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

BMO Field has held precisely one concert - Genesis - since it was built. And that was the year it opened in 2007.
It was a logistical nightmare there is no backstage area so they used the area behind the stadium against the food building and made it so no one could pass through it except for staff from the band.
 
I like the Portland proposal and does appear to avoid that giant shoebox appearance like some large roofed stadiums. I agree though- I can't see how a stadium nearing these sizes could be built on the current site without the Jays playing elsewhere for a few years. A new stadium anytime soon also doesn't really jive with the Jay's post season push in the coming years either. They are expected to make some key acquisitions and the maturing of their young stars over the next few seasons. I don't see them wanting to play in Buffalo or Montreal during this period. It all doesn't really add up and the timing seems off.
 
I like the Portland proposal and does appear to avoid that giant shoebox appearance like some large roofed stadiums. I agree though- I can't see how a stadium nearing these sizes could be built on the current site without the Jays playing elsewhere for a few years. A new stadium anytime soon also doesn't really jive with the Jay's post season push in the coming years either. They are expected to make some key acquisitions and the maturing of their young stars over the next few seasons. I don't see them wanting to play in Buffalo or Montreal during this period. It all doesn't really add up and the timing seems off.
By the time all the approvals are done, the Jays will be rebuilding again
 
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I don’t see why they can’t do this exact arrangement to the SkyDome. Knock down the south facade, reorient the field and you’d have a horseshoe stand behind Home plate with the outfield open to the lake on the other side.

Bremner could either stay where it is or run closer to LakeShore to make more space for an outfield park with amenities as seen here.
 
I don’t see why they can’t do this exact arrangement to the SkyDome. Knock down the south facade, reorient the field and you’d have a horseshoe stand behind Home plate with the outfield open to the lake on the other side.

Bremner could either stay where it is or run closer to LakeShore to make more space for an outfield park with amenities as seen here.

You can't run Bremner closer to Lake Shore without tearing down the Roundhouse and the Copeland transformer station that was just built.
 
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I don’t see why they can’t do this exact arrangement to the SkyDome. Knock down the south facade, reorient the field and you’d have a horseshoe stand behind Home plate with the outfield open to the lake on the other side.

Bremner could either stay where it is or run closer to LakeShore to make more space for an outfield park with amenities as seen here.

From a baseball perspective- ballparks are generally oriented in a NE direction from home plate through the pitchers mound to 2nd base. It's to avoid sun glare and shadows which can be dangerous for players. It's even in the rulebook- although not a hard rule. Here's the orientation of all the MLB parks:

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Looks like there area a few outliers such as Comerica park. Maybe a temporary configuration for a couple of seasons while starting a new building to the south?
 
I don’t see why they can’t do this exact arrangement to the SkyDome. Knock down the south facade, reorient the field and you’d have a horseshoe stand behind Home plate with the outfield open to the lake on the other side.

Bremner could either stay where it is or run closer to LakeShore to make more space for an outfield park with amenities as seen here.
Or, knock out the north end, including the entirety of the hotel, then keep going and take out 315 & 325 Front (I think Rogers owns both of these no?), deck over the railway, and with the stadium now open and facing north you have a big public plaza/park with a view into the Dome (which also now somehow has a translucent roof).

Finish off by cladding all the exposed concrete with real brick and for the love of god real grass.
 
for the love of god real grass.

I think Rogers has come to realize that it's simply not possible, or at the very least, is too expensive to be worth it. It's not just the lack of a drainage system, moisture and lighting are also big factors.
 
I think Rogers has come to realize that it's simply not possible, or at the very least, is too expensive to be worth it. It's not just the lack of a drainage system, moisture and lighting are also big factors.

Not if they knock down a substantial part of the walls, making it an outdoor ballpark. Since it would cease to be multipurpose and would be used exclusively for baseball, which is played in the Spring/Summer, I don’t see why they couldn’t grow grass, like anywhere else in Toronto during those seasons. For sunlight, keep the dome open by default and only close it for rain during games.
 

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Not if they knock down a substantial part of the walls, making it an outdoor ballpark. Since it would cease to be multipurpose and would be used exclusively for baseball, which is played in the Spring/Summer, I don’t see why they couldn’t grow grass, like anywhere else in Toronto during those seasons. For sunlight, keep the dome open by default and only close it for rain during games.View attachment 287043

No drainage. You need to renovate the field to put in the drainage and irrigation. You can't put grass on concrete.
 
Or, knock out the north end, including the entirety of the hotel, then keep going and take out 315 & 325 Front (I think Rogers owns both of these no?), deck over the railway, and with the stadium now open and facing north you have a big public plaza/park with a view into the Dome (which also now somehow has a translucent roof).

Finish off by cladding all the exposed concrete with real brick and for the love of god real grass.

Yes, I like your idea better. Lots of room over the rail tracks and if the buildings north of there are knocked down, a public park could be built up to Front St. The park could either be used during games as a general addition open lawn like Molson Amphitheatre with view of the game or a park with no direct view of the playing field but screens and speakers available for free like Maple Leaf Square/Jurassic Park, to build up a neighbourhood fan base that would eventually pay to sit in the stadium.

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Or, knock out the north end, including the entirety of the hotel, then keep going and take out 315 & 325 Front (I think Rogers owns both of these no?), deck over the railway, and with the stadium now open and facing north you have a big public plaza/park with a view into the Dome (which also now somehow has a translucent roof).

Finish off by cladding all the exposed concrete with real brick and for the love of god real grass.

Yes, I like your idea better. Lots of room over the rail tracks and if the buildings north of there are knocked down, a public park could be built up to Front St. The park could either be used during games as a general addition open lawn like Molson Amphitheatre with view of the game or a park with no direct view of the playing field but screens and speakers available for free like Maple Leaf Square/Jurassic Park, to build up a neighbourhood fan base that would eventually pay to sit in the stadium.

Ummm, 315/325 Front are the site of the 'Union Park proposal by Oxford. Neither are owned by Rogers.

 

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