Plans to overhaul or replace the 31-year-old ballpark were put on hold amid the ongoing pandemicGETTY IMAGES
Blue Jays and Rogers Centre owner Rogers Communications said that an "overhaul of any kind" to the 31-year-old ballpark "will have to wait," according to Armstrong & Rider of the TORONTO STAR. Reports of a plan to tear down the venue had Blue Jays fans "dreaming of a more intimate, scenic, well-stocked ballpark in its place." But Rogers Dir of Media Relations Andrew Garas on Friday said, “Prior to the pandemic, we were exploring options for the stadium but through this year our primary focus has been keeping our customers connected and keeping our employees safe, so there is no update on the Rogers Centre.” The statement came following reporting that Rogers and real estate giant Brookfield Asset Management were "looking to knock down the stadium as part of a larger development project." Sources said that the two companies "would build a new stadium half the size on the southern part of the current site and use the remaining land for residential towers, office buildings, stores and public space." Armstrong & Rider noted building a new lakefront ballpark is "also an option" (TORONTO STAR, 11/28).
NEED GOVERNMENT APPROVAL: Sources said that the "multibillion-dollar renovation would be privately funded by Brookfield and Rogers," but "needs numerous government approvals." In Toronto, Andrew Willis noted while Rogers "owns the stadium, the federal government owns the land." Rogers and Brookfield execs have been "discussing their plans with Toronto’s city councillors and other politicians for more than two years." The sources said that government officials and the two companies "intend to go public with their plans in the new year." Willis noted for Rogers, turning a ballpark into condos and other developments "would allow the company to cash in on a lucrative investment, while creating a better experience for baseball fans." The Blue Jays are "expected to move from artificial turf to natural grass." A source said that one option "under discussion" is for Rogers to "put up its lease on the stadium, while Brookfield shoulders development costs." The ballpark rebuild is "expected to play out over five to eight years" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/28). In Toronto, Willis, Moore & Bozikovic noted the redevelopment plan is "likely to win political support because it would be privately funded and could help create more public space" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/28).
SHOWING ITS AGE: In Toronto, Rob Longley noted the subject of a new home for the Blue Jays has "surfaced regularly over the past decade and has been a focus" of team President & CEO Mark Shapiro. While there have been "calls to renovate the tired Rogers Centre," once "renowned for its retractable roof, this is the most concrete option to surface." Over the years, the ballpark "showed its age," with many involved with the Blue Jays "quietly hoping demolition would be the answer rather than costly and logistically challenged renovations" (TORONTO SUN, 11/29). THE ATHLETIC's Kaitlyn McGrath noted the seventh-oldest ballpark in MLB is seen as a "cavernous relic." While a "nostalgic place for many," it "pales in aesthetic comparison to more modern baseball parks" (THEATHLETIC.com, 11/27). In Boston, Sean McAdam wrote there is a "building boom in the sport and the need for franchises to have state-of-art play palaces that can generate maximum revenue streams" (BOSTON SPORTS JOURNAL, 11/28).
READY FOR A CHANGE: In Toronto, Doug Smith wrote his "immediate reaction is they cannot tear it down and build something new quickly enough." At one point, Rogers Centre was a "gem, a jewel, an iconic part of the city and its landscape." Now, it is "gaudy and too big and it will never be the intimate facility people want these days" (TORONTO STAR, 11/28). In Toronto, Cathal Kelly wrote under the header "Good Riddance, Rogers Centre. You Had Your Moment." The SkyDome/Rogers Centre was a "bold venture and, as it turned out, a failed one" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/28). The CP offers a timeline of "Three Decades Of Memories At Rogers Centre" (11/28).
DEFINING MOMENT: The GLOBE & MAIL's Willis noted for an heir "trying to establish his own legacy at a family controlled business," this "could be a defining moment" for Blue Jays Chair Edward Rogers. If he can "play a role in realizing the value tied up in the Rogers Centre," he will be "doing his father one better" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/28).
