Toronto Rogers Centre Renovations | ?m | ?s | Toronto Blue Jays | Populous

innsertnamehere said:
They may not be demolishing, simply developing some underutilized parts of the site. Their parcel on the south side of Bremner is prime land, as is the east / west plaza (though I'm not entirely sure Rogers owns the west plaza).
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Does Rogers even own any of the land? I always thought it was Canada Lands leasing the site long-term?
 
someMidTowner said:
Does Rogers even own any of the land? I always thought it was Canada Lands leasing the site long-term?
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Correct, Canada Lands Company owns the 4.4 acres Rogers Centre sits on.

Rogers pays $900,000 per year through 2088 (probably with an inflation mechanism) and isn't allowed any use other than a stadium and related amenities.
 
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rbt said:
Correct, Canada Lands Company owns the 4.4 acres Rogers Centre sits on.

Rogers pays $900,000 per year through 2088 (probably with an inflation mechanism) and isn't allowed any use other than a stadium and related amenities.
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I wonder if they imploded the stadium and paid some sort of penalty if they could redevelop the land. The land is more lucrative for condos than it would be for a stadium.

Given the chance, I can see them getting rid of the stadium in favor of a wholesale development.
 
Richard White said:
I wonder if they imploded the stadium and paid some sort of penalty if they could redevelop the land. The land is more lucrative for condos than it would be for a stadium.

Given the chance, I can see them getting rid of the stadium in favor of a wholesale development.
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Why would CLC allow Rogers to do that and not redevelop it themselves?

AoD
 
Richard White said:
I wonder if they imploded the stadium and paid some sort of penalty if they could redevelop the land. The land is more lucrative for condos than it would be for a stadium.

Given the chance, I can see them getting rid of the stadium in favor of a wholesale development.
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The land the Rogers Centre sits on should be kept either for entertainment purposes (ie: stadium use) or park land, and nothing else. Often times when stadiums are demolished, the land is kept "in reserve" in a sense by transforming it into parkland which would easily allow for the next replacement stadium to be built.

New York has done this with Yankee Stadium, Detroit has done it with Comerica Park, St.Louis has done it with Busch Stadium, etc. I can give countless examples where cities and teams work to keep the land away from development because they know once that piece of prime real estate is gone, they'll never get it back.

In Toronto's case, this is one of 2 pieces of prime real estate we have left in the downtown core for stadium use. Sell that off for condo development and we'll be stuck seeing baseball at Downsview Park for the rest of our lives. We're lucky in a sense that the Rogers Centre sits under Federally owned lands and not provincial/municipal owned lands because if it were the latter cases, I could see the land being sold off when push comes to shove. Especially when you get bombastic leaders like the one we currently have over at Queen's Park
 
Amare said:
The land the Rogers Centre sits on should be kept either for entertainment purposes (ie: stadium use) or park land, and nothing else. Often times when stadiums are demolished, the land is kept "in reserve" in a sense by transforming it into parkland which would easily allow for the next replacement stadium to be built.

New York has done this with Yankee Stadium, Detroit has done it with Comerica Park, St.Louis has done it with Busch Stadium, etc. I can give countless examples where cities and teams work to keep the land away from development because they know once that piece of prime real estate is gone, they'll never get it back.

In Toronto's case, this is one of 2 pieces of prime real estate we have left in the downtown core for stadium use. Sell that off for condo development and we'll be stuck seeing baseball at Downsview Park for the rest of our lives. We're lucky in a sense that the Rogers Centre sits under Federally owned lands and not provincial/municipal owned lands because if it were the latter cases, I could see the land being sold off when push comes to shove. Especially when you get bombastic leaders like the one we currently have over at Queen's Park
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On that note, the meeting between Rogers, Shapiro and Cressy likely discussed redevelopment of the lands around the stadium for entertainment purposes:

www.sportsnet.ca

Will Blue Jays follow recent MLB trends in stadium renovations? - Sportsnet.ca

As the Toronto Blue Jays contemplate their renovation of Rogers Centre, the trend in stadiums and arenas is toward sports-anchored developments in which teams have a stake in the project. Shi Davidi takes a look into how such projects are changing things for teams and fans alike.
www.sportsnet.ca www.sportsnet.ca
 
Translude15 said:
On that note, the meeting between Rogers, Shapiro and Cressy likely discussed redevelopment of the lands around the stadium for entertainment purposes:
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There's not that much land though is there? I think the most we'd expect are some Shops at Don Mills-style retail/restaurant pavilions.

I am more interested in how this might involve the actual existing stadium though. Definitely wish I was a fly on the wall there!
 
Davidi's article from a year ago suggests the land swap in exchange for paying for part of rail-deck park - not a bad idea. That could work well for the land immediately east of the ramp down to Rogers Centre parking. Even building over that down ramp, in exchange for Rogers also building rail-deck park, maybe all the way to Spadina.

The roof just doesn't allow the type of tack-on condo development they've done with Rogers Arena or BC Place in Vancouver.
 
It could also be less about building net new structures and, instead, tying in with public realm plans included in the first phase of Oxford Centre. Shapiro has often talked about "opening up" the stadium and creating more places to congregate, so it'd make sense that they'd try to de-bunkerize the north side of the stadium (other than the hotel portion).
 
T.E.C.II said:
Some more news on the subject - - https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...ntre-city-councillor-tells-stadium-owner.html
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I doubt the stadium will stay where it is. With land opening up in the Portlands, a subway station in Downsview Park and Dougie wanting to build at Ontario Place it only makes sense to relocate.

I get it, the stadium is in a good location but it is outdated, it is in need of renovations and quite frankly it may be better (and cheaper) to build a new one somewhere else.
 
I don't disagree, but I'd still be surprised if they moved out any time soon, particularly after going through the renovations they've recently made. According to Shapiro:

"This year, we spent the bulk of the money putting on a new roof and finishing up waterproofing. Refreshing the 100 level concourse, which if you’ve been to a game, you’d know is dramatically different. And building a new premium club behind home plate."
 
T.E.C.II said:
I don't disagree, but I'd still be surprised if they moved out any time soon, particularly after going through the renovations they've recently made. According to Shapiro:

"This year, we spent the bulk of the money putting on a new roof and finishing up waterproofing. Refreshing the 100 level concourse, which if you’ve been to a game, you’d know is dramatically different. And building a new premium club behind home plate."
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You can put lipstick on a pig but it is still a pig.

No amount of superficial renovations will change the fact it is a 1980s concrete bunker. Look at aerial photos of the dome with it open. The stadium looks like Exhibition Stadium.. it looks dated.
 
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