TD Garden Closes For Summer To Complete Final Renovations

TD Garden is getting ready to "go dark for all but one of the next 10 weeks while owner Delaware North puts the finishing touches" on $100M worth of upgrades ahead of the next NHL and NBA seasons, according to Tim Logan of the BOSTON GLOBE. The work will "require a rare extended shutdown while giant cranes are brought in to swap out about 16,500 seats in the Garden’s bowl." The process follows an NHL season that "lasted as long as possible." But Garden officials said that they "scheduled the expansion project -- parts of which has been underway since last fall -- with a deep postseason run in mind." The upgrades include "expanded concourses and club areas; about 400 new seats hanging over existing stands from the ninth floor, and the replacement of all seating in the loge and balcony levels." The pro shop and other public facilities will "remain open," and the arena itself will "reopen for five concerts during one week in early August, before closing again for more seating work" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/22).