Dome Happy?

Post #1 » by **Duffman100** » Mon May 4, 2009 2:43 am

As I was walking towards the Skydome, excuse me, Rogers Centre, I was basking in the 18 degree, sunny weather.

I thought to myself, 'This is going to be a great baseball day!"

I get inside and the Dome is closed. Seriously. Closed.

The Dome should only be closed when it's raining. That's it.

s e n s i · Post #2 » by **s e n s i** » Mon May 4, 2009 3:03 am

I'd really like to know the reasoning behind keeping it closed. I work right next to the dome, and I've seen it open a couple of times this year already, but not during games.

IIRC today was the second time it's been closed during warm weather. There was a 20C+ afternoon game a couple weekends ago that was played with it closed. Don't know why.

Just open the god damn thing!

Post #3 » by **Geddy** » Mon May 4, 2009 3:59 am

As the seasons go by they seem to be getting more and more lazy about opening the roof. I don't know if they are trying to cut down on power usage or heating costs by doing so.

I know it's spring and it rains a lot, but it only takes less than 20 minutes to close the roof so crack that damn thing open on sunny days. It makes a huge difference in the experience and people would be more inclined on buying tickets with it open. I know my friends and I usually wait til June to go see games simply because of the chance that the roof will be open.

Watching day games with the roof closed can be such a drag, especially when you know it's nice out. Night games are more more tolerable with it closed, but still nothing beats and open roof. Also it would be nice if they would put in a new lighting system like those used in newer stadiums.

MjJunkYard · Post #4 » by **MjJunkYard** » Mon May 4, 2009 4:14 am

Sorry gentleman, I am the Senior Weather Forecaster/Dome Engineer for the SkyDome. The reason why I didn't open it today is Paul Beeston wanted to light up one of his cigars.

RiZ · Post #5 » by **RiZ** » Mon May 4, 2009 4:43 am

yea i noticed that today...i was actually really looking forward to it being open but instead my shades went to waste

Post #6 » by **Alfred** » Mon May 4, 2009 4:59 am

I actually bet my dad a dollar that the dome would be open when we went, but it was closed.

Is that the lamest story of all time, or what?

Hendrix · Post #7 » by **Hendrix** » Mon May 4, 2009 5:06 am

Alfred wrote:I actually bet my dad a dollar that the dome would be open when we went, but it was closed.

Is that the lamest story of all time, or what?

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I wish they'de just ;eave it open, and put some friggin grass in there.

Do you guys think there's any chance they build a new stadium anytime soon, or are we stuck with this big artificial cement building for a long time?

TR50 · Post #8 » by **TR50** » Mon May 4, 2009 5:18 am

^^ we'll probably be living with the dome for a while

Seasontickets · Post #9 » by **Seasontickets** » Mon May 4, 2009 5:25 am

Doesn't it cost a certain amount to open the dome?

s e n s i · Post #10 » by **s e n s i** » Mon May 4, 2009 11:19 am

Seasontickets wrote:Doesn't it cost a certain amount to open the dome?

I don't really think it's that big a deal. I've seen the dome open during game days but then closed for the actual game. At least twice.

Post #11 » by **LittleOzzy** » Mon May 4, 2009 12:54 pm

I think it's just the fear of rain.

I thought MLB had some rule that if it's open it has to stay open for the remainder of the game. If it starts raining they can't close it as it may give one team an advantage over the other.

I don't even know if that's true, but I remember reading that somewhere.

RiZ · Post #12 » by **RiZ** » Mon May 4, 2009 4:44 pm

LittleOzzy wrote:I think it's just the fear of rain.

I thought MLB had some rule that if it's open it has to stay open for the remainder of the game. If it starts raining they can't close it as it may give one team an advantage over the other.

I don't even know if that's true, but I remember reading that somewhere.

that makes sense but then i saw this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf5QBWZOyV0
they opened it up DURING the game...maybe it was the one and only time they did that

gei · Post #13 » by **gei** » Mon May 4, 2009 5:02 pm

If they CLOSE the dome during the game, they can't reopen it. However if they open it they can obviously close it again... what if it started raining?

Anyway don't fret people - they said on TV that they WANTED to open the dome, but they were having some mechanical issues. And yes I work beside the dome as well and have seen them opening and closing it regularly for the last few weeks. I'm sure it'll be open for the next homestand (assuming the weather cooperates).

Post #14 » by **LittleOzzy** » Mon May 4, 2009 5:14 pm

RiZ wrote:
LittleOzzy wrote:I think it's just the fear of rain.

I thought MLB had some rule that if it's open it has to stay open for the remainder of the game. If it starts raining they can't close it as it may give one team an advantage over the other.

I don't even know if that's true, but I remember reading that somewhere.

that makes sense but then i saw this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf5QBWZOyV0
they opened it up DURING the game...maybe it was the one and only time they did that

I don't know if it's an official rule, but maybe both managers just have to agree on it for it to be opened or closed.

RiZ · Post #15 » by **RiZ** » Mon May 4, 2009 5:24 pm

LittleOzzy wrote:
RiZ wrote:
LittleOzzy wrote:I think it's just the fear of rain.

I thought MLB had some rule that if it's open it has to stay open for the remainder of the game. If it starts raining they can't close it as it may give one team an advantage over the other.

I don't even know if that's true, but I remember reading that somewhere.

that makes sense but then i saw this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf5QBWZOyV0
they opened it up DURING the game...maybe it was the one and only time they did that

I don't know if it's an official rule, but maybe both managers just have to agree on it for it to be opened or closed.

yea probably...but it makes sense to me that it should be consistent throughout the game like if its closed then keep it closed and if its open keep it open and of course only open it on clearly sunny days with no rain forecast

RiZ · Post #16 » by **RiZ** » Mon May 4, 2009 5:26 pm

gei wrote: they said on TV that they WANTED to open the dome, but they were having some mechanical issues

that sucks, hopefully its not a major issue but i guess its good to know they had a reason

evilRyu · Post #17 » by **evilRyu** » Mon May 4, 2009 10:08 pm

LittleOzzy wrote:
RiZ wrote:
LittleOzzy wrote:I think it's just the fear of rain.

I thought MLB had some rule that if it's open it has to stay open for the remainder of the game. If it starts raining they can't close it as it may give one team an advantage over the other.

I don't even know if that's true, but I remember reading that somewhere.

that makes sense but then i saw this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf5QBWZOyV0
they opened it up DURING the game...maybe it was the one and only time they did that

I don't know if it's an official rule, but maybe both managers just have to agree on it for it to be opened or closed.

baseball and its odd out of no where rules

northernpuppy · Post #18 » by **northernpuppy** » Tue May 5, 2009 5:30 am

As apart of Rogers Centre staff I can tell you a couple of things:

(1) The choice to have the dome opened or closed is made 30 minutes prior to game time by facilities services.
(2) If the dome is open, it can close if rain is in the forecast/it gets too dark and weather patterns are unpredictable
(3) If there is a high percentage of percepition for that day/night and/or weather systems are constantly changing, the dome will remain closed

There is no major cost to keep the dome open or closed. Electricity is on 24/7/365 in this building and thus operation the roof would actually make use of the energy lol.

Post #19 » by **theSkinny** » Tue May 5, 2009 12:11 pm

I think it is a mechanical issue... like sensi said I too have seen it open, although only partially, and for a brief time.

I have lived next to the dome for years now and it seems like they almost never open it for games before May 2-4 weekend.

Must have gotten rusty over the offseason

MadFishX · Post #20 » by **MadFishX** » Thu May 7, 2009 5:51 am

The new motor they purchased for the roof is not working properly. The southern part of the roof is not rotating properly, or not at all. From what I see/her, the dome might be closed until the end of may/early june