Rogers Centre

The Rogers Centre (formerly SkyDome), 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.

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 in the wholly inadequate Exhibition Stadium.

Related Topics:
Rod Robbie - Michael Allen - Ellis-Don Construction - 1986 - 1989 - CAD - Canadian federal government - Ontario - Consortium - Exhibition Stadium

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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 given them. 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.

Related Topics:
1990s - 2004 - Rogers Communications - CAD - USD

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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

Related Topics:
February 2 - 2005 - Ted Rogers - CEO - Rogers Communications - 1

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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.

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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 until 2020. 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 being built at York University, a project which York subsequently cancelled.

Related Topics:
May - 2005 - Toronto Argonauts - 2020 - York University

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