※ [本文转录自 MLB 看板] 作者: win95se (昏倒95) 看板: MLB 标题: Jays making plans for SkyDome 时间: Sat Jan 15 12:27:03 2005 01/14/2005 3:45 PM ET Jays making plans for SkyDome Godfrey putting together list of stadium renovations By Ian Harrison / Special to MLB.com tickets for any Major League Baseball game The Blue Jays are awaitng the completion of the deal that will turn ownership of SkyDome over to them so they can begin renovations. (Rick Stewart/Getty Images) TORONTO -- Improving the on-field product isn't the only thing keeping the Toronto Blue Jays' braintrust busy this winter. Team president Paul Godfrey is hard at work finalizing the purchase of SkyDome, the team's home since 1989. Once the deal is done, he'll get cracking on his list of renovations. "We don't own the facility yet," Godfrey said Friday. "We're still trying to close the deal. We're working through the issues from local governments. It will probably be a couple of weeks yet." But Godfrey said fans can expect at least two changes in time for Opening Day 2005. "The two most obvious things that you're going to see are a state-of-the-art scoreboard and new artificial turf, the type that has the look and feel of natural grass," he said. SkyDome was the only facility in the Major Leagues last season to use the old AstroTurf surface; even Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico switched to FieldTurf for visits by the Montreal Expos. As for the Jumbotron, Godfrey said the huge videoscreen, which measures 33 feet high by 110 feet wide, has become too difficult to maintain. "Sony doesn't make Jumbotrons anymore," he said. "There's no parts even being made. The experts told us the old board was on its last legs. There was concern that we may not be able to get through the whole season if we just tried to get by with the old board." Godfrey declined to say what the new scoreboard would look like, saying fans can expect an announcement once the stadium purchase is final. Also still under wraps is any potential deal to sell naming rights to the stadium. It was late November when the Jays announced they were paying Sportsco International $25 million Canadian for SkyDome, which cost more than $500 million Canadian to build. Even though it's only 16 years old this summer, the building is now older than 17 other stadiums around the Major Leagues. Oft-criticized for its antiseptic feel, SkyDome opened its doors just before the retro craze spearheaded by parks like Camden Yards in Baltimore and Jacobs Field in Cleveland. "There's a lot of things in the building that need freshening up and we're going to be doing them on a priority basis," Godfrey said. "Once we get hold of the building, we'll be examining every aspect of what we have and deciding what needs sprucing up, what needs total change. The building obviously needs a makeover." Godfrey also said renovations to the Blue Jays clubhouse are "under consideration." The spacious clubhouse under the third-base stands includes a private workout center for Toronto players, but hasn't changed since the stadium opened on June 5, 1989. However, Godfrey said he hasn't talked to players or coaches about potential improvements or additions to the clubhouse area. For the next few seasons, the Jays will continue to share SkyDome with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. The reigning Grey Cup champions plan to move to a smaller stadium north of the city, although contruction plans hit a snag earlier this week. Even though the presence of the football team compromises the intimacy of the baseball environment, Godfrey said the Jays are happy to keep the Argonauts as a tenant. "The Argos are welcome to stay as long as they want," he said. "If for any reason they decide they'd like to stay here on a more permanent basis, we'd like to see that happen. If they only want to make it a temporary home, well, we understand that and we'll be totally cooperative with them." Most of all, Godfrey is excited about taking total control of the fan experience, everything from parking and concessions to cleanliness of the washrooms and seating areas. "We're very excited about being able to deal directly with our fans," he said. -- If you're not have fun in baseball, you miss the point of everything. --

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