Coors Field opened in 1995 and is the third oldest baseball stadium in the National League behind Chicago’s Wrigley Field (1914) and Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium (1962).
Rockies owner Dick Monfort calls Coors a “grand old ballpark” that could last 100 years, but requires maintenance.
Denver area residents own Coors Field, and the Denver Metropolitan Major League Baseball Stadium District oversees the Rockies’ lease obligations at the ballpark. But for the first 30 years, the Rockies funded major modernization and construction projects at Coors, while the stadium district helped fund more minor maintenance and modernization projects.
In 2017, the Rockies finalized a new 30-year lease agreement with Coors, keeping the club at LoDo Stadium until at least 2047. The Rockies will pay for the bulk of the capital improvements, which are expected to total $200 million dollars over time. of the lease.
The Rockies contributed $125 million to fund maintenance and improvements while increasing their annual payments to $2.5 million from the previous $1 million. In the commercial realm, the Rockies were allowed to lease and develop valuable land directly south of the stadium for 99 years. This former parking lot was transformed into McGregor’s Square, an 818,000 square foot residential, retail and entertainment complex.
District spokesman Matt Sugar said much of the work at Coors over the next few years will be standard maintenance.
“We don’t talk about a lot of bells and whistles,” he says. “We’re talking about expansion joists, plumbing fixtures and bathroom upgrades.”
Here are the major renovations and improvements to Coors Field during the stadium’s first 30 years:
• 2005: replacement of the dashboard (cost: $3.75 million) — The project included a new video scoreboard in left field and improvements to the “ribbon boards” located under the second deck.
• 2013: Press Club Suites ($1.5 million) — The project converted more than 60 percent of the former press box into a bar, restaurant and seating area behind home plate, on a level between the club level and the main concourse. It is now called the “PNC Press Club”.
• 2014: The Rooftop ($10 million) – A 38,000 square foot, multi-level, mostly standing room only bar that transformed 3,500 right field seats in upper right field into a party terrace that Monfort said would add “another dimension” to Coors Field.
• 2016: The “Barrière de Bridich” ($117.00) — To reduce home runs, taller fences were installed in right center field and the left field corner. The increase in height – from 8 feet 9 inches to 16 feet 6 inches in front of the bullpens that run from right to center, and from 8 feet to 13 inches in the left field corner – was designed by the former general manager. Jeff Bridich.
• 2018: new dashboard ($15 million) — A massive new scoreboard/video board measuring 8,369 square feet has been installed in left field. It was 258% larger than the card it replaced. It is shaped like a mountain cutout, reminiscent of the club’s Rocky Mountain logo. The display is equivalent to 784 60-inch televisions.
• 2018-19: Renovation of the clubhouse ($3.9 million) — Completed in two phases, the players’ home away from home features a new locker room, training room, training room, hot tubs/cold baths, dining room/lounge and various other improvements.
• 2017-2019: Installation of speakers ($1.3 million) — Made in two phases, the new speakers improved the audio system in the ballpark.
• 2019: club-level concession renovations ($5.5 million) — Updated and improved food and beverage concessions at the club level.
• 2020: replacement on the field ($2.7 million) — During the 2019-20 offseason, a new boiler system was installed. At the same time, a new hydronic heating system was installed under the playing field. This required the entire field to be dug up, rebuilt and repainted.
• 2020: Extension of safety nets ($421,000) — All major league teams have installed netting along the baselines and up to the foul poles to protect fans from baseballs.
• 2023: Improvements and remodeling of suites. ($16.5 million) — The Rockies renovated the team’s indoor suites, changing the interior decor for spaces that can accommodate 12 to 60 fans.
Sources: Kevin Hahn, Rockies vice president of stadium operations, and Matt Sugar, director of the Denver Metropolitan Major League Baseball Stadium District
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