Two years ago, a report in the Globe and Mail suggested that the Jays and the developer Brookfield Asset Management Inc. were working on plans for a new downtown stadium. The Blue Jays later confirmed that they were “exploring their options” regarding the future of the Rogers Centre but put the work on hold amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As previously reported by TSN, the club believes the renovations, which will see architecture firm Populous at the helm, will extend the lifespan of the stadium by an additional 10 to 15 years.
Prior to Thursday’s announcement, the Rogers Centre brought in a massive 8,000-square-foot videoboard ahead of the 2022 season which allows for an enhanced viewing experience for both fans at the stadium and those watching from home.
With files from Chris Fox
This rendering shows some of the renovations planned as part of the first phase of a major overhaul of the Rogers Centre. (Toronto Blue Jays)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.