In case you haven’t heard, the Rogers Centre is having some work done.
Earlier this year, the Toronto Blue Jays announced that their home turf was getting a major facelift.
The upgrades are expected to come with a $300M price tag. The plan was always that the work would take place during the off seasons over the next two years. Yesterday, the Blue Jays announced that the renovation is through its first major stage, with a massive demolition completed last week. Now, crews are working to build the new infrastructure at Rogers Centre.
This first phase will see a total revamp of the area near the outfield and the 500 level (AKA the “nosebleed seats”). According to a press release issued by the Toronto Blue Jays, all 500 Level seats have been torn up -- nearly 17,000 of them -- and will be replaced prior to next season. Apparently, information will come soon as to what the club plans to do with the old seats, but we imagine they may become hot-ticket items among fans.
Meanwhile, significant work is being done to the outfield, which will take on a new look in 2023.
Furthermore, on the lower levels, this off-season will see the addition of new social spaces and bars, raised bullpens, and 100 Level seats brought closer to the action. Away from the view of fans, there will also be some major renovations to player facilities, including a family room, a 5,000-sq. ft weight room, and staff locker room.
According to the Blue Jays, a 200-tonne crane was brought in to do some of the heavy lifting through the 35-day demolition. A total of 2.2M pounds of materials have been recycled in the process, including 1.3M pounds of concrete and 900,000 pounds of steel.
According to the Blue Jays, the vision is to turn the stadium into a ballpark. More of that work will come offseason, when the 100 Level and player facilities will be overhauled even further. The team says that fans will already notice an immediate difference at the home opener on April 11.
“We are committed to building a sustainable championship organization for years to come, and this renovation to Rogers Centre will give new and lifelong Blue Jays fans a ballpark where they can proudly cheer on their team,” said Mark Shapiro, Toronto’s president and CEO. “This project would not be possible without the support of Edward Rogers, Tony Staffieri, and our Rogers ownership group, who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the Blue Jays, both in fielding the best team to win championships, as well as in the infrastructure needed to create a modern ballpark for our fans and players.”
