Guardians announce Progressive Field Reimagined: Renovation Projects & Timeline

CLEVELAND -- After a year of imagining what Progressive Field could look like -- both for fans and players -- the blueprints for the ballpark’s renovations are coming together.

On Thursday afternoon, the Guardians announced their plans for updating Progressive Field over the next couple of offseasons.

“As we sought feedback from our fans regarding what they’d like to see at Progressive Field,” president of business operations Brian Barren said, “we continuously heard feedback that aligned with the success we’ve seen at the Corner Bar, and that is a focus on more social spaces and compelling fan experiences, offering unique ways to enjoy a baseball game.”

“We have called Progressive Field home since 1994,” owner, chairman and CEO Paul Dolan said. “As the 11th-oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, Progressive Field reimagined will continue to improve and extend the life of the ballpark.”

THE VISION

The Guardians worked with their lead design architect, Manica, to create a video that best paints a picture of what Progressive Field should look like once these renovations are complete. Here’s an overview of each step.

Terrace Hub
Anyone who has visited Progressive Field has seen the glass windows that cover the seating in the 200 and 300 levels in the left-field corner. The plan is to transform that area into an open-air hub with ticketed seating on those two levels, just below an authentic-to-Cleveland Beer Hall with food and beverages on the 400 level that will be available to all fans.

Revamped upper deck
The Guardians learned that the No. 1 thing fans wanted was more social spaces, and the reimagined upper deck will help with that. A beer garden will be added down the left-field line, and a new group outing space will be implemented in right field. New concession spaces, including two View Box bars, will be added to improve the ability to view the field while on the concourse.

Dugout Club
The Guardians will keep the same premium seating in their dugout club for fans to enjoy, but will be adding an exclusive lounge behind home plate. The club will also feature seven private lounges that will allow for a more intimate group experience.

Clubhouses and service level
For the first time since the ballpark opened in 1994, both clubhouses and the service level will be renovated, with an increased focus on making the home clubhouse better equipped to increase player performance, training and recovery. This will include expanded and enhanced strength and conditioning and athletic training areas, improved kitchen facilities and more robust technological support for players, coaches and staff members.

East 9th Street building
In order to make the changes that the Guardians are envisioning in their clubhouse, they’ll need much more space. A four-level building will be erected on East 9th Street to create roughly 20,000 square feet of room to expand these facilities. The rooftop will connect to the upper concourse of the ballpark and will also serve as a new group space at Progressive Field.

Administrative offices
Finally, the Guardians will be updating the front-office building for the first time since 1994. The plans include adding a fifth floor to the current four-level structure.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Now that sports betting is legal in Ohio, so much attention has turned toward how teams will incorporate this into their facilities. The Cleveland Cavaliers sparked this conversation by opening a sports book at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse at the start of the calendar year, and many wondered after the Guardians announced a partnership with bet365 on Wednesday whether they will follow suit. Neil Weiss, chief information officer and executive vice president of ballpark operations, explained why the organization won’t.

“We’re looking at potentially partnering with somebody,” Weiss said, “but it’s got to be outside of our gate lines, because Major League Baseball doesn’t allow for a physical sports book to be physically in the ballpark. So anything we do will be on the edge of our ballpark and something small.”

Funding for these projects will be supported by the new $435 million lease agreement (that lasts until at least 2036, with the option to extend until 2046) that was agreed upon between the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, the state of Ohio, the Gateway Economic Development Corporation of Greater Cleveland and the Guardians. About half of that deal ($202.5 million) will go toward these renovations. Expenses that exceed this budget will be covered solely by the Guardians.

THE TIMELINE

Disclaimer: Mother Nature isn’t always kind to Cleveland during the offseason, so every deadline is dependent upon having enough days with decent weather to get work done.

By Opening Day 2024: Create the upper deck experience and add the East 9th Street building.

By Opening Day 2025: Improve the Dugout Club, Terrace Hub, administrative offices, clubhouses and service level.