Toronto Blue Jays Partner with Populous on Rogers Centre Renovation

News release courtesy of Toronto Blue Jays (www.bluejays.com/renovation).

The Toronto Blue Jays today unveil the scope and first renderings of a multiyear $300 million privately funded renovation that will transform Rogers Centre from a stadium into a ballpark through a series of projects focused on modernizing the fan experience and building world-class player facilities.

“We are committed to building a sustainable championship organization for years to come, and this renovation to Rogers Centre will give new and lifelong Blue Jays fans a ballpark where they can proudly cheer on their team,” said Mark Shapiro, President & CEO, Toronto Blue Jays. “This project would not be possible without the support of Edward Rogers, Tony Staffieri, and our Rogers ownership group, who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the Blue Jays, both in fielding the best team to win championships, as well as in the infrastructure needed to create a modern ballpark for our fans and players.”

“This renovation to Rogers Centre will deliver an enhanced ballpark experience for fans of Canada’s team so they can gather to cheer on the Blue Jays and make cherished memories with family and friends, as they have for the last 33 years,” said Edward Rogers, Chair of the Toronto Blue Jays and Chair of the Board, Rogers Communications. “We proudly support the efforts of Mark and the entire Blue Jays leadership team as they embark on this project, and we have the utmost confidence in their ability to build both a winning team on the field and a modern ballpark that meets the evolving needs of our passionate Blue Jays fans.”

Rogers Centre was conceptualized as a multi-purpose stadium when it opened in 1989 and has not undergone a large-scale renovation in its 33-year history. The scope of this project will address the most important challenges with the current stadium, while not rushing the necessary long-term work needed to maintain the ballpark for future generations of fans.

After a successful partnership on the Blue Jays Player Development Complex, the club is once again working with industry-leading Populous on architectural design.

To ensure the renovation’s scope reflects Blue Jays fan desires, the organization completed important research to influence designs, including direct fan feedback and market research; visiting other facilities and ballparks; learnings from Player Development Complex usage; and Populous partnership for best-in-class input.

“This innovative transformation of Rogers Centre reimagines a modern, baseball-centric fan experience,” said Pat Tangen, Principal & Senior Architect, Populous. “A smart, efficient, and meaningful upgrade that will honor the venue, these renovations will introduce a wide variety of interactive viewing opportunities that draw fans into the action no matter their location in the ballpark.”