In Newport, summer traditions are often measured by how long they endure. The TD Pavilion, now the unmistakable centerfield marquee of the polo grounds in Newport, has been enduring since it first appeared at the Newport International Polo Series in 1992 as a modest, three-peaked tent on the lawn. Despite its size, the first Pavilion was everything one would expect from a Newport summer party: elegant and festive, with white linens, floral centerpieces, and a white picket fence. With everyone who attended a match trying to find their way inside, the Pavilion became a tradition its very first season.
1992 was the inaugural season of the Series itself. Inviting international teams to play polo in Newport was part of founder Dan Keating’s ambitious vision for the rebirth of America’s First Polo Club, itself a Newport summer tradition dating to 1876. Some wondered whether a three-peaked marquee was too ambitious for the fledgling Polo Series, or doubted if the Series would even take off at all. But Keating knew that the Polo Series needed hospitality to match polo’s pedigree, so the inaugural season of the Series featured a rented green-and-white striped tent, white lawn furniture, and all the trimmings to spectate a proper gentleman’s game.
By the second season, recognizing the long game, the Pavilion was made a permanent fixture at polo in Newport. The marquee was purchased, the furnishings upgraded, and beverage service made a priority. The Pavilion’s second season saw the rise of après polo celebrations, establishing another tradition that has become a near obligation.
By 2010, success created a very Newport problem: there simply wasn’t enough room inside what was then called the “Subscribers Enclosure.” With no room to expand horizontally, the Pavilion went vertical. A new, multi-level structure was completed in 2011, supported by massive timber beams weighing several tons and costing $20,000 apiece.
Tragedy struck just two days before the Pavilion’s opening match debut at the 20th Newport International Polo Series when it burned completely to the ground. After two years of temporary structures, a third Pavilion was completed in 2013, constructed of concrete and steel. The rebuilt Pavilion was faithfully designed in the image of the original marquee, crowned once again with its signature triple-peaked tent and the same charming white picket fence that surrounded the first Pavilion in 1992.
Since 2013, the TD Pavilion has become an iconic setting for all types of events, enhanced by the Après Polo Lounge, Patio Bar, and musical entertainment. It has hosted countless polo matches, weddings, film nights, business gatherings, graduations (including Portsmouth High School’s pandemic-era ceremony), and even served lunch to a film cast or two. Today, Keating refers to the Polo Series and the TD Pavilion as a “35-year overnight success”.
This season, the TD Pavilion is once again reinventing itself in celebration the 35th Newport International Polo Series and the 150th anniversary of our polo club. Arriving with all the subtlety of 100 tons of pavers, 180 tons of sand, and 360 tons of gravel, the TD Pavilion has expanded and nearly doubled its available floorspace with a new, two-tiered patio. Existing floorplans have been optimized to improve views and widen walkways. New ramps and stairs have improved safety and accessibility. More tables for parties of four and eight are available. For the first time in the Pavilion, tables for two are available to spectators. A reconfiguration of Dillon’s Patio Bar has improved the flow of beverages and created a new lounge area. After years of selling out, this season’s expansion offers more seats and promises more room, more comfort, and more people insisting they’ve “been coming for years.”
The upper tier of the new patio will be named the Courtyard. The lower, fieldside tier will be the Parterre, named after the ground level of theaters closest to the stage which was occupied by the most interactive and boisterous patrons. The largest floor of the Pavilion, which is shaded by the triple-peaked tent, will be renamed the Marquee, to honor the Pavilion’s beginnings and the enduring spirit of the first marquee: elegant hospitality, festive peaks overhead, polo at your feet, the very best view of the match and the crowd, and cocktails and champagne flowing all match long.
