TD Garden expansion plans revealed

Delaware North unveils US$100m investment and expansion plan for Boston’s legendary TD Garden to grow the arena for the next generation of sports and entertainment experiences.

Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and the owner and operator of TD Garden, has announced a massive expansion of the 23-year-old arena, taking place over the next two years.

The US$100m private investment by the Jacobs family will provide a combined 50,000 square feet of additional space on all levels of the building and marks the ‘Legendary Transformation’ of TD Garden and the fan experience for generations to come.

The original site of the Boston Garden is now home to The Hub on Causeway – designed by Gensler – serving as the new front door to TD Garden and providing a historic opportunity for the arena expansion and reimagination of spaces and amenities.

Amy Latimer, President of TD Garden, said:

The Jacobs family’s expansion investment will further the goals to redefine the fan experience and cement the arena’s reputation as an innovator and industry leader. The ‘Legendary Transformation’ will bring new entry experiences, expanded concourses and gathering areas, new clubs, enhanced food and beverage offerings, and new team locker rooms.

The first phase of The Hub on Causeway, a 1.5 million square foot joint-venture development between Delaware North and Boston Properties, is complete and this announcement of TD Garden’s expansion and reinvestment plans will give fans a view of how their experience will change from Causeway Street all the way to their seats over the next two years.

Design of the renovations to the concourse, the arena’s largest fan gathering areas, is being led by ROSSETTI, a renowned sports and hospitality architecture firm, whose goal is to infuse the rich history of the City of Boston, the Bruins and the Celtics with modern technology that activates fan engagement physically and digitally and that brings sponsorship activation to life.

Kelly Deines, Principal and Creative Director at ROSSETTI, said:

TD Garden has an incredibly rich sports heritage that resonates with fans. We wanted to respect that nostalgia while emphasising Boston’s industrial transit background. We framed the design with indigenous Boston references while celebrating the Garden’s sports legacy, and then used technology in creative ways throughout the concourse and in clubs.

Technology update

TD Garden is adding updated technology infrastructure and state-of-the-art solutions from Cisco to support digital fan experiences well into the future. With the help of over 400 antennas, high-density Wi-Fi will be available throughout the arena, giving fans the opportunity to use TD Garden and team apps, send pictures and post on social media sites from their wireless devices. TD Garden is even exploring adding Wi-Fi hot-spot antennas within the hockey boards, which has the potential to be an industry ‘first’.

Additionally, the TD Garden app, available for download in iTunes and Google Play, has a special ‘Check-in and Win’ functionality and contest for every arena event.

New technology features will be integrated throughout the arena’s overall renovation, including but not limited to over 200 dynamic digital signage boards via Cisco StadiumVision and new point-of-sale technology for Sportservice’s food, beverage and retail locations. The TD Garden data architecture, both wired and wireless, is based on Cisco’s Connected Stadium design and will enhance overall fan engagement.

STARTING THIS SEASON

New TD Garden entrance

For the first time in 23 years, TD Garden has a front door with a fitting grand entrance directly from Causeway Street through The Hub on Causeway. The atrium entry, featuring a glass canopy above, provides two new escalators, an elevator and stairs for guests to access TD Garden event entrance on Level 2. North Station Commuter Rail will also be accessible to commuters through this entrance.

Timeline: This entrance is currently open to ticketholders on event days only. It is scheduled to become operational for all on December 1, 2018.

New north station MBTA & commuter rail station connection

A new underground pedestrian tunnel, located beneath Causeway Street, connects the North Station MBTA subway stop with the North Station Commuter Rail. This commuter tunnel will provide fans and the more than 50,000 commuters who travel through North Station every day the option to directly connect from station to station protected from the elements.

Timeline: This tunnel is set to be open to the public in December.

North station garage expansion 

The North Station Garage, located beneath TD Garden with entrances on 121 Nashua Street and 140 Causeway Street, has been expanded to accommodate the future state of The Hub on Causeway with over 500 additional parking spots. Two new elevators have been added to the three level expanded parking garage and provide access to The Hub, North Station concourse and TD Garden entry level.

Timeline: The expansion to the garage is currently open.

Announcing Boston Garden Society  

Twenty years ago, TD Garden set the stage for the premium arena experience. Along with the addition of new space, comes the opportunity to introduce a new brand and a redefinition of The Premium Club. This year, TD Garden is proud to introduce ‘Boston Garden Society’ – Boston’s newest oldest sports and social club.

Boston Garden Society signifies the community of passionate fans, Boston’s unique role as a hub of sports and, celebrates the rich history of the arena. It’s a commitment to a new tradition of sports and entertainment for the Boston business community and beyond, coming in the form of transformed spaces as well as upgraded amenities and experience over the next few years. This membership-based model is designed to offer flexible and customisable, entertainment and hospitality options.

Street-to-Seat Experience 

TD Garden is the first to introduce an integrated smart technology elevator system in an arena setting. This season, Boston Garden Society members will be the first to partake in the street-to-seat experience. Six new Destination Dispatch elevators will allow members to scan their ticket at private entrances located on P1-P4 and bypass the main turnstile entrance for a streamlined and efficient entry direct to their seat.

RAFTERS | Level 9 
A whole new level of entertainment, The Rafters will be a high energy and communal membership-based party deck located on the top floor of the arena. Fans and concert-goers will have an overview of the action on the court, stage or ice. Cantilevered design will provide an additional row of seating to Level 9 and fans will enjoy one of the most unique vantage points in the arena with Bruins and Celtics championship banners serving as the backdrop.

In the Rafters, members can hang with the champions; Boston Garden Society members will have exclusive first access to add Rafters to their current membership.

RAFTER STUDIOS | Level 9 
With a goal of creating additional and unique hospitality spaces for client entertainment, Rafter Studios will rise to the occasion and exceed expectations. These expandable studio spaces can accommodate groups of 20-200, which means visitors will have a perfect spot to host groups in one dedicated space. The Rafter Studios also offer more than just seats, they will feature a private bar, dedicated bartender, and unique food offerings along with sweeping views – all the great makings for networking and mingling with guests.

ALL-NEW BACK ROW BAR | Level 8 
An all-new level has been created just behind the last row balcony seats to house ‘The Back Row Bar’. This expansive bar offers an additional 50 seats and fixed bar stools. Fans can expect vintage vibes harkening back to the Gallery Gods of yesteryear, making the balcony the ultimate game day destination.

LOGE & BALCONY CONCOURSES | Level 7 and Level 4 
TD Garden’s concourses, level 4 Loge and level 7 Balcony, will see 15,000 square feet of new space combined – a 20% addition to Loge and a 30% increase in space for Balcony. The expansion of the fan concourses is tailored to provide a more communal atmosphere for fans to gather, meet with friends, dine and grab a drink. Additional restrooms will be added throughout the arena. On both levels, Delaware North’s Sportservice, TD Garden’s food and beverage provider, will operate experiential dining spaces inspired by contemporary food halls.

Sportservice’s culinary innovations will be showcased by a rotating calendar of pop-up concession stands that will feature globally inspired street food trends such as an Asian-inspired ramen bar, empanadas, crepes, dumplings and gyros. Fans will also be treated to grab-and-go options, pop-up retail, communal seating, and floor-to-ceiling windows facing the bustling environment of The Hub on Causeway below.

1928 CLUB | Level 5/6
The 1928 Club will be an all-new dedicated destination for full season Club Seating clients to dine, lounge, and socialise. With design elements that pay homage to the storied history of the original Boston Garden and evoke speakeasy vibes, the 7,500 square foot, 2-storey club will feature an expansive bar, a lounge, and waited seating options. The 1928 Club will have its own dedicated chef, who will curate specialty, high-end menus to be paired with premium cocktail, wine and drafts.

SOCIETY KITCHEN + TAP | Level 5 
All Boston Garden Society members will be able to enjoy and experience a re-imagined communal food and beverage experience on Level 5, currently operating as “Premium Bar and Grille”. Featuring a high-end bar and chef-inspired, made-to-order food options, this revitalised area will serve as a hub for all Boston Garden Society members to enjoy a bite to eat, socialise and more!

LOCKER ROOMS | Level 3

New team locker rooms for the NHL’s Boston Bruins and NBA’s Boston Celtics will be part of the expansion space and will be ready for the 2019-2020 season. The respective teams will share more information and details for locker room plans and team facilities in the coming months. Visiting locker rooms will be updated in 2020.

ARENA BOWL 
Arena bowl seats, most from the original installation, will be replaced next summer and include Loge, Balcony, and Boston Garden Society club seats. A full change of TD Garden’s sports lights was conducted over the summer, which upgraded all 250 fixtures of the on-ice and on-court lighting. The LED replacement provides significant operation and maintenance efficiencies as well as carbon footprint impact with a 200,000kwh reduction annually.

PROJECT PARTNERS
Project partners include: Gensler (The Hub on Causeway Architect), John Moriarty Associates (The Hub on Causeway General Contractor), Stadium Consultants International/SCI (TD Garden Master Plan Architect/Interiors), Gilbane (General Contractor TD Garden Interior Fit-Out), Lemessurier (Structural Engineer), Consulting Engineering Services/CES (Mechanical Electrical Plumbing), SBLD Studio (Lighting) and Wasserstrom (Kitchen Design).

TDGARDEN.COM 
To match the exciting work going on in and around TD Garden, the arena teamed up with carbonhouse to create an all-new, mobile-friendly website: www.TDGarden.com. TD Garden’s new website features a homepage intro panel to showcase events, and updates on the latest renovations and construction updates.

Also new this season, TD Garden’s website and app will house a Satsfi Labs ‘Answer Engine’, a 24-hour automated virtual employee that can address customer questions and provide experiential recommendations in real time.

About Delaware North 
Delaware North is one of the largest privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded in 1915 and owned by the Jacobs family for more than 100 years, Delaware North has global operations at high-profile places such as sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks, destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Its 55,000 employee associates are dedicated to creating special experiences one guest at a time in serving more than a half-billion guests annually.

Delaware North operates in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurant and catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and specialty retail industries and has annual revenue of more than US$3bn. Learn more online at: www.DelawareNorth.com

About TD Garden

Since its grand opening in 1995, more than 30 million people have come to the TD Garden to see the arena’s famous tenants, the NHL’s Boston Bruins and NBA’s Boston Celtics, as well as world-renowned concerts, sporting events, family shows, wrestling, ice shows and so much more.

Home to approximately 200 public events annually, the TD Garden hosts well over 3.5 million people each year. The state-of-the-art TD Garden is a year-round, 19,600-seat arena, fully equipped with three private restaurants – Banners Harbor View, Legends Club and the Premium Club Bistro – 90 executive suites, 1,100 club seats, a multi-million dollar high definition video scoreboard (Garden HDX) and complete 360-degree LED technology. For more information, visit www.TDGarden.com

Images, courtesy: TD Garden/NBA/ROSSETTI

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