Blue Jays Unveil State-Of-Art Training Complex In Dunedin

Dunedin FL

01 March, 2021

2:33 PM

Description

DUNEDIN, FL — The Toronto Blue Jays are making themselves at home in their new, state-of-the-art Player Development Complex. Sitting on a 65-acre site in Dunedin, the complex features six full fields, two half fields, 20 gang mounds, 12 covered batting cages, a 155- by 150-foot covered turf practice field and a 6.79-degree, 168-foot-long speed hill. The site's 115,000-square-foot building houses Major and Minor League Blue Jays for the first time. In 2017, the Blue Jays and the city of Dunedin hammered out a deal for the MLB team to continue spring training and playing its home Grapefruit League games in Dunedin for the next 25 years provided the existing stadium at 373 Douglas Ave., which was built in 1990, be renovated and the team training facility at the Louis A. Vanech Recreation Complex be expanded and updated. The bulk of funding for the $102 million ($96.6 million in construction costs) project came from Pinellas County tourist development tax money (about $42 million). The state kicked in another $14 million, the city of Dunedin contributed $5.66 million and the ball club invested more than $20 million. When the ink on the 25-year lease was dry, the Blue Jays became the only Major League franchise to use the same spring training facility since its founding. Key features of the new training facility include: Two floor indoor/outdoor weight room (totalling 22,539 square feet) with four garage doors that open to nearly 9,000 square feet of partly covered outdoor turf and a 3,400-square-foot second-floor cardio loftEquipped with more than 40,000 pounds of weighted accessories and barbellsMajor League clubhouse (3,750 square feet) with 72 custom, 8-foot-tall wood lockersThree Minor League locker rooms totaling 219 lockersHydrotherapy room (2,495 square feet) with a 15- by 45-foot custom depth pool at 4, 5 and 6 feet plus two hot and two cold tubs at 4 feet deepKitchen (2,436 square feet) and two dedicated Major/Minor League dining rooms totaling nearly 5,000 square feetThree sport science labs for applied research, movement and pitchingThree discipline workrooms for hitting, pitching and base running/defenseOn-site barber shop, vendor room, Minor League player lounge and grab 'n go fridges and nutrition stations throughout the complexJays fans in Dunedin were disappointed last year when the spring training games in the newly renovated stadium was cut short in March, shortly after they began due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year, however, the Blue Jays will be in Dunedin for an extended stay that includes at least two regular-season games at the TD Ballpark. "Like all Canadians, we had hoped to see improvements in the public health outlook as we neared the 2021 baseball season," said the Blue Jays management in a statement. "With the ongoing Canada-U.S. border closure, we have made the difficult decision to play the first two homestands of the 2021 regular season (through May 2) at TD Ballpark in Dunedin with the hopes of a return to play at Rogers Centre in Toronto as soon as possible." A state-of-the-art facility unlike any other. Presenting our new Player Development Complex! pic.twitter.com/ggKaqjeobv— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) February 25, 2021 The Toronto Blue Jays began 2021 Spring Training games Feb. 28, beating the New York Yankees 6-4 at Steinbrenner Field. The Jays are playing the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday at home and will face the Phillies at 1:07 p.m. Tuesday. See schedule. The team is welcoming fans to TD Ballpark for Grapefruit League home games at 15 percent capacity with increased health and safety protocols. The renovated ballpark seats 8,500 fans. Ticket purchasers will receive a guide with additional TD Ballpark health and safety protocols before each game; these include: Tickets sold in pods of two or four seats, spaced a minimum of 6 feet apartFace coverings required for entry; fans ages 2 and older are required to wear them in the ballpark, except when eating or drinking in their seatsMobile ticketing required for entry to limit touchpointsSymptom screening prior to entryConcession stands will feature social distance markers and prepackaged food and utensilsHand sanitizing stations available throughout the stadiumNo player autographs See related stories: Toronto Blue Jays To Start 2021 MLB Season Based In DunedinBlue Jays Celebrate Opening Of Renovated Stadium At Season OpenerThe Boys Are Back In Town: Spring Training Returns To Tampa BayBlue Jays Return To Dunedin But Season A Bust For Businesses