R
ogers Centre became the new home of the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, June 5,1989. The retractable roof stadium is the world’s most advanced and luxurious ballpark. The stadium employs leading edge technology in both design and function. From the artificial turf to the 161 private SkyBoxes, the finest attention to detail was given. At conception, Rogers Centre took an innovative approach to financing, construction and design. Until 1994, Rogers Centre had been owned by The Stadium Corporation of Ontario, a consortium comprised of both public and private funds. The Province of Ontario and the Municipality of Toronto each contributed 30 million dollars. Joining these two levels of government were 30 Canadian corporations including the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club. Each private company contributed 5 million dollars in exchange for preferred supplier status and a SkyBox. The final construction cost of Rogers Centre exceeded 500 million dollars. Architects Rod Robbie and Michael Allen designed Rogers Centre and have patented its retractable roof system. Preparation of the site began in April 1986, with groundbreaking taking place in October of that same year. The last exterior concrete was poured in November of 1988 and the first test of the moveable roof panels took place in January 1989. More than 10,000 person-years of employment were created by the construction of Rogers Centre.
Directions From outside Toronto Just 20 minutes by car from Pearson International Airport, Rogers Centre can be reached by taking the 427 south to the QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way) highway (eastbound) to downtown Toronto. The QEW divides into the Gardiner Expressway and Lakeshore Blvd. both of which will take you to Rogers Centre. Take the Spadina Ave exit (north) from the QEW or the Rees St. (north) exit from Lakeshore Blvd. to Rogers Centre. If visiting Toronto via Highway 401 (the MacDonald Cartier Freeway), exit at the Don Valley Parkway southbound to the Gardiner Expressway west to the Spadina Avenue exit (north) to Rogers Centre. Directions from within Toronto Public transit is just walking distance away from Rogers Centre. Stations close by are: Union Station subway and train station) and St. Andrews subway station. From Union Station, walk west along Front Street to Rogers Centre or take the convenient SkyWalk which will lead you to the foot of the CN Tower (next door to Rogers Centre) without ever going outside. The King Street streetcar connects at St. Andrews station and stops at the end of both John Street and Peter Street for access to Rogers Centre.
The venue is located just to the south and west of the CN Tower, between John Street and Blue Jays Way. A five minute walk from Union Station, it is easily accessible by the TTC or Go Transit. Several public parking lots arewithin a ten minute walk of the stadium. Rogers Centre is home to the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club and the Toronto Argonauts Football Club as well as playing host to hundreds of other events during the year such as concerts, trade shows and charity functions. Also located in the building is Rogers Centre Hotel, a 348 room hotel with 70 rooms overlooking the field. Rogers Centre houses several corporate offices for various companies including the Toronto Blue Jays. One of the unique features of Rogers Centre is that it can be “transformed” from one mode (ie. baseball) to another mode (ie. football or concerts) within hours. The 100 level seating areas are situated on railway tracks that allow the seats to move for conversion purposes.
ROGERS CENTRE 1 Blue Jays Way, Toronto, ON. Canada M5V 1J3 Phone (416) 341 3663
ROGERS CENTER
An
e Op
n
d an
S
t hu
c
e as
.
R O GF AEC R T SS CENTRE ROOF 6 Rogers Centre’s roof system features a series of 3 moveable panels and 1 stationary panel. Panels 2 and 3 slide on parallel rails while panel 1 slides on a circular rail “tucking” underneath 2 and 3 6 the roof operates on a system of steel tracks and 54 drive mechanism scalled “bogies” and is powered by a series of DC motors that generate over750 horsepower 6 roof area is 339,343 square feet or 31,525 square metres 6 weight is 11,000 tons 6 span at widest point: 674 feet or 209 metres 6 height is 282 feet or 86 metres (from field level to highest point) 6 covering is single PVC membrane on insulated acoustic steel deck 6 100 % of the field and 91 % of the seating area is exposed with the roof open 6 open/close time: 20 minutes (71 feet or 21 metres per minute)
JUMBOTRON VIDEO DISPLAY BOARD 6 largest video display board in North America, second largest in the world (Japan) 6 the board was built by the Sony Corporation 6 420,000 light bulbs make up the viewing area 6 dimensions are 33 feet high (10.0 metres) by 110 feet wide (33.6 metres) 6 cost was $17,000,000
SEATING 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
five levels: Esplanade, Club, luxury skyboxes on 2 levels, SkyDeck 50,516 for baseball 53,000 for football 55,000 for concerts 67,000 for other events SkyTent mode seats 10,000 to 30,000 41,000 seats are located between the foul lines Skyboxes range in price from $150,000 to 225,000 per year
HOTEL 6 348 distinctively decorated rooms 6 70 rooms overlook the playing field 6 Operated by Canadian Pacific Hotels and Resorts
FOOD SERVICES 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
concessionaire McDonald’s of Canada four counter service restaurants 19 SkySnack locations 52 beverage stations five vending kitchens fine dining Bitove Corporation Windows on Rogers Centre is a 520 seat restaurant
6 6 6 6
Sightlines a 300 foot bar with all seats facing the playing field Hard Rock Cafe Cafe on the Green (Rogers Centre Hotel)
FIELD 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
artificial turf system Astro Turf 8 (1 1/4 inches in thickness) dimensions for baseball are symmetrical, 328 down the foul lines, 375 to power alleys and 400 to dead centre diamond is centred two degrees off perfect north outfield wall is 10 feet high and padded bullpens are located just beyond the left and right field fences pitcher’s mound is constructed on a fiberglass dish and can be lowered or raised by hydraulic system conversion takes approximately 10 12 hours to convert from baseball to football over 8 miles of zippers connect the strips of artificial turf