junior43
Active Member
Simply put: Ego. More foot traffic at the dome for people to 'worship' him.
Toronto Rogers Centre Renovations | ?m | ?s | Toronto Blue Jays | Populous
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Simply put: Ego. More foot traffic at the dome for people to 'worship' him.
Mercator
New Member
Instead of cladding with brick they could just throw on perhaps a quick coat of paint - sort of like what Maple Leaf Quay has done just south of the Skydome.
With the new exterior renovations, perhaps the crown corp that owns/runs the CN tower will be inspired to do some upgrades. Could the Urban Toronto April Fools article from years back actually become reality? lol
With the new exterior renovations, perhaps the crown corp that owns/runs the CN tower will be inspired to do some upgrades. Could the Urban Toronto April Fools article from years back actually become reality? lol
Armour
Senior Member
One can only hope that the CN Tower will be cleaned up, somehow. It is a disgrace. Start by removing that permanent stage at the base. That is completely unacceptable.
W. K. Lis
Superstar
Unless they need a statue (or pole) to string temporary cable lines because of problems with the regular cable lines. That's what trees are for, if they ever plant more trees.
JMSRead
Active Member
Great post @Fallsview! I agree with all your thoughts on the reno.
Incidentally - I don't have the link but I read SOMEWHERE (perhaps on AndrewStoeten.com) that replacing the current blue seats with larger, green seats was in the cards.
As you say, I'm sure it would come at great cost, but it would be amazing to SOMEHOW open up that outfield. If it was feasible to remove the hotel (I know it was discussed how difficult that would be), remove the 500 level outfield seats, and open up that outfield wall to the city (perhaps with windows like in Miami and Milwaukee), I actually think we'd have a pretty enviable ballpark (assuming the natural grass plan comes to fruition).
I'd love a new PNC Park type stadium, but I would be almost as happy with a massive reno of the Rogers Centre. The building does have its (major) drawbacks, but the location is just too perfect. I imagine a new park would have to go in the portlands or something. Would be stunning outfield views, but a shame to move out of downtown like that.
Incidentally - I don't have the link but I read SOMEWHERE (perhaps on AndrewStoeten.com) that replacing the current blue seats with larger, green seats was in the cards.
As you say, I'm sure it would come at great cost, but it would be amazing to SOMEHOW open up that outfield. If it was feasible to remove the hotel (I know it was discussed how difficult that would be), remove the 500 level outfield seats, and open up that outfield wall to the city (perhaps with windows like in Miami and Milwaukee), I actually think we'd have a pretty enviable ballpark (assuming the natural grass plan comes to fruition).
I'd love a new PNC Park type stadium, but I would be almost as happy with a massive reno of the Rogers Centre. The building does have its (major) drawbacks, but the location is just too perfect. I imagine a new park would have to go in the portlands or something. Would be stunning outfield views, but a shame to move out of downtown like that.
JMSRead
Active Member
Nobody is building baseball stadiums anywhere near that big anymore.
LINK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_stadiums
The trend is to build stadiums with capacities in the high 30,000s or low 40,000s. More intimate, more atmosphere is the idea I think.
T.E.C.II
Active Member
But what would you be opening it up to? Views of those glass condos? It's such an ugly area, the worst in the downtown, IMO.
Armour
Senior Member
Exactly. Opening up the outfield would give us views of the CBC building and 300 Front St W. That wouldn't be an improvement. The Dome is surrounded by banal architecture. Keeping views contained to what is extant is probably best; just revitalize the materials within the stadium.
Big Daddy
Senior Member
Really?? We happen to be blessed with one of the few stadiums in the world with a retractable roof and you want to "open it up"??
Why are people always wanting to copy what the Americans do simply because the Americans do it? We have a great stadium - one of the best in the world. It's not perfect, but then which one is. The Yankees and Blue Jays recently had a game shifted to a double header in New York because the game was rained out. Then on Saturday, the players and fans had to sit in the rain to watch the games and endure a half hour rain delay while everyone at the stadium was soaked in heavy rain. You want that? We live in Canada where cold weather rules. Whining about not having a stadium like many of the new open air stadiums south of us is so ridiculous yet so typical of people who never have enough. I would bet that most, if not all of those open air stadiums would have a retractable roof if the city/state or club could afford it. Revel in the fact that we can comfortable enjoy the stadium year round - open on great summer days and closed, warm and dry on cold rainy or snowy days.
"Remove the hotel" so we can see outside - how old are you?
Translude15
Frank the Tank
Improving the general aesthetics of the Dome and its overall appeal has little to do with "copying the Americans" for the sake of copying. The whole "cold weather rules" rhetoric is also pretty exaggerated considering Toronto experiences enjoyable weather for more than half the year. Regardless, an open air stadium here would be a mistake considering how unpleasant colder games can be in other northern MLB cities. (Minneapolis, Detroit, Chicago, etc.)
That being said, "opening up" the Dome, as in allowing natural light to penetrate the playing field and creating more open fan concourses would be a huge plus in any fan's book, especially when the dome is closed. Doing so would require extensive renovations of the northern part of the structure as well as removal of the hotel. The Skydome is unique in its own right, but upgrading the facility to enhance the fan experience and making the place seem less imposing is not a bad thing whatsoever, hence why Rogers is willing to dish out ~$400 million on renovations.
Having visited numerous other MLB parks, fans here tend to complain a bit to much about the sterility of the Dome when it really isn't as bad as some make it out to be. I was speaking to a bunch of Cardinals fans at the game last June, and they were pleasantly surprised by the facility stating they were expecting an atrocity given how badly everyone seems to speak about it.
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AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
A comparator would be Miller Field in Milwaukee, which attempted to combine ye olde time with a movable roof. Not sure if it was able to pull it off without looking neither here nor there. Personally, I am inclined to go hypermodern instead of the massive brick look - at that scale, even brick isn't all that warm and homely.
AoD
Translude15
Frank the Tank
Miller Field is perhaps what many are striving for with the retro-park look, but indeed, it is a smorgasbord of styles in a way.
Marlins Park has the modern look reminiscent of the Dome and has many features that should be emulated here, particularly the open concept glass wall beyond the outfield area. Note the support structures holding the roof up as well, similar to what is seen at the RC. Miller Park has the same type of glass in its outfield area although its roof is far different than the Dome or Marlins Park.
T.E.C.II
Active Member
Do you really think that's what people are talking about? Have you not read any of the previous posts? It's not about copying American ballparks, it's that those American ballparks have realized fans like intimate, over grandiose. They like classic, over modern. And the Rogers Centre isn't one of the best in the world. It's typically rated in the bottom three or four of baseball stadiums.
Also, we've been pretty lucky when it comes to the weather. The dome has mostly been open, this season.
Translude15
Frank the Tank
I think that's what most fans are looking forward to and expecting from these renos: staying true to the futuristic concept of the stadium and its convenient roof factor while enhancing the facility's intimacy and developing the place into a baseball-first venue with certain traditional elements found in other parks. That's more than you can ask for short of demolishing and rebuilding the entire place.
Off topic but can you contact me W.K Lis?