Blue Jays' return to Rogers Centre good for Toronto's tourism, hospitality sectors

It's not just baseball fans that are excited to see the Toronto Blue Jays return to Rogers Centre — local businesses are happy too.

After a 10-game road trip to start the season, Toronto hosts the Detroit Tigers in their home opener on Tuesday. Significant off-season renovations to Rogers Centre forced the Blue Jays to start the year south of the border but team president Mark Shapiro believes the changes will improve the fan experience at the ballpark and be a boon to the local economy.

"Toronto is an incredibly dynamic city and strong entertainment market," said Shapiro in a statement to The Canadian Press. "The recent Rogers Centre renovations created differentiated experiences that appeal to a broader audience, driving greater economic impact in Toronto through job creation and increased activity in the downtown core.

"More than 1,000 Canadian workers were involved in the ballpark renovations over the last six months, and we anticipate increased economic activity to businesses surrounding Rogers Centre from a wider and more diverse group of fans."

The home opener will be fans' first opportunity to take in the new 500-level seats and so-called fan districts overlooking the outfield. The radically different look to Rogers Centre will be showcased in a lengthy pre-game ceremony set to begin at 6 p.m. ET, an hour before the game's start time.

WATCH | ​Inside Rogers Centre's new fan zones:

Hall of Fame inductee Fred McGriff will throw out the ceremonial first pitch and individual awards will be presented to Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (Silver Slugger), closer Jordan Romano (Tip O'Neill), and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Gold Glove) as part of the festivities.

Fans attending Tuesday's game will receive a