The Toronto Blue Jays are exploring the possibility of a new stadium, in an ambitious plan that would put a new ballpark on the land where their current retractable-roof stadium now sits, according to The Globe and Mail.
The Blue Jays have played at Rogers Centre since 1989, in a ballpark that was considered far ahead of its time when it opened with a roof that could open and close and with a hotel that has rooms overlooking center field.
But Rogers Centre would have to be demolished with a new stadium built in its place, along with retail, residential options and open public space. A potential snag to the plan is that the team does not own the land where their stadium sits, as it belongs to Canada Lands Company.
The report indicates a new stadium could take five years to build, requiring the team to find a temporary home. During the 60-game, 2020 season, the Blue Jays played home games in Buffalo, N.Y., in the stadium used by their Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons, because of travel restrictions into Canada that did not allow opposing teams to enter the country.
The NBA’s Toronto Raptors are set to start the upcoming season by playing home games in Tampa, Fla., but that move is COVID-19-related and not connected to the building of a new home venue.
–Field Level Media
