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

narduch said:
LOL

Even Exhibition place has very little room.

I honestly think the Jay's are stuck and throw out these trial balloons every few years (like grass) to make fans think they are serious about the stadium situation. But in the end they have no interest in spending any real money
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They may be stuck but MLB has raised some concerns about the status of the stadium. They did not demand a new stadium but Manfred raised concerns about the adequacy of the stadium last year pertaining to the age and need for renovations.

At the end of the day, they may be forced to do something if they want to keep the team.
 
ChesterCopperpot said:
By who? MLB? Good luck.

Age isn't a factor - otherwise the Red Sox and Cubs would have moved to new stadiums long ago
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I believe the concern was that the stadium was in need of upgrades and renovations in order to meet the standards of the MLB. Rogers has not done much and after so many years the quality of the stadium has gone down.

They may not be able to force a sale but they can make life difficult for Rogers.
 
Richard White said:
Honestly, they would be better off relocating the team for a year or two and rebuilding the rogers centre. Implode the thing, rebuild and voila. You can renovate it all you want but it is 1980s infrastructure. It was designed to serve a purpose and not to stand the test of time like Wrigley Field or Fenway Park. No amount of renovations will prevent it from ending up like Maple Leaf Gardens did at the end of its useful life.
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Many would have said the same about Wrigley and Fenway 30 years after they opened.
 
There isn't a better place in the city than where they are right now for a baseball stadium. For the amount that was paid to own the rights to the building, they can invest into bringing up to the modern era.
The offseason is also long enough to get giant blocks of it done over 3-5 years (especially if they don't make the playoffs). There could even be an agreement like at Madison Square Gardens where they prolong home games for the first couple of weeks for renovations.

The first year would be dealing with the roof, second would be permanent grass on the field and perhaps new seating and then another couple years to upgrade the concessions and find a way to bring more natural light throughout the building. Beyond that redeveloping change rooms, media booths, offices, corporate booth and the outdoor public areas can be worked on piecemeal.
While we don't have a classic stadium like Wrigley, I feel as though we can make it new, yet have a very 80's vibe going on. Bubblegum colours, vintage Jays jersey's, perhaps large portraits of classic Jays players. A boy can dream...
 
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ryguy7787 said:
While we don't have a classic stadium like Wrigley, I feel as though we can make it new, yet have a very 80's vibe going on. Bubblegum colours, vintage Jays jersey's, perhaps large portraits of classic Jays players. A boy can dream...
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This is a good point. Waiting long enough, anything can become vintage. The late 80's vibe of the SkyDome could work in its favour. I'd love some neon colours and a callback to the classic Jays players and style.

I think the single move with the biggest impact on improving the stadium's atmosphere would be demolishing the hotel and outfield stands, replacing them with lower level bleachers and building a park over the rail corridor. It'd open the SkyDome to the outside, creating a ballpark feel and would at the same time open the stadium to those watching the game on a screen in the park allowing the roar of the fans to be heard outside. Make the SkyDome, inside and out, a destination for fans with and without tickets and they'd gain new paying fans.
 
alexanderglista said:
Great catch! With Rogers getting into the development business in Mississauga, I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to get some condos in over the USRC (Union Station Rail Corridor) east of the Rail Deck Park project as part of their larger vision, and a condition of them investing in the RDP.
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Could definitely help everything along, but I wonder if that's a good thing.

I can't imagine Rogers building quality condos.
 
JasonParis said:
Many would have said the same about Wrigley and Fenway 30 years after they opened.
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Rogers Centre just doesn't have the history of either of those buildings, though. They're attractions in themselves, landmarks. Even if the product on the field isn't great, you still get the experience of being in these historic parks. I don't think you get that with the Rogers Centre (which I'll be attending a game at tomorrow.)
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T.E.C.II said:
Rogers Centre just doesn't have the history of either of those buildings, though. They're attractions in themselves, landmarks. Even if the product on the field isn't great, you still get the experience of being in these historic parks. I don't think you get that with the Rogers Centre (which I'll be attending a game at tomorrow.)
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In a century's time, Rogers Centre (or whatever the new name of SkyDome will be), will be one of those historic parks baseball historians will often discuss.
 
Gotta strongly disagree with the sentiment that Rogers Centre could be viewed similarly to Wrigley Field or Fenway if enough time passes. Those parks are small, quaint, and evoke a timeless, minimal atmosphere. I don't think the Dome is a bad place to watch a game, but it doesn't have that timeless, quaint, old timey vibe - it's very big and very concrete. Not every stadium ends up being beloved after enough time has passed (see Olympic Stadium, the Metrodome, Tropicana Field, and plenty of cookie cutter type stadiums that went up in the 60s.)

That said, even though the Rogers Centre is never going to have a Fenway/PNC Park type feel, I'm hopeful a reno could make it feel at least a bit more "ballparky". I'd be satisfied with that. It's an almost unbeatable location, nice with the roof open, and can have a great atomosphere if it's a big game.
 
Would have no issue with it being razed. It's a giant bunker. The problem is there probably isn't a better location for a ballpark so the only option is probably an extensive renovation. If they can renovate Soldier Field and Lambeau Field they can do the Skydome (I don't call it Rogers Center).
 
Johnny Au said:
I believe that the SkyDome is a heritage structure, especially given that it is the oldest structure in the world with a fully functioning retractable roof that is capable of covering the entire facility and can seat over 40,000 people.
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If you mean 'listed' it is not. It MAY be worth retaining and upgrading but having the world's first retractable roof is probably not what will decide that.
 
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