Stadium celebrates 20 years, but built for 200

The stadium business has long been a competitive sport and Toronto’s Rogers Centre, twenty years old this summer, has proved to be a champion. At its opening in 1989, The Skydome (as it was known before Rogers Communications purchased the venue in 2005) set the standard for large scale sports venues, with its space-age retractable roof (the first of its kind), state-of-the-art facilities for multiple events, and its luxury hotel.

That it remains today one of the world's most respected entertainment facilities is a testament to the ingenuity of its creators. Architect Rod Robbie and engineer Michael Allen together headed the 5,000-person team charged with designing and constructing this magnificent arena. Building a 55,000 seat stadium with an as yet untested roof design was an ambitious and potentially risky venture. Nevertheless, when it was unveiled in the summer of 1989, critics and the public were in awe of the architectural marvel.

Since opening to the public, more than 60 million people have visited the Rogers Centre for sport events, concerts, family shows, trade shows and conventions. It is home to the Blue Jays Baseball Club™ and the Toronto Argonauts Football Team™ and is soon to play host for a series of Buffalo Bills (NFL) games.

A number of renovations and upgrades in recent years have kept the venue at a peak performing level and will ensure its place as the city's premier entertainment venue.

As architect Rod Robbie confidently asserts, “I’d like to see this stadium last 200 years... we designed it to last 100 years, but it will last much longer.”