TORONTO — With Toronto FC star midfielder Michael Bradley manning a bulldozer, BMO Field’s $105-million renovation officially kicked off Tuesday.
Construction actually started last week but Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is on a tight deadline.
Phase 1 will increase seating capacity to 30,000 with 8,400 new seats in the east stand as well as new suites and other premium areas. It is scheduled to be completed in May 2015, in time for the Pan American Games.
Phase 2, to take place September 2015 to May 2016, will see a canopy covering all seats with the exception of the north stand, plus a new sound and lighting system.
Phase 3, which is dependent on the federal and provincial government kicking in $10 million apiece, would reconfigure the field to accommodate CFL football and the Toronto Argonauts.
As it stands now, MLSE is kicking in $95 million with the city adding another $10 million.