Opinion: Toronto needs a new "outdoor stadium"

[number15]

Rogers Center (Skydome), is still a very good stadium, Iv been many times, and its very good. However, would'nt the fans of Toronto just go crazy over an outdoor stadium?

yeh, many games would have to rained out and at times it will get very cold, but look at Detroit just a short drive away, or even New York, they have similar weather and conditions, but manage. An outdoor stadium chances the whole atmosphere of a game. They look classic and how games should be played.

Skydome is also very old. Rogers just spent millions on renovating it, but it was sold to them at dirt cheap price for a reason. Most city's would be getting ready to demolish such a building in a few years. These stadiums dont normally have a "huge" life expectancy. The only ones that are kept that long are the historic buildings, like the Cubs for example. Sorry, but Skydome is not in that class. Its not even in Maple Leaf Gardens class.

Obviously Rogers wont fork out the cash for a baseball specific stadium, which is what I am looking for, it would be a classic eventually. Then why not a general stadium which also hosts a football game........... but again the point is a Baseball specific stadium

side note: If Rogers does build a mulit-sport stadium, then other than just for the JAYS, Toronto would relish a new outdoor stadium. BMO field is like a minor league building. Too small, its great for MLS i guess. Yet, you cant truly try for a NFL team in Toronto without an appealing stadium, if we have a chance anyway. Skydome is big enough, but its not appealing for NFL management if they wanna expand. You need a wow factor.

[andyo]

Yes that would be great but where would the money come from

[Avenger]

You're delusional if you think the Taxpayers of Toronto will even contribute one cent to a new outdoor stadium. If you Rogers thinks its a wise investment for them, they should pay for it themselves(which they won't), no more corporate handouts even if it might benefit the team we love.

[MGD24]

I agree the Dome sucks but like others have said, there is no way the city of Toronto, the province of Ontario or others would fund a new stadium.

You also say the Dome isn't in the same class as other stadiums but when it was first built, it was an amazing stadium that was supposed to the be the future of new stadiums to come. It has only been around for 22 years. It is not even close to the end of its life expectancy. Research other stadiums and see how long they last before a new stadium is built. Also look at all the obstacles it takes to build a new stadium these days.

You can hope all you want but the Dome will be here for a long, long time.

Stadium financing

Overhead view of Rogers Centre with the roof closed, as seen from the CN Tower
The stadium was funded by a public/private partnership, with the government paying the largest percentage of the tab. The initial cost was greatly underestimated, with the final tab coming in at C$570 million ($914 million in 2011 dollars[1]). All three levels of government (Metro Toronto, Provincial, Federal) initially contributed $30 million ($48.1 million in 2011 dollars[1]). This does not include the actual value of the land the stadium sits on (as it was part of a deal with the Crown agency – CN Rail). Canada's three main breweries (Labatt's, Molsons, and Carling O'Keefe) each paid $5 million ($8.02 million in 2011 dollars[1])to help fund the stadium. In addition 28 Canadian corporations (selected by invitation only – no tendering of contract) also contributed $5 million, for which they received one of the 161 Skyboxes with four parking spaces (for ten years, with an opportunity for renewal) and a 99 year exclusive option on stadium advertising.

[xAIRNESSx]

Ideally for me, the Jays would get an outdoor stadium somewhere and then tear down the SkyDome to build a football stadium if we get an NFL team.

[Duffman100]

Where the hell would it go?

[Avenger]

Ideally for me, the Jays would get an outdoor stadium somewhere and then tear down the SkyDome to build a football stadium if we get an NFL team.

That's a total cost of 2 billion, neither Rogers nor any perspective NFL owner will even consider that.

[baulderdash77]

I think there's still a lot of improvement that can make the in game experience at Rogers Center better. I think a $100 million enhancement to the in-game experience would make better sense. Structurally there's nothing wrong with the stadium and it can last another 15-20 years.

[MGD24]

I think there's still a lot of improvement that can make the in game experience at Rogers Center better. I think a $100 million enhancement to the in-game experience would make better sense. Structurally there's nothing wrong with the stadium and it can last another 15-20 years.

+1

The public would be more happy to enhance what we have then start all over. We can't just build a new stadium every 20 years.

I think covering over all the concrete somehow would be a great start

[s e n s i]

of course it would be nice if we had a stadium with a classic ballpark feel - maybe one with a nicer retractable roof like Safeco. but it's not happening...the dome is here to stay and it will be more than sufficient especially when it is packed to capacity. the dome is amazing on a clear summer night imo, and is fine for the next decade or even longer. it's pipedreaming to think we'd actually see a new stadium before 2025 or later so there is no use talking about it, as we have plenty of times before.

[WpgPage]

Sky Dome has at least 13 more years. If Rogers buys an NFL team they will expand the Dome while they collect revenue to build a new stadium. There is no chance of getting a new Stadium in the next 10 years.

[Raps in 4]

No. Our weather sucks. It also has a large capacity and it's a multi-purpose facility.

Skydome is also very old. Rogers just spent millions on renovating it, but it was sold to them at dirt cheap price for a reason. Most city's would be getting ready to demolish such a building in a few years. These stadiums dont normally have a "huge" life expectancy.

No it isn't, and it doesn't have a short life expectancy either.

There isn't any room for a new stadium either.

[dballislife]

whats the difference between a outdoor stadium and having rogers center roof opened?

[DonYon]

The only complaint I has is the bland concrete that's seemingly visible all over the place, and maybe players would prefer grass. Otherwise it's still a beautiful structure in itself.

[Raps in 4]

whats the difference between a outdoor stadium and having rogers center roof opened?

You can't have grass turf in the Rogers Centre (or maybe you could if you left it open all the time? I don't know). Other than that, nothing.

[NeverGoingToWin]

The Rays and us are the only teams not playing on grass. That has to hurt us occasionally and is the only thing I wish we could change. I do not want nor do I think we are getting a new one for a long time so it is not even worth discussing.

[Randle McMurphy]

It's not needed and it's not happening. Don't know why people still talk about this.

[Mattd97]

just sucks that skydome was one of the last buildings built before the style switched back to a more classical theme. houston started over from teh astrodome. it could be done, but i dont see it happening for a while. hopefully we just dont wait until were the last team to build one of these nice throwback type parks right before the style changes again.

[number15]

Here's an easy and not as expensive as to rebuild altogether way to renovate. REMAKE the Rogers center. Tare down the roof. Lower the outfield wall drastically. Get rid of the concrete colored theme everywhere.

Solved....


***not serious.....But we still need a new stadium

[Geddy]

There is no way in hell an outdoor stadium would work here. The Blue Jays already have a hard time drawing fans, so can you imagine fans turning out to see games on chilly April, May or September nights? Ask people who saw games at Exhibition stadium about how it was watching games outdoors with typical Toronto weather. If there is a new stadium it would have to be a retractable roof.

As others have said Skydome can be improved quite easily if they wanted to.

They should reduce the number of seats in some areas so that they can put more comfortable seats in.

Make the walkways more nicer - when you walk up the ramps to the 200 or 500 level it's like you're walking into some cold war army bunker.

Better lighting in the concession areas.

hide the bland concrete

Make things a little less blue

And i know this won't happen, but if i had my way i would get rid of those two rows of special seats behind home plate. It looks terrible on tv.