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Baseball fever was in the air today, as the Toronto Blue Jays welcomed the media to view the freshly minted Rogers Centre Renovations for the first time. Construction of the new ‘Outfield District’ general admission areas and other infrastructure improvements began at the end of last season and wrapped up earlier this week, just in time for the Jays’ home opener next week. Designed by Populous, the project represents the largest renovation in the history of the iconic 1989-built stadium, and brings to completion the first phase of a multi-year revitalization effort that will continue next offseason to improve both fan and player experiences.
“Today we get to unveil the transformation of the Rogers Centre from a stadium to a ballpark,” said Blue Jays CEO and President Mark Shaprio, as he greeted the media on the field between home plate and the pitcher’s mound. “Just five days from now, fans will stream through the gates and down the aisles and look into the Outfield District, and see spaces that were largely created by them.”
Shapiro’s introductory speech was followed by brief comments from Blue Jays Chair and Chair of the Board at Rogers Communications, Edward Rogers, and Rogers Communications President and CEO, Tony Staffieri, after which the three executives walked to the outfield for the ceremonial ribbon cutting. Spanning the entire length of the outfield, the ribbon fell to an applause from the audience of media as the revamped stadium was officially marked complete.
The real excitement, however, began with the tour of the new Outfield District, which comprises several different general admission spaces dubbed ‘neighbourhoods’, split among the 100, 200, and 500 levels.
The first stop of the tour was The Stop. Located directly behind the batter’s eye (the centre point of the outfield wall), the new food and drink concourse’s name pays homage to the aspirational vision of the original Rogers Centre design that sought to build a transit station directly in the stadium. While the plan fell through, The Stop carries on the legacy through finishes like subway tiling and a number transit-inspired murals.
The space features a pair of concessions and a bar with a flashy hammered-bronze backsplash, as well as an expedited beverage and snacks station called ‘Tap and Go’; the cafeteria-style shop allows fans to purchase items without waiting in line by simply tapping their card upon entry, and the card is charged automatically as they exit.
Moving toward right field, the next ‘neighbourhood’ to see was The Catch, a stylish cocktail bar designed to replicate the atmosphere of Toronto’s various Entertainment District hangouts. The bar features a thick marble bar top and was detailed with gold-toned accents, greenery, and a hexagonal tiling treatment along the bar wall to deliver the curated downtown look, with the cocktail offerings to match.
The bar also enjoys a walkout patio style viewing area where fans can watch the game in an informal standing setting. To create this open space, however, 5 rows of seating had to be removed from the level above, and four robust concrete beams were shortened by about 4 to 5 metres.
At the 200 level, Schneiders Porch above right field features classic and upscaled offerings from the Kitchener-based hot dog and sausage manufacturer, with several enhanced options including various poutines, while just a short flight of stairs down, Rogers Landing offers a chance to watch the game from bar tables just over the field, or take in the visiting team's pitchers warming up in their new elevated bullpen. Above centre field at the 200 level, the WestJet Flight Deck has been refreshed with retro arcade games, a dj booth, and new menu items. Table-top curling remains a favourite here. "The Westjet Flight Deck has been one of the most popular spaces in the building, so it was certainly one of the things that led us to say, there’s demand for this,” said Anuk Karunartane, the Blue Jays’ Executive Vice President of Business Operations.
Perched above left field at the 500 level, the Park Social was the next stop, delivering a new family-oriented common space that is inspired by the great parks of Toronto. This ‘neighbourhood’ enjoys a two level layout that offers casual seating and standing room on the lower level, while the upper level goes a step further. With features like turf flooring, baseball video game stations, Instagramable "swings", and family games like corn hole, giant jenga, and connect four, the upper level of the Park Social adds another dimension to the experience of attending a baseball game.
Finally, the tour concluded above right field, at the Corona Rooftop Patio. Also located at the 500 level, the space offers the coveted rooftop bar experience, with extensive standing space and views of the stadium - as well as the skyline, if the roof is open. Slatted wood panelling clads the walls, while artificial plants and warm lighting fixtures seek to create a more intimate and authentic rooftop atmosphere.
Karunartane went expanded upon the new fan experience offerings at the Rogers Centre, “I guarantee there’s going to be people that come in here and spend the entire game walking around all these spaces, maybe not even watching a single pitch.” To experience all of the new facilities of the Outfield District, fans will only need to purchase a $20 General Admission ticket, allowing them to roam between them, with no affixed seating guaranteed. Fans who have purchased tickets for any seat in the Rogers Centre, however, are also free to roam to any of the Outfield District offerings.
Beyond the new Outfield District, one of the most significant changes to the stadium was the raising of the home and away bullpens (the warmup space for pitchers). The adjustment brings the bullpens right up to the level of the surrounding spectators, as part of a larger effort to help fans feel more connected to the players. Because the Rogers Centre was constructed as a multi-purpose stadium, and not exclusively a baseball venue, changes like this are critical for the Blue Jays organization in order to create a more fan friendly experience.
The home bullpen above left field is shown above, surrounded by 100-level seats; as mentioned earlier, the visitors' bullpen above right field has the new 'Rogers Landing' beside it, offering a walk-in, walk-out way to watch the action in that pen.
Work will resume next offseason, as the second phase gets underway to update the 100 level, with a focus on seating improvements, particularly in regards to sightlines. Other changes will include updates to the player facilities, introducing new amenities like yoga and mediation rooms, demonstrating a commitment to the player experience. For now though, all eyes are on the new Outfield District, and with the Jays’ first home game just five days away, baseball fans will soon get to experience it first hand.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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