Women-Led Planning + Development Firm Announces East Coast Expansion

Canopy Team opens Baltimore office, launches new offerings

BALTIMORE, Nov. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the women-led planning and development firm, Canopy Team, announces its East Coast expansion, opening a new office in Baltimore, and celebrating the appointment of Fran Weld (former SVP of Strategy & Development for the San Francisco Giants) as CEO. Colloquially known now as "Canopy," the group adds new team members and several new professional sports venues to its venerable roster, with clients like the University of Florida's Athletic Association and Major League Baseball.

"Our team has a rich history of serving as innovators and thought leaders in the civic design space. We are an umbrella across all aspects of the built environment, from architecture to sustainability and operations," said Weld. "We have a deep bench of experience across sports and venue types, and pride ourselves in providing inspired expertise for large-scale capital projects from start to finish. We look forward to many more years of creating vibrant spaces that build community and culture all across the globe."

Canopy's multi-disciplinary practice, led by industry titans Janet Marie Smith, Founder & Chairwoman and current EVP of Planning & Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and CEO Weld, combines visionary leadership with executional excellence to create transformational places.

In an initiative to support the growth of women in sports, Canopy- formerly known as Elysian Park Planning- was chosen as one of the first nine companies named to join The Trailblazer Venture Studio. Trailblazer is a collaboration between Billie Jean King Enterprises, Elysian Park Ventures, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and R/GA Ventures.

"I could not be happier to see Canopy succeed and highlight the important perspective that women and women-led companies bring to the professional sports space," said Ilana Kloss, CEO of Billie Jean King Enterprises. "With Janet and Fran's leadership, Canopy will help its clients reach their maximum potential."

Canopy Team members have worked on some of the most iconic sports venues across the globe including Dodger Stadium, Stamford Bridge, PNC Park, and legacy programming for a 2022 FIFA World Cup stadium in Qatar, as well as more intimate venues for teams like the Worcester Red Sox, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, and Bowie Baysox.

Canopy employees have also played an integral role in the planning and execution of many special events and experiences, such as Major League Baseball's Field of Dreams games and the World Baseball Classic. Under industry veteran Paul Hanlon's leadership, Canopy has launched an Experiences and Operations group that supports leagues, teams, universities, and venue operators in delivering iconic special events across the nation.

By establishing an East Coast hub, in addition to maintaining its strong Los Angeles office, Canopy will be positioned in close proximity to major metropolitan cities where venue construction and special events are taking place. Baltimore is one of the Mid-Atlantic's trending tech hubs, right in the backyard of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, whose design and opening in 1992 was led by Canopy's Janet Marie Smith.

"Choosing Baltimore as a home for Canopy to grow means more than just reconnecting with our roots," said Smith. "We are able to take advantage of the dynamic start-up energy in Baltimore and its convenient location for travel that allows us to work on projects that span coasts and continents, each with a unique and exciting set of opportunities and challenges."

To view Canopy's new website and portfolio, visit canopyteam.com.

About Canopy Team (Canopy):
Canopy Team, headquartered in Baltimore, Md., is a multi-disciplinary practice that specializes in creating transformational places that build community. Unlike a traditional design firm, construction company or consultancy, "Canopy" refers to the comprehensive style in which it oversees capital projects from ideation to inspection, acting as an extension of a client's internal operations and planning teams. Canopy brings decades of expertise to successfully manage large-scale capital projects from start to finish through planning, design and execution. Canopy creates community through the built environment including professional sports teams, universities, and cultural and civic institutions. For more information, visit canopyteam.com, or follow Canopy on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Canopy Teamtm and Canopytm are trademarks of Elysian Park Planning, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

SOURCE Canopy Team