Editing Rogers Centre (section)

== History ==

===Background and design===
The idea of building a domed stadium can be traced back to the bid that Toronto lost to [[Montreal]] as the Canadian candidate city for the [[1976 Summer Olympics]]. In the proposal, an 80,000–100,000 seat complex would be part of the planned Harbour City development on the site of [[Maple Leaf Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Bidding for the Summer Olympics |url=https://torontoist.com/2015/07/bidding-for-the-summer-olympics/ |website=Torontoist.com |date=July 29, 2015 |access-date=June 26, 2020 |ref=Bidding for the Summer Olympics}}</ref>

The contemporary impetus for building an enclosed sports venue in Toronto came following the [[70th Grey Cup|Grey Cup]] game in November 1982, held at the outdoor [[Exhibition Stadium]]. The game, in which the hometown [[Toronto Argonauts]] (also known as the Argos) were making their first Grey Cup appearance since [[59th Grey Cup|1971]], was played in a driving rainstorm that left most of the crowd drenched, leading the media to call it "the Rain Bowl". As many of the seats were completely exposed to the elements, thousands watched the game from the concession section. To make a bad experience even worse, the washrooms overflowed. In attendance that day was [[Bill Davis]], the [[Premier of Ontario]], and the poor conditions were seen by the largest television audience in Canada (over 7.862 million viewers) to that point.<ref>[https://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=page&id=33 Canadian Football League] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016233646/http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=page&id=33 |date=October 16, 2015 }}, Canada.</ref> The following day, at a rally for the Argos at [[Toronto City Hall]], tens of thousands of people who attended the game began to chant, "We want a [[dome]]! We want a dome!"<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K1JsDAAAQBAJ&q=toronto+rally+1982+we+want+a+dome&pg=PT785 | title=Paikin on Ontario's Premiers 2-Book Bundle: Bill Davis / Paikin and the Premiers| isbn=9781459738331| last1=Paikin| first1=Steve| date=October 22, 2016| publisher=Dundurn}}</ref>

Seven months later, in June 1983, Davis formally announced a three-person committee would look into the feasibility of building a domed stadium at [[Exhibition Place]]. The committee consisted of [[Paul Godfrey]], [[Larry Grossman (politician)|Larry Grossman]] and former Ontario Hydro chairman Hugh Macaulay.<ref>Miller, David (October 7, 1984). Battle Is On for Right to Build Our Domed Stadium. [[Toronto Star]]. pg A1, A13.</ref>

The committee examined various projects, including a large indoor stadium at Exhibition Place with an air-supported dome, similar to [[BC Place]] in Vancouver. In 1985, an international design competition was launched to design a new stadium, along with selection of a site. Some of the proposed sites included Exhibition Place, [[Downsview Airport]], and [[York University]]. The final site was at the base of the [[CN Tower]] not far from [[Union Station (Toronto)|Union Station]], a major railway and transit hub. The [[Railway Lands]] were a major [[Canadian National Railway]] rail switching yard encompassing the [[CNR Spadina Roundhouse]] (the desolate downtown lands were part of a master plan for revitalizing the area, which includes [[CityPlace, Toronto|CityPlace]]). Ultimately, the Robbie/Allen concept won because it provided the largest roof opening of all the finalists, and it was the most technically sound.

The stadium was designed by architect [[Rod Robbie]] and structural engineer Michael Allen and was constructed by the [[EllisDon]] Construction company of [[London, Ontario]] and the [[Dominion Bridge Company]] of Lachine, Quebec. The stadium's construction lasted about {{frac|2|1|2}} years, from October 1986 to May 1989. The approximate cost of construction was [[Canadian dollar|C$]]570&nbsp;million<ref name=cbcwinlose>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/you-win-some-you-lose-some-1.1060052|title=You win some, you lose some|date=February 9, 2011|access-date=December 27, 2013|publisher=[[CBC News]]}}</ref> (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|CA|570000000|1989}}}} in {{Inflation-year|CA}} dollars{{inflation-fn|CA}}) which was paid for by the [[Government of Canada|federal government]], [[Ontario]] [[Government of Ontario|provincial government]], the City of Toronto, and a large [[consortium]] of corporations.<ref>Romell, Rick. "Tax money for stadium site backed". Milwaukee Sentinel May 16, 1989: 1–6.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/mma/post/_/id/1621/inside-the-venue-torontos-rogers-centre|title=Inside the venue: Toronto's Rogers Centre|date=April 29, 2011|access-date=December 28, 2013|publisher=[[ESPN]]}}</ref>

=== Financing ===
The stadium was funded by a [[public–private partnership]], with the government paying the largest percentage of the cost. The initial cost of $150&nbsp;million was greatly underestimated,<ref name=deMause>{{cite web|url=http://demause.net/skydome.html|title=DOME TO NOWHERE|author=[[Neil deMause]]}}</ref> as the final cost was [[Canadian dollar|C$]]570&nbsp;million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|CA|570000000|1989}}}} in {{Inflation-year|CA}} dollars{{inflation-fn|CA}}).<ref name=cbcwinlose /> Two levels of government ([[Metropolitan Toronto|Metro Toronto]] and provincial) each initially contributed $30&nbsp;million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|CA|30000000|1989}}}} in {{Inflation-year|CA}} dollars{{inflation-fn|CA}}).<ref name=cbcwinlose /><ref name=deMause /><ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/ballpark/reference/index.jsp?content=history|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206044418/http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/ballpark/reference/index.jsp?content=history|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 6, 2010|title=ROGERS CENTRE HISTORY|access-date=December 28, 2013|publisher=[[Toronto Blue Jays]]}}</ref> This does not include the value of the land that the stadium sits on, which was owned by the [[Canada Lands Company]] (a [[Crown corporations of Canada|Crown corporation of Canada]]) and the City of Toronto and was leased for $900,000 a year through 2088.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/sold/article18278584/|title=Sold . . .|first=Michael|last=Grange|newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]]|date=November 30, 2004}}</ref> [[Beer in Canada|Canada's three main breweries]] ([[Labatt Brewing Company|Labatt's]], [[Molson]], and [[Carling O'Keefe]]) and the Toronto Blue Jays each paid $5&nbsp;million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|CA|5000000|1989}}}} in {{Inflation-year|CA}} dollars{{inflation-fn|CA}}) to help fund the stadium.<ref name=history /> An additional 26 other Canadian corporations (selected by invitation only) also contributed $5&nbsp;million,<ref name=history /> for which they received one of the 161 Skyboxes with four parking spaces (for ten years, with an opportunity for renewal) and a 99-year exclusive option on stadium advertising. The initial cost of leasing a Skybox ranged from $150,000 to $225,000 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|CA|150000|1989}}}} to ${{formatprice|{{Inflation|CA|225000|1989}}}} in {{Inflation-year|CA}} dollars{{inflation-fn|CA}}) a year in 1989&nbsp;– plus the cost of tickets for all events.

The then unusual financing structure created controversy. First of all, there was no public tender for supplies and equipment. Secondly, companies that paid the $5&nbsp;million fee, such as [[Coca-Cola]], [[The Sports Network|TSN]] and [[Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce|CIBC]], received 100 percent stadium exclusivity,<ref name=cbcwinlose /> including advertising rights, for the life of their contract that could be extended up to 99&nbsp;years. Third, the contracts were not put up for bid, meaning there was some doubt the contracts were made at a market rate: [[Pepsi]] stated at the time that had it known the terms of the contract it would have paid far more than $5&nbsp;million for the rights. Local media like [[Now (newspaper)|''NOW Magazine'']] called the amount charged to the companies "scandalously low".<ref>[[Now (newspaper)|''NOW Magazine'']], December 3–9, 1998.</ref>

=== Construction ===
[[File:Suspension bridge over railway tracks SkyDomeRogersCentre.JPG|thumb|right|A [[cable-stayed bridge]] was built over the [[Union Station Rail Corridor]] next to the stadium. Stadium-goers, pedestrians and cyclists use the bridge, while [[hot dog stand]]s are set up on it.]]

Construction of the ''Ontario Stadium Project'' was spearheaded by lead contractor EllisDon. Several factors complicated the construction: The lands housed a functioning water [[pumping station]] that needed to be relocated, the soil was contaminated from a century of industrial use, railway buildings needed to be torn down or moved, and the site was rich with archaeological finds. One of the most complex issues was moving the John Street pumping station across the street to the south of the stadium. Foundations to the stadium were being poured even as the facility (in the infield area) continued to function, as construction on its new location had yet to be completed.

Because the stadium was the first of its kind in the world, the architects and engineers kept the design simple (by using a sturdy dome shape) and used proven technologies to move the roof. It was important the design would work and be reliable as to avoid the various problems that plagued Montreal's [[Olympic Stadium (Montreal)|Olympic Stadium]]. The 31-storey-high roof consists of four panels: one (on the north end) is fixed in place and the other three are moved by electrically driven 'train' engines, that run on high-strength railway rails. The roof, which takes 20 minutes to open, was made out of steel trusses covered by [[corrugated steel]] cladding, which in turn is covered by a single-ply PVC membrane.

Because of its location south of the major railway corridor, new pedestrian connections had to be built; the infrastructure was part of the reason for the high cost of the stadium. The [[SkyWalk]] is an approximately {{convert|500|m|adj=on}} enclosed walkway that leads from the base of the CN Tower and via a bridge connects to Union Station (and is part of the [[Path (Toronto)|Path]] network). The John Street [[cable-stayed bridge]] was built to provide north–south passage over the rail tracks, linking Front Street with the stadium.

Construction at the site, which at one time was south of the shoreline, unearthed over 1,500 artifacts. These included a 200-year-old French cannon used as ballast for a ship, cannonballs, pottery and a telescope.<ref>{{cite news |work=Toronto Star |title=Toronto's waterfront: Dredging up the past to build the future |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/08/06/torontos_waterfront_dredging_up_the_past_to_build_the_future.html |date=August 6, 2013 |first=Tim |last=Alamenciak |access-date=March 7, 2019}}</ref> The stadium was completed two months late, having been planned to open for the first regular season game of the [[1989 Toronto Blue Jays season]]; the team played the first two months of its home schedule at Exhibition Stadium that year.

=== Naming ===
[[File:SkyDomeLogo.png|thumb|SkyDome wordmark (1989–2005)]]
The official name prior to and during construction was the 'Ontario Stadium Project' but was widely referred to in local media as simply 'the Dome' or 'Toronto Domed stadium'. As completion neared the name "SkyDome" was chosen as part of a province-wide "name the stadium" contest in 1987. Sponsored by the ''[[Toronto Sun]]'', ballots were offered for people to submit their suggested name, with lifetime seats behind home plate to all events at the stadium (including concerts) as the prize. Over 150,000 entries were received with 12,897 different names. The selection committee narrowed it down to four choices: "Towerdome", "Harbourdome", "SkyDome", and simply "the Dome". The judges' final selection was SkyDome. Premier [[David Peterson]] drew the prize-winning entry of Kellie Watson from a lottery barrel containing the over-2,000 entries that proposed "SkyDome". At the press conference announcing the name, Chuck Magwood, president of the Stadium Corporation of Ontario (Stadco), the crown corporation created to run SkyDome,<ref>{{cite web|last=Anderson|first=M.E.|title=The Skydome a/k/a Rogers Centre, turns 25|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2014-06-04/skydome-rogers-centre-25th-anniversary-blue-jays|website=Sporting News|access-date=November 19, 2014|archive-date=June 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630233544/http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2014-06-04/skydome-rogers-centre-25th-anniversary-blue-jays|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://business.highbeam.com/416338/article-1G1-30127808/skydome-then-and-now |title=SkyDome, then and now |access-date=April 8, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309210650/https://business.highbeam.com/416338/article-1G1-30127808/skydome-then-and-now |archive-date=March 9, 2016}}</ref> commented: "The sky is a huge part of the whole roof process. The name has a sense of the infinite and that's what this is all about." Kellie Watson received lifetime seating of choice at SkyDome, which is still honoured after the stadium was renamed to Rogers Centre, under new ownership.

=== Opening ===
[[File:600th McDonald's Canada Skydome August 29 1989.jpg|thumb|Opening of the 600th [[McDonald's Canada]] location at the SkyDome in August 1989 with a performer in a [[Ronald McDonald]] costume in attendance; the McDonald's location has since been replaced.]]
The stadium officially opened on June 3, 1989, and hosted an official grand opening show: "The Opening of SkyDome: A Celebration", broadcast on [[CBC Television]] the following evening hosted by [[Brian Williams (sportscaster)|Brian Williams]]. With a crowd of over 50,000 in attendance, the event included appearances by [[Alan Thicke]], [[Oscar Peterson]], [[Andrea Martin]] of [[Second City Television|''SCTV'']], impressionist [[André-Philippe Gagnon]] and rock band [[Glass Tiger]]. The roof was ceremonially "opened" by Ontario Premier [[David Peterson]] (no relation to Oscar) with a laser pen. The roof's opening exposed the crowd to a downpour of rain. Despite audible chants of "close the roof", Magwood insisted the roof remain fully open.

=== Financial problems and fallout ===
The stadium became a thorn in the side of David Peterson's [[Ontario Liberal Party|Ontario Liberal]] government for repeated cost overruns. After the [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberals]] were defeated by the [[Ontario New Democratic Party|NDP]] in the [[1990 Ontario general election|1990 Ontario election]], a review by the new [[Bob Rae]] government in October 1990 revealed Stadco's debt meant the Dome would have to be booked 600&nbsp;days a year to turn a profit, almost twice as many days as there are days in a calendar year. The stadium income was only $17&nbsp;million in its first year of operations, while debt service was $40&nbsp;million. It was determined the abrupt late inclusion by Stadco of a hotel and health club added an additional $112&nbsp;million to the cost of the building.

As the province slipped into [[Early 1990s recession|a recession]], Rae appointed [[University of Toronto]] professor [[Bruce Kidd]] and [[Canadian Auto Workers]] President [[Bob White (trade unionist)|Bob White]] to the Stadco board to help deal with the stadium's growing debt, but the original $165&nbsp;million debt had increased to $400&nbsp;million by 1993.<ref name=cbcwinlose /><ref name=deMause /> Stadco became a political liability, and in March 1994, the Ontario government paid off all outstanding Stadco debts from the government treasury and sold the stadium for $151&nbsp;million to a private consortium that included Labatt Breweries, the Blue Jays' owner.<ref name=deMause /><ref name=rogersbuy />

In November 1998, the stadium, which Labatt then owned as 49 percent of total, filed for bankruptcy protection,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/skydome-seeks-bankruptcy-protection-1.161002|title=SkyDome seeks bankruptcy protection|date=November 26, 1998|access-date=December 28, 2013|publisher=[[CBC News]]}}</ref> triggered after disastrous Skybox renewal numbers. Most of the 161 Skybox tenants had signed on for 10-year leases; a marked decrease in interest in the stadium's teams and the construction of the [[Scotiabank Arena|Air Canada Centre]], which hosted the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] and [[Toronto Raptors]], resulted in few renewals for Skybox leases. That same month, the Blue Jays re-signed for an additional ten years in the facility.<ref name=deMause />

In April 1999, Sportsco International LP bought the stadium out of bankruptcy protection for $80&nbsp;million.<ref name=rogersbuy>{{cite web |url=https://www.tsn.ca/story/print/?id=106352 |title=Rogers buys SkyDome for $25 million |date=November 29, 2004 |access-date=December 28, 2013 |work=[[The Sports Network]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228090352/https://www.tsn.ca/story/print/?id=106352 |archive-date=December 28, 2013}}</ref>

=== Purchase and renaming ===
[[File:RogersCentreLogo2.jpg|thumb|Rogers Centre wordmark on the exterior of the stadium. The stadium was renamed in 2005.]]
In November 2004, [[Rogers Communications]], parent company of the Blue Jays, acquired SkyDome, excluding the attached SkyDome hotel, which had been sold to Renaissance for a reported $31 million in 1999, from Sportsco for about $25&nbsp;million&nbsp;– roughly four percent of the cost of construction.<ref name=rogersbuy />

On February 2, 2005, [[Edward S. Rogers Jr.|Ted Rogers]], President and [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of Rogers Communications, announced a three-year corporate contract to change the name of SkyDome to Rogers Centre. The name change remains controversial and is unpopular with many fans, most of whom continue to refer to it as SkyDome [[Criticism of advertising|in opposition to increased commercialism]] from the purchase of [[naming rights]]. One example is a 25,000-name petition started by [[Toronto Transit Commission|TTC]] bus driver Randy Rajmoolie.<ref name=petition>{{cite news |title=12,000 people sign petition demanding Jays' stadium has name restored to 'SkyDome'|url=http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/12-000-people-sign-petition-demanding-jays-stadium-has-name-restored-to-skydome-1.2851527|work=[[CTV News]]|date=April 8, 2016|access-date=May 27, 2016}}</ref> A baseball diamond in Toronto's [[Trinity Bellwoods Park]] is officially named SkyDome after the stadium's former and popular name.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blogto.com/city/2020/07/trinity-bellwoods-skydome-finally-recognized/|title=The Skydome in Trinity Bellwoods Park has finally been recognized}}</ref><!--Please don't mention plans to rename the Rogers Centre, as it isn't verified by reliable sources-->

After the purchase, Rogers refurbished the stadium by, among other things, replacing the [[Jumbotron]] with a [[Daktronics]] video display, and erecting other new monitors, including several built into the outfield wall. They also installed a new [[FieldTurf]] artificial playing surface.<ref name=rogers>{{cite news |title=Goodbye Skydome, Hello Rogers Centre|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/goodbye-skydome-hello-rogers-centre-1.549230|work=[[CBC News]]|date=February 2, 2005|access-date=June 13, 2008}}</ref>

In May 2005, the [[Toronto Argonauts]] agreed to three five-year leases at Rogers Centre, which could have seen the Argonauts play out of Rogers Centre up to and including 2019. The team had the option to leave at the end of each of the three lease agreements.<ref>{{cite news |title=Toronto Argonauts May Soon Be Homeless|first=Daniel|last=Girard|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/football/cfl/argos/article/1128259--toronto-argonauts-may-soon-be-homeless|newspaper=[[Toronto Star]]|date=February 8, 2012|access-date=February 8, 2012}}</ref> Proposed plans to lock Rogers Centre into its baseball configuration permanently in order to install a natural grass surface forced the Argonauts to relocate to [[BMO Field]] before the 2016 season.<ref name="Toronto Argonauts">{{cite news|date=May 20, 2015|access-date=May 20, 2015|title=Bell Canada and Kilmer Group to acquire Argonauts|url=http://argonauts.ca/article/bell-canada-and-kilmer-group-to-acquire-argonauts|publisher=Toronto Argonauts|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522130512/http://argonauts.ca/article/bell-canada-and-kilmer-group-to-acquire-argonauts|archive-date=May 22, 2015}}</ref><ref name=cbc-bellargos>{{cite web|title=Argonauts announce sale, move to BMO Field|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/argonauts-announce-sale-move-to-bmo-field-1.3080235|website=CBC News|access-date=May 20, 2015}}</ref><ref name=bell>{{cite news|title=Bell, Larry Tanenbaum to purchase Argonauts|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/football/2015/05/19/bell-larry-tanenbaum-to-purchase-argonauts.html|access-date=May 20, 2015|work=Toronto Star|date=May 19, 2015}}</ref>

In November 2005, Rogers Centre received a complete makeover to "open" the 100 Level concourse to the playing field and convert 43 luxury boxes to "party suites". This required some seats to be removed, which decreased overall capacity.<ref name="Blue Jays continue renovations to Rogers Centre; Changes create a more fan-friendly environment">{{cite press release|title=Blue Jays Continue Renovations to Rogers Centre; Changes Create a More Fan-Friendly Environment|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060403&content_id=1381328&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor|publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]|date=April 3, 2006|access-date=June 13, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224044119/http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060403&content_id=1381328&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor|archive-date=February 24, 2012}}</ref>

In April 2006, Rogers Centre became one of the first buildings of its size to adopt a completely smoke-free policy in Canada, anticipating an act of provincial legislature that required all Ontario public places to go smoke-free by June 1, 2006.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Alcohol was not available to patrons of Rogers Centre on April 7, 2009, as the [[Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario]] (AGCO) imposed the first of a three-day alcohol suspension at the stadium for "infractions (that) took place at certain past events", according to the press release.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Rogers Centre Announces Dates for Alcohol Service Suspension|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2009/03/c7531.html|publisher=Newswire.ca|date=April 3, 2009|access-date=February 23, 2011}}</ref>

=== Major renovation in the 2020s ===
By 2020, with the Rogers Centre over 30 years old and one of the oldest [[List of current Major League Baseball stadiums|stadiums in MLB]], Rogers had begun to explore options for the long-term home of the team. Rogers Communications and [[Brookfield Corporation|Brookfield Asset Management]] reportedly discussed replacing Rogers Centre with a smaller, baseball-specific stadium plus residential towers, office buildings, retail stores and public space. The new venue would be constructed on the southern end of the current stadium and adjacent parking lots, while the mixed-use development would be built on the northern portion of the site. An alternate site was also been considered for a new baseball park at [[Quayside, Toronto|Quayside]] in Toronto's east end next to [[Lake Ontario]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rogers Centre faces demolition as Blue Jays owner plans new stadium |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-rogers-centre-faces-demolition-as-blue-jays-owner-plans-new-stadium/ |website=The Globe and Mail |access-date=November 27, 2020}}</ref>

However, the Blue Jays instead decided to undertake a major $400 million renovation of the stadium's interior in two phases, during the 2022{{snd}}2023 and 2023{{snd}}2024 offseasons.<ref name=2022reno/>  The objective of the renovations was to extend the ballpark's [[shelf life]] by another 10–15 years, while continuing to plan for a new stadium or more significant rebuild of the Rogers Centre within the next 10 to 12 years.<ref name=2022reno>{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/rogers-centre-renovation-plans | title=Blue Jays announce renovation plans for Rogers Centre | website=[[MLB.com]]|access-date=8 October 2024|date=28 July 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-blue-jays-reveal-what-rogers-centre-looks-like-ahead-of-2024-home-opener-1.6813372|website=torontoctvnews.ca |title=Toronto Blue Jays reveal what Rogers Centre looks like ahead of 2024 home opener| date=19 March 2024}}</ref>

====2022–2023====
[[File:Interior of Rogers Centre (Roof Open) 2024.jpg|thumb|Interior after the second phase of renovations in [[2024 Toronto Blue Jays season|2024]]]]
The first phase of the renovations was designed by [[Populous (company)|Populous]] and involved re-orienting [[Baseball field#Outfield|outfield]] seats to face home plate, raising [[bullpen]]s, adjusting the outfield dimensions to be asymmetrical, adding social spaces with bars in the outfield sections of the 500 Level (the highest level), and removing some seats to widen all remaining seats, thereby reducing capacity to 41,500 attendees.<ref name=digest1>{{cite web| url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2022/07/28/blue-jays-unveil-details-renderings-for-2023-rogers-centre-renovations/| website=ballparkdigest.com| title=Blue Jays unveil details, renderings for 2023 Rogers Centre renovations| date=28 July 2022| access-date=8 October 2024}}</ref><ref name=star/> The [[2023 Toronto Blue Jays season|2023 Blue Jays]] home opener was moved a few days later to accommodate the first phase of the renovation.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://urbantoronto.ca/news/2023/04/new-fan-experiences-unveiled-rogers-centre-ahead-jays-home-opener.51979| website=urbantoronto.ca| title=New Fan Experiences Unveiled at Rogers Centre Ahead of Jays' Home Opener| date=6 April 2023| access-date=8 October 2024}}</ref>

====2023–2024====
The second phase involved re-orienting the infield seats to face home plate, the addition of cupholders to the seats in the 100 Level, as well as reducing the size of foul territory, improving the dugouts for the Blue Jays and their opponents, and the addition of LED backstop advertising to cover the entire backstop, which is much more visible during television broadcasts.<ref name=digest2>{{cite web| url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2023/07/27/2024-rogers-centre-renovations-unveiled-by-blue-jays/| website=ballparkdigest.com| title=2024 Rogers Centre renovations unveiled by Blue Jays| date=27 July 2023| access-date=8 October 2024}}</ref>  Following the second phase, capacity of the stadium was reduced further to 39,150.<ref name=star>{{cite web| url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/blue-jays/the-rogers-centre-transformation-is-almost-complete-heres-what-blue-jays-fans-should-know-about/article_bf028bd4-ef8f-11ee-9598-8b0317fd9860.html|website=thestar.com| title=The Rogers Centre transformation is almost complete. Here's what Blue Jays fans should know about the renovations| date=4 April 2024}}</ref>  The [[2024 Toronto Blue Jays season|2024 Blue Jays]] home opener was also moved a few days later to accommodate the second phase of the renovation.

=== List of improvements ===
{{more citations needed section|date=June 2015}}
Significant improvements to the facility since opening in 1989 include:
* Exterior roof lighting that can be programmed for themes and events.
* The Blue Jays clubhouse was substantially renovated, including a larger training room, an open concept lounge and personal lockers. In total, the clubhouse expanded from {{convert|12000|to|24000|ft2|m2}}.
* Main level concourse expansion, making the space brighter, more fan-friendly with expanded wheelchair seating.
* The FieldTurf was upgraded to AstroTurf Gameday Grass for 2010.
* The main video board was upgraded in 2005, from a JumboTron to a modern Daktronics video board, measuring {{convert|33|by|110|ft}}.
* Jays Shop – Stadium Edition, was expanded to an {{convert|8000|ft2|m2|adj=on}} retail space along the main concourse (2007).
* Two video boards were built into the outfield fence that each measure {{convert|10|by|65|ft|0}}. These boards provide player stats, out-of-town scores and other information related to the game and league.
* A continuous, ribbon-style video board was installed on the facing of the 300 Level, providing statistics and scores.
* Installation of 150 new {{convert|42|in|m|2|adj=on}} flat-screen video monitors in the main- and second-level concourses, bringing the number of stadium monitors to around 300.
* Upgrade of the entire field lighting system in a two-month conversion process with all 840 of the 2,000-watt bowl lights replaced.
* A centre-field porch (later named the [[WestJet]] Flight Deck) in the 200 Level was added following the removal of the windows of the former Windows Restaurant (2013, $2 million).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2013/03/30/windows-restaurant-at-rogers-centre-gets-2m-renovation/|title=Windows Restaurant at Rogers Centre gets $2M renovation|date=March 30, 2013|access-date=January 6, 2014|publisher=[[Sportsnet]]}}</ref><ref name=decade>{{cite web|url=https://www.thescore.com/buzz/articles/438322-250-million-renovations-coming-to-rogers-centre|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140107053122/http://www.thescore.com/buzz/articles/438322-250-million-renovations-coming-to-rogers-centre|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 7, 2014|title=$250-Million Renovations Coming To Rogers Centre|access-date=January 6, 2014|publisher=[[Score Media and Gaming|theScore Inc.]]}}</ref>
* The AstroTurf Gameday Grass was upgraded to AstroTurf Gameday Grass 3D Extreme for the [[2015 Toronto Blue Jays season|2015 season]].
* A full dirt infield was installed for {{nowrap|[[2016 Toronto Blue Jays season|2016]];<ref name=wbgodiar>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/blue-jays-adding-dirt-infield-at-rogers-centre/c-164164706 |website=MLB.com |last=Chisholm |first=Gregor |title=Work begins on dirt infield at Rogers Centre|date=February 10, 2016 |access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref name=alddebu>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/bluejays/2016/04/07/blue-jays-debut-rogers-centre-all-dir-infield-on-friday.html |work=Toronto Star |last=Kennedy |first=Brendan |title=Blue Jays debut Rogers Centre all-dirt infield on Friday |date=April 7, 2016|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref>}} for the previous six <!-- 2010–15 -->seasons, Rogers Centre was the only MLB ballpark with {{nowrap|sliding pits.<ref name=adinffx>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/toronto-blue-jays-rogers-centre-dirt-infield-changes-040716 |website=Fox Sports |last=DaSilva |first=Cameron |title=The Blue Jays finally have a normal dirt infield like the rest of MLB |date=April 7, 2016 |access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref>}}<!-- Twins' Metrodome closed in 2009 -->
* A two-year, $10 million roof upgrade, completed for the [[2017 Toronto Blue Jays season|2017 season]], updated the aging OT network and control system to speed up the opening and closing process, reduce monitoring staff requirements, and added a rooftop weather station to better predict incoming weather systems.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/jmp-engineering-and-new-electric-partner-to-retrofit-rogers-centres-iconic-retractable-roof-616600034.html|title=JMP Engineering and New Electric Partner to Retrofit Rogers Centre's Iconic Retractable Roof|date=March 20, 2017|access-date=July 3, 2018}}</ref>
* A new AstroTurf field was installed prior to the [[2021 Toronto Blue Jays season|2021 season]]. The new turf is attached to the floor, so the stands will no longer be able to be rolled and will be permanently locked into baseball configuration.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/blue-jays-getting-new-astroturf-field-amid-hopes-full-season-toronto/|title=Blue Jays getting new AstroTurf field amid hopes for full season in Toronto|date=December 11, 2020|access-date=November 28, 2021|first=Shi|last=Davidi|publisher=[[Sportsnet]]}}</ref>
* Further lighting and video board upgrades were made for the [[2022 Toronto Blue Jays season|2022 season]].
* For the 2024 [[The Eras Tour]] by [[Taylor Swift]], new antennas were installed in the Rogers Centre for 5G [[Wi-Fi]], at a cost of $8 million. The stadium street address was also renamed "1 Taylor Swift Way" specifically for the concerts.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/10/17/rogers-centre-invests-8m-to-upgrade-5g-network-ahead-of-taylor-swift-concerts/ |website=toronto.citynews.ca| title=   
Rogers Centre invests $8M to upgrade 5G network ahead of Taylor Swift concerts| date=17 October 2024}}</ref>