New stadium for Blue Jays in Toronto?

[Huskies1947]

If there is a new stadium for the blue jays, what happens to the Rogers Centre? Retrofit?

Listening to Beeston on the Fan today it was like he was hinting that they are looking at a new stadium in the not so distant future?

http://www.fan590.com/media.jsp?content ... 81739_4452

BM: "Life expectancy of a stadium today is in the 30 to 35 year range"

PB: "Yeah we are nudging up on that date, there is no question about that" .. "it's going to take some vision and some dollars, but I couldn't agree with you more. We are in the PROCESS of looking at all of that stuff."

They later talk about a new stadium being like a milwaukee/marlin ball park and Beeston brings up the fact that it could be an open air park because it works well in a place like detroit.

[Cool-Hand-Luke]

Weren't they looking at a new stadium up north around Richmond Hill/Vaughn/Woodbridge?

[orangutooth]

moving a team out of the downtown core and into the suburbs is suicidal.

for example, who the hell is gonna drive to richmond hill to watch a 5th starter or a game against the royals?

[JamesNaismith]

Again in the wrong forum....the mod in the general board already said it needs to be in baseball forum.

[Myth111]

I hope people do not get too excited. He has said many things would happen that are not even close to coming true. I will not believe a single thing he says until it actually happens and I hope other people will begin to do the same thing. He has big goals but that is all they are at this point.

[Parataxis]

moving a team out of the downtown core and into the suburbs is suicidal.

for example, who the hell is gonna drive to richmond hill to watch a 5th starter or a game against the royals?

A park in Downsview could work though. Highway and subway access.

Frankly, the downtown land right now is worth far too much to build a new ball stadium.

[Brinbe]

Dome's perfectly fine for what it is. And the money it'd take for a simple improvement in aesthetics just isn't worth it, especially if it's in a worse location.

[baulderdash77]

moving a team out of the downtown core and into the suburbs is suicidal.

for example, who the hell is gonna drive to richmond hill to watch a 5th starter or a game against the royals?

A park in Downsview could work though. Highway and subway access.

Frankly, the downtown land right now is worth far too much to build a new ball stadium.

Don't underestimate the value of being on the GO route. The trains are packed before & after games with people from East & West of the city. Downsview may not be a bad area, but the current location is literally the perfect spot.

[D-Wins-RingsIMO]

Beeston has been the biggest snake oil salesman of all time this offeason. I don't know what's gotten into him.

The whole cocktease over a potential grass field was a joke.

[MGD24]

Won't happen.
Was already discussed in another thread last year too.

[Randle McMurphy]

Every time Beeston opens his mouth, it seems more nonsense comes out. There is no need for a new stadium right now and Rogers certainly isn't going to pay for one.

[Parataxis]

moving a team out of the downtown core and into the suburbs is suicidal.

for example, who the hell is gonna drive to richmond hill to watch a 5th starter or a game against the royals?

A park in Downsview could work though. Highway and subway access.

Frankly, the downtown land right now is worth far too much to build a new ball stadium.

Don't underestimate the value of being on the GO route. The trains are packed before & after games with people from East & West of the city. Downsview may not be a bad area, but the current location is literally the perfect spot.

It is the perfect spot right now. But unless the Jays go homeless for a season, they'll have to build a new stadium somewhere else - they'd need to still play in the Dome while a new place is being built.

In 20 years, most of the land right near the Dome will be condos and developments, not vacant land. And what land there is available, will be worth millions - probably 20 times more than what Downsview land is worth (which, IIRC, is also GO accessible).

How much extra is being downtown worth? 100m? 200m? Especially if you're building a baseball-exclusive venue, it'll be tough to be able to make up the difference.

[darth_federer]

They arent going to get a penny from taxpayers so Rogers better pony up.

[Schad]

Every time Beeston opens his mouth, it seems more nonsense comes out. There is no need for a new stadium right now and Rogers certainly isn't going to pay for one.

Could depend on what they can sell that land for, though. If they convince the various levels to chip in some cash, figure that a new stadium brings in more revenue, and they can either sell the current location to developers or develop it themselves, it might make financial sense more than it makes baseball sense.

[Randle McMurphy]

Every time Beeston opens his mouth, it seems more nonsense comes out. There is no need for a new stadium right now and Rogers certainly isn't going to pay for one.

Could depend on what they can sell that land for, though. If they convince the various levels to chip in some cash, figure that a new stadium brings in more revenue, and they can either sell the current location to developers or develop it themselves, it might make financial sense more than it makes baseball sense.

Good luck convincing a city to build an expensive stadium that it doesn't need. This is a non-story.

[Schad]

Good luck convincing a city to build an expensive stadium that it doesn't need. This is a non-story.

History has shown that, if you wave some likely-erroneous figures at them showing that it'll make them money long-term, cities will build all sorts of expensive stadiums they don't need.

[Raps in 4]

Dome's perfectly fine for what it is. And the money it'd take for a simple improvement in aesthetics just isn't worth it, especially if it's in a worse location.

+1

[ant171717]

Every time Beeston opens his mouth I feel like hes become more and more senile. Fans showing up before the team does anything significant? New real grass? New stadium?? What the HELL?

[satyr9]

Good luck convincing a city to build an expensive stadium that it doesn't need. This is a non-story.

History has shown that, if you wave some likely-erroneous figures at them showing that it'll make them money long-term, cities will build all sorts of expensive stadiums they don't need.

Well this version of council and the feds wouldn't go near this. The provincials can't stay on track for 6 seconds, so I have no idea what they'd do, but I doubt it.

Is anything getting built for pan-am games that might function as a temporary home for the Jays if they tore down and rebuilt on the same spot? BTW, it's not the perfect location now. Tearing down the royal york hotel and the block behind it and around it is the perfect location. Not that I'm suggesting it, although in some ways that hotel is actually kind of a dump inside.

[LBJSeizedMyID]

Funny thing is if you put the stadium somehwere like Mississauga (although there is no land left), more fans would probably show up to the games. I'd be interested to see the demographics of our fans, but my guess is the majority aren't in the city like me.