The city's economy will get a much-needed shot in the arm as baseball fans flock to the Rogers Centre for the wildcard series against the Seattle Mariners
It certainly won’t be an empty stadium for these Blue Jays games.
The crowd noise won’t be pumped into make it have an authentic feel either.
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There’s no masking it. These post-season, post-pandemic baseball games at the Rogers Centre this weekend are about a city wanting to hum once again.
And hum if will.
“It’s going to be wild in there,” Tyler Tompkins said Thursday. “It’s going to rock. We can’t wait.”
He and his nine-year-old son Jase, travelled all the way from Minto, New Brunswick just to be part of all three playoff games. And if all goes well, they may hit the Leafs and Raptors games scheduled for this weekend too.
Talk about an excellent adventure.
“It’s so exciting,” said Jace, whose favourite player is Bo Bichette.
Even his teachers approved of the trip of a lifetime. This will be an educational weekend, no question.
Many tourists came into town Thursday and more are expected Friday.
The hotels are starting to fill up — including the Marriott City Centre Hotel, which is inside the Rogers Centre and still has diamond-facing rooms available.
They also have special boxes where you can watch the game in luxury and enjoy a buffet dinner for $395.
There are also seats available in the Sportsnet Grill in the lobby, which has excellent vantage points for the game.
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The buzz has not just stung Blue Jays fans but also Seattle fans who are flying in hoping to see their Mariners spoil this Toronto comeback party.
“We like our team,” said Jose Llanes, who, along with fans Denia Corsello and Arturo Lucatero, is excited to be here no matter what.
They are here for baseball but also to check out the other attractions. These baseball games are promising to give Toronto commerce the shot in the arm it needs.
All the talk Thursday was about baseball and the great city of Toronto being on full display once again. It’s great to see.
“What a City,” said Lucatero. “It’s huge.”
And it really rocks when the Blue Jays are in the playoffs.
Now that the pandemic and masks and vaccine mandates are behind us, it’s starting to feel like the old days again.
There’s nothing better than seeing fans in those Rogers Centre seats to remind that Toronto is back.
Who knows, maybe a World Series is in the city’s future?
Toronto is ready.
Mayor John Tory, with help from the Blue Jays mascot Ace, was in Nathan Phillips Square on Thursday to declare Oct. 7 to be Blue Jays day.
Now it’s the team’s turn win two of three games and give Toronto a reason to party like it was 1992, 1993 or even like it was in 2015.
jwarmington@postmedia.com