TD Garden Reimagination

The Boston Garden, the original home of the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics, became a key part of the city’s history. Replaced in 1995 with the current TD Garden, the city and the fans were gaining a well-deserved upgrade. However, the new arena lacked the history of the original Garden and did not celebrate the unique culture of Boston. Delaware North, owner of the arena and the Bruins, hired ROSSETTI to develop smart solutions that honor the legacy, culture, and strength of the city by enhancing the fan experience while creating opportunities to generate additional revenue.

The initial master planning effort started with an assessment of the existing facility and identifying areas to reimagine. This was supported by ROSSETTI’s Return on Design process, which provided a financial analysis of potential revenue opportunities and construction costs to inform design decisions. The design team worked with Delaware North and other stakeholders to discover priorities and establish a vision for the upgrades. Through this, several overarching themes were established: Memory, to refer to the original Boston Garden; Steel, an aesthetic representation of the city’s industrial heritage and the MBTA subway; Technology, to offer flexibility for branding and sponsorship; and Neighborhoods, to celebrate the various areas in and around Boston. To implement the vision set forth by the master plan, the project was completed into two phases and built over a two-year time period around hockey and basketball season.

The first phase focused on concourse, aiming to simplify and streamline the palette and help circulation. The use of blackened steel and white subway tile provide consistency within all the spaces while added technology allows for flexible branding and sponsorship. The new signage and wayfinding provide better clarity and information while complimenting the architecture and interior design. Additionally, environmental graphics on the walls of the concourse represent the masonry of the original Boston Garden and incorporate historic images of the Bruins, Celtics and events held at the original arena. The upgrades to the concourse set the stage for the next phase of improvements at TD Garden.

Critical to Delaware North, a global hospitality company, is the food and beverage experience. Several concession stands were reconfigured to function better. Each concessions offers food and beverage options unique to the many neighborhoods of Boston, such as local beer, seafood, pizza, sausages and more. Each concession utilizes blackened steel and white subway tiles but incorporates unique finishes and branding elements to highlight the specific cuisine. The environmental graphics of each concession complete the experience with logos designed by ROSSETTI. Marketplaces were also added along the concourses to offer grab ‘n go style services. New amenity spaces, such as the Sam Adams Bar, provide social spaces for fans, complete with tv screens to stay connected to the game. Additionally, the renovation included an expansion of Legends, the private premium club restaurant for season ticket holders. The space functions better and highlights the special culinary experiences created by Delaware North. The club also incorporates LED projections by Nanolumens to create flexible branding opportunities for the Bruins and Celtics.

The upgrades and integration of technology at TD Garden resulted in increased revenue for Delaware North. Even though the arena felt modern, the strategic design provided the nostalgia that Boston fans had been missing since the original Boston Garden was torn down. A year after the renovation, TD Garden reported an 8% increase in ticket revenue and a 99% season ticket retention rate. The new food and beverage experiences resulted in a 50% increase in concession sales per capita. Sponsorship revenue from the concourses and food and beverage sales at Legends also significantly increased. The fan experience enhancements and revenue generation paved the path for additional opportunities within and around the arena, creating further connection to its home city of Boston.