By Rosanna Caira
As the only hotel in North America located within a major league stadium — the Rogers Centre — the Toronto Marriott City Centre is a unique property that holds extraordinary appeal for the fans as well as travellers. And for Ryan Soderberg, its GM, that distinction makes his role that much more appealing.
“The hotel stands out as truly unique among properties I’ve worked at,” says the Calgary native. “Many guests tell us that staying here is a must on their sports bucket list. The layout is also distinctive, as the hotel wraps around the north, west, and east sides of the stadium, with field-view rooms extending from the right to the left foul poles, offering unparalleled views of live baseball games below from the comfort of their hotel rooms.
Married with four children (two from his first marriage and two from his wife’s first marriage), Soderberg has a busy life running the 348-room hotel (with 70 suites facing the baseball field, four private Skyboxes and 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space for meeting/conference guests).
Though he originally wanted to be a phys-ed teacher, after earning a degree in Kinesiology, Soderberg shifted his sight to the hospitality industry and hasn’t looked back since.
“My first role in hospitality was with The Cosmopolitan Centre in downtown Calgary. From there, I moved on to my first hotel role as a Sales manager at the Westin Calgary, a job that opened my eyes to the endless interesting and rewarding opportunities available in hospitality.”
He’s been at the Toronto Marriott City Centre since February 2023. “In addition to being compelling for leisure guests, our location and event spaces make it a popular choice for business guests. Meetings can begin in our traditional event rooms but often transition into breakout sessions in the private boxes within the Blue Jays’ outfield, which we can set up specifically for meetings with the best view ever, or for corporate gatherings. I’ve never worked at a hotel where sports, business, and leisure intersect in such a dynamic way.”
Leading the property comes with its own unique set of challenges, he says. “One of our biggest [challenges] is managing the fluctuating pace and energy levels that come with Toronto Blue Jays home games and major stadium concerts like Taylor Swift, Pink, or Billy Joel for example. Given our incredible location inside the Rogers Centre and F&B outlets like Sportsnet Grill and Starbucks that are destinations unto themselves, these events create significant shifts in guest volume and demands on our services, requiring us to adapt quickly and maintain a high level of responsiveness.”
Soderberg is proud of his team, which fluctuates between 225 and 290 associates, depending on the hotel season. “They know the hotel inside out and understand instinctively what needs to happen.”
As a Marriott property, the hotel’s culture is centered around people first — take care of your team and they’ll in turn take care of the guest. “We believe that intrinsically. From a customer-service perspective, we see ourselves as creators of memorable experiences. Every day, we strive to embody this commitment, living by the motto that drives us to deliver exceptional hospitality and lasting memories.”
