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Working on a $600,000 contract with the Jays, the University of Guelph is testing an array of grass species under lighting conditions similar to those with the Rogers Centre roof closed. Eric Lyons, head of the research project at Guelph, says he is confident it is possible to sustain a grass field under the dome. The question is whether Rogers and the Jays will be willing to pay the cost of a retrofit that will funnel off humidity from the grass and provide the required irrigation system and artificial lighting, among other challenges.

The club will begin to sort that out next winter after receiving a major feasibility report from Lyons in February and obtaining cost estimates from engineers, Brooks said.

“At that point we will know what our issues are,” he said.

Installing grass in an old domed stadium that was engineered without grass in mind will be an enormous undertaking, the cost of which is difficult to gauge with certainty at the moment. Brooks calls it “the wild-card project.”

Meanwhile, plenty of other changes are in store for the 26-year-old stadium, which has already undergone about $70-million worth of infrastructure improvements, many unseen by fans, in the past few years.

The entire PVC membrane over the stadium roof is worn out and must be replaced. As part of that project, the club will investigate the possibility of using material that will allow diffused sunlight to shine through and help nurture the grass.

The club will continue to repair and upgrade the rail system that allows the four sections of the roof to open and close. Work started two years ago and has continued through this season, Brooks said. Warped sections of the rails have been shaved. The computer system and motor systems will be significantly upgraded. When the job is done, the roof will open and close faster than it does now and will likely be able to open in cooler weather.

All stadium seats will be replaced. That project has also begun. Brooks said it may involve making the seats larger, which could result in the loss of 2,000 to 3,000 seats.

All of the stadium suites will be renovated. Brooks said the Rogers Centre has about 150 suites – most new stadiums have 50 to 60 – and the club plans to reduce the total and create more double suites to meet increasing demand from larger groups.

The former Hard Rock Café space above right field is due for renovation as a large group area. “Group sales space is one thing that we need more of,” Brooks said.

Plans also include upgrades and new kitchens in concession areas; more space for the Blue Jays Shop, which is often packed on game days; replacement of the exterior stadium awning and the paving stones around the stadium; and renovating the plaza on the west side where Fan Fest is held.

Fans will not have noticed most of the work done in the past few years because it involved infrastructure – “chillers, boilers, roof, wiring, cabling,” Brooks said. In contrast, many of the projects on the horizon will be “fan-facing,” he said.

The elements of the five-year capital plan have been priced and submitted to Rogers Communications, which owns the stadium and the Jays. However, the necessary approvals are “TBA,” Brooks said.