Rogers Centre
| Rogers Centre | |
| SkyDome | |
| |
| Facility statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | 1 Blue Jays Way Toronto, Ontario M5V 1J3 |
| Broke ground | October 3, 1986 |
| Opened | June 5, 1989 |
| Closed | |
| Demolished | |
| Owner | Rogers Communications/Toronto Blue Jays |
| Operator | |
| Surface | AstroTurf (1989-2004) Grass (July 2004) FieldTurf (2005) |
| Construction cost | $570 million CAD |
| Architect | Rod Robbie, Michael Allen |
| Former names | |
| SkyDome (1989-2005) | |
| Tenants | |
| Toronto Argonauts (CFL) (1989-present) Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) (1989-present) Toronto Raptors (NBA) (1995-1999) | |
| Seating capacity | |
| 50,516 (2005 Baseball) 53,506 (2005 Football) 10,000-55,000 (2005 Concert) | |
| Dimensions | |
| Left Field Line - 328 ft (100 m) Left-Center Power Alley - 375 ft (114 m) Center Field - 400 ft (122 m) Right-Center Power Alley - 375 ft (122 m) Right Field Line - 328 ft (100 m) Backstop - 60 ft (18 m) | |
Rogers Centre, also known by its original name SkyDome,[1] is a multi-purpose stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower near the shores of Lake Ontario. It is home to Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays and the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts. While it is primarily a sports venue, Rogers Centre also hosts other large-scale events such as conventions, trade fairs, and concerts.
Rogers Centre is also noted for being the first stadium to have a fully retractable motorized roof and the only stadium to have hotel rooms attached to it, with 70 rooms overlooking the field. It is also the last North American major-league stadium built to accommodate both football and baseball. Since 1989, all the newer major-league stadia in Canada and the United States have been built specifically for one sport or the other (although some of the newer baseball parks have been known to host the occasional college football game.)
Contents |
History
Rogers Centre was designed by Rod Robbie and Michael Allen and was constructed by Ellis-Don Construction of Toronto. The stadium's construction lasted just over three years, from April 1986 to May 1989. The approximate cost of construction was $600 million (CAD) which was paid for by the Canadian federal government, Ontario provincial government, and a large consortium of corporations. Though nominally a multi-purpose stadium the primary impetus for its construction was the need for a new baseball stadium for the Blue Jays, who until 1989 played at Exhibition Stadium, which was seen as substandard due to a layout originally designed for football and exposure to cold weather. It was the 1982 CFL Grey Cup game that began the process of looking for a new stadium. The professional football match turned into chaos as the sleet and snow turned the playing field into a muddy pit, the washrooms were overflowing and the crowds were exposed to the miserable autumn weather. In attendence was Ontario Premier, Bill Davis. Following the fiasco began the search for an all-purpose, all-weather stadium. Over the years various tangible projects emerged, including a large indoor stadium (similar to Vancouver's BC Place. Later in 1985 a design competition was launched to design a new stadium, along with selection of a site for the stadium. Some of the sites included Exhibition Place and York University.
Ultimatly the Robbie/Allen concept won for it provided the largest roof opening of all the finalists, and it was the most technically sound. Others stadium designs included one that was like a bow tie, which cast a shadow over the field.
The name SkyDome was created by a private citizen who entered a Province wide contest to name the stadium. Sponsored by the Toronto Sun, ballots were offered for people to submit their suggested name. Several people did choose 'SkyDome', as a result a winning name was selected. The winners won lifetime seats to SkyDome.
In the early 1990s the consortium of companies that had built the stadium had amassed a huge debt and a massive, and controversial, government bail-out was arranged. However, by 2004, Rogers Communications, parent company of the Blue Jays, agreed to acquire SkyDome from Sportco International, LP for about $25 million CAD (about $21.24 million USD) which was 1/24 the cost of construction.
Recent developments
On February 2, 2005 Ted Rogers, President and CEO of Rogers Communications, which owns the Blue Jays, announced that his company will significantly increase the Blue Jays team payroll to the tune of $210 million over the next three seasons, starting in 2005 and announced a three-year corporate contract to change the name of SkyDome to the Rogers Centre. 1
After the purchase, Rogers refurbished the stadium by erecting a new state of the art, integrated scoring and display system along with replacing the Jumbotron. Rogers Centre features a new artificial playing surface called FieldTurf.
In May 2005, the Toronto Argonauts agreed to three 5 years leases at Rogers Centre, which could see the Argonauts playing out of Rogers Centre up to and including 2019. The team has the option to leave at the end of each of the three lease agreements. The Argos also announced that they will not move into a new stadium that was being planned at York University, a project which York subsequently cancelled.
Future developments
Rogers Communications announced in November 2005 that the Rogers Centre will receive a complete makeover in the 100 level concourse, and also make it larger. This will require some seats to be removed, which will lower its capacity size.
They will also be renovating 43 luxury boxes and will convert some of them into larger party suites that can accommodate as many as 150 people. The Blue Jays, Argonauts, and visiting dressing rooms will get makeovers as well.
Another project on the long-term agenda involves adding some type of facade to the exterior of the stadium, a monolith that is oft criticized for being cold and imposing.
Features
SkyDome, as it was then properly called, was the first major team sports arena in North America to sport a fully retractable roof; Montreal's Olympic Stadium earlier roof being a total failure. The roof is composed of four panels and covers an area of 345,000 square feet. It takes 20 minutes for the roof to open or close.
The venue is also well known for its enormous Jumbotron television, at 30 by 100 feet. For a time, it was the largest of its kind in the world. The Jumbotron and the stadium played host to several television events, including the series finales for Star Trek: The Next Generation and Cheers along with live coverage of the funeral of Princess Diana.
The centre also has an on-site fitness club, and Hard Rock Café. The Renaissance Toronto Hotel is also located within Rogers Centre, with some of the hotel rooms overlooking the field.
Other sports
Besides baseball and Canadian football, Rogers Centre was the original home of the National Basketball Association's Toronto Raptors, who played at the venue from November 1995 - February 1999. The centre has also hosted exhibition soccer and NFL games. In June 1997, Rogers Centre featured a well-publicized 150 metre race between sprinters Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson. Soccer matches have also become commonplace in the past few years. Previous attempts were few and far between when the old astroturf was in place.
In 1990, under it's original moniker as SkyDome, the arena hosted WrestleMania VI which boasted a record attendance of 67,678. Presumably not counting WWE (then WWF) wrestlers and staff. In 2002, the centre hosted WrestleMania X8, drawing another record figure of 68,237.
Rogers Centre is the site of several major high school and collegiate sporting competitions including the Prentice Cup for baseball and, from 1989 to 2003, the Vanier Cup for Canadian Interuniversity Sport football.
Other uses
Besides sporting events, the Rogers Centre contains a large exhibit space of 143,000 square feet (13,000 m²) that hosts a variety of events year-round.
It is home to several annual auto shows, with the Canadian International AutoShow in February and Importfest in October. Travelling shows like World Wrestling Entertainment (which has used the facility to host two WrestleMania events, WM VI and WM X8), Disney On Ice and circuses also have used the venue.
Rogers Centre is the largest indoor concert venue in Toronto and over the years it has hosted many international acts including U2, The Rolling Stones, Garth Brooks, Avril Lavigne, and Andy Lau. The stadium has several concert configurations, including smaller Theatre (capacity 5,000 to 7,000) and Concert Hall (formerly SkyTent; capacity 10,000-25,000) setups with acoustical curtains to improve sound quality.
The centre has also hosted many public speakers, including appearances by the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, and J. K. Rowling, for a book reading.
Trivia
- WWE's WrestleMania X8 attracted the largest crowd ever to the Rogers Centre (SkyDome). The March 17 2002 event gathered 68,237 fans. WrestleMania VI held the previously record of 67,678 on April 1 1990
- The original mascot of the stadium was a turtle by the name of Domer.
- It is the tallest and most massive stadium used by any Major League Baseball team.
- When the retractable roof is open, people standing on the glass floor of the observation deck of the nearby CN Tower can look down on the field.
- Natural grass was installed at SkyDome in July 2004 for international soccer games between Liverpool versus Porto on July 30 and AS Roma versus Celtic on July 31.
- Home to the 1991 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the 1992 and 1993 World Series.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball stadiums
- Toronto Skyline during the day
- Toronto Skyline at night
- List of Grounds Used by the Australian Football League
Notes
- 1. Usage note: </cite> According to the building's owners, correct usage of the former name was SkyDome, without an article. This usage had been more or less accepted outside of Toronto, especially by ESPN, but in everyday conversation 'the SkyDome' was common. It remains to be seen whether the new, unpopular name 'Rogers Centre' will replace it in common speech. Although popular media outlets have adopted the new branding (immediately in most cases), there are many people who refuse to accept the 'Rogers Centre' as its true name and continue to refer to the stadium as 'the SkyDome,' which was the chosen name of the building in a Toronto-wide vote.
External links
| Current ballparks in Major League Baseball | ||
| American League | National League | |
|---|---|---|
| Ameriquest Field | Angel Stadium of Anaheim | Comerica Park | Fenway Park | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | Jacobs Field | Kauffman Stadium | McAfee Coliseum | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | Rogers Centre | Safeco Field | Tropicana Field | U.S. Cellular Field | Yankee Stadium | AT&T Park | Busch Stadium | Chase Field | Citizens Bank Park | Coors Field | Dodger Stadium | Dolphins Stadium | Great American Ball Park | Miller Park | Minute Maid Park | PETCO Park | PNC Park | RFK Memorial Stadium | Shea Stadium | Turner Field | Wrigley Field | |
| Current stadiums in the Canadian Football League | ||
| East Division | West Division | |
|---|---|---|
| Frank Clair Stadium | Ivor Wynne Stadium | Olympic Stadium | Percival Molson Stadium | Rogers Centre | BC Place Stadium | Canad Inns Stadium | Commonwealth Stadium | McMahon Stadium | Taylor Field | |
