The Colorado Rapids are planning further renovations to improve Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the team announced Wednesday.
The north end terraces of DSGP will be redeveloped into a new section called “The North Boundary,” which will feature field-level outdoor patio seating. Renovations began Tuesday and the project will open to fans on the annual Fouth of July home game. When completed, the terrace’s capacity will more than double.
The project was designed by Denver-based planning and landscape architecture firm StackLot, and will be built by national-based Turner Construction. It is part of wider renovations which have taken place at DSGP this season, including the new Dale’s Bar on the south end, an expanded supporters’ section and ease-of-access stadium entry.
For chief business officer Wayne Brant, the idea to renovate the north end of the stadium started in early 2020, but the pandemic delayed plans. When asked if the idea drew inspiration from newer venues around Major League Soccer or in the American sporting landscape, he said inspiration came from downtown Denver’s vibrant beer garden patio scene. Brant believes the changes are more in line with how the Millennial and Gen Z demographics want to consume live sporting events.
“Pádraig (Smith) and I were doing some fan studies and were trying to understand as we work to modernize the stadium, what were some of the things that people were looking for?” Brant told The Post in a phone interview. “We look around the league at best practices, but I think the most important thing is that we are trying to do something that would reflect the values and culture of the community. … The space is anchored in that club identity, the vision and the brand position, not necessarily maybe what you would see around (MLS). It’s a communal space, very visually stimulating.”
Once finished, the terrace will be broken up into four ticketed areas, three of which will be ready by July, and will range in both price and food/beverage options. The ticketed areas include four elevated canopies meant for larger groups (roughly up to 120 fans), private tabletops (104), a communal patio (250) and, ready in 2024, a number of “field-side seats”. Fans will be able to purchase season tickets for tabletop seating and field-side seats next season.
Brant called the renovations “a starting point,” and said by no means is the organization satisfied with changes seen in 2023.
“What we did earlier in the year with the south terrace, that was meant to drive and amplify supporter culture, and revitalizing this terrace was another key objective as we continue to explore how to make other improvements across the venue,” Brant said. “But there’s more to go.”
The current tented terrace seats will be in place for a few more matches, but the changes will be noticeable game-by-game. Colorado will host the Philadelphia Union at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at DSGP.
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