Orioles to Transform Left Field Upper Deck Into Social Hub
The left-field upper deck at Camden Yards will be undergoing significant renovations ahead of the 2027 season.
The Orioles announced on Tuesday that their home ballpark will have approximately 2,000 seats removed in order to build a new social space in the upper deck in left field. The area will include drink rails, standing room viewing areas, spacious gathering zones with tables and chairs, a central bar, diverse concession offerings and televisions.
The construction will begin immediately, with the space scheduled to be open for Opening Day 2027. It will be open to all ticketed fans, and the area will also be rented out for private events on non-game days.
"We’re extremely excited to begin these renovations and bring this space to life at Oriole Park,” Orioles president of business operations Catie Griggs said in a statement. “We’ve listened to our fans, who have expressed a desire for more social spaces that offer a vibrant atmosphere to gather, connect and cheer on the O’s together. We’re confident this will quickly become a popular destination inside our gates next season.”
TPG Architecture Designs 'Office as Stadium' for Major League Soccer Headquarters
North American football league Major League Soccer has moved its New York headquarters to the Penn 2 skyscraper and commissioned US studio TPG Architecture to have it mirror the dynamics of a soccer pitch.
The office opened earlier this year just before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which also coincided with the thirtieth anniversary of the Major League Soccer (MLS) organisation and football's "surging cultural momentum", according to TPG Architecture.
The two-storey office integrates elements from a football stadium, according to the studio, such as an entrance area that resembles the tunnel players run through to enter the field.
"The 'office as a stadium' concept emerged from feedback the MLS Commissioner had collected from current and former players, coaches, retired athletes, and long-standing employees about what they hoped to see in the new headquarters," said the studio.
East Stands To Be Demolished at ESU's Welsh Stadium
ESU Athletic Director Steve Rodecap said Friday that the structure cannot be salvaged. The university closed it to fans before this season after an evaluation found structural deficiencies.
“There’s no repair,” Rodecap said. “It’s coming down.”
The closure came sooner than ESU had planned, Rodecap said. The university had expected to use the stands for Hornet and Emporia High School football games this season, but additional problems made that too great a risk for fans and students.
Games are continuing at Welch Stadium. Students now sit in temporary bleachers in the north end zone, while visiting fans have been moved to Section Q at the south end of the west stands. General admission fans enter through the west gates, and students enter near the Police and Safety Building at the northeast corner. With capacity reduced to 4,419 for football this season, ESU recommends buying tickets in advance.
Rodecap described three stages ahead: demolition, design and construction. He estimated it could take 18 to 24 months from demolition to completion of a new structure. Several companies are developing options, but ESU has not chosen a design or finalized a funding plan.
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