A major attraction in Toronto, Rogers Centre, is famous for being the first stadium in the world to have a fully retractable roof. Opened in 1989, the Rogers Center is home to two of Toronto’s major sports teams, the Blue Jays baseball team and the Argonauts football team. The retractable roof of Rogers Center is a feat of engineering made up of four roof panels mounted on rail tracks. It opens and closes in only 20 minutes, covering almost 8 acres. Even when the roof is closed, the Rogers Centre Toronto is large enough to hold a 31-story building. In 1992 Rogers Center was the first Canadian city to host the World Series. Maybe it brought the team good luck, because for two years from 1992-1993 the Toronto Blue Jays were the World Series Champions.
Rogers Centre was formerly known as the SkyDome, having been renamed in February 2005. Guided tours of the Centre are available daily on the hour, except during events. The tour lasts an hour and begins with a film about how the stadium was constructed. The cost is around $13CAN for adults and $7CAN for children.
If you are present at an event at an event in Rogers Center, it’s impossible to miss the enormous Video Board, measuring 110 feet wide and 33 feet high. This board is one of the largest in the world, giving the audience a closer look at the action on the field. Besides the Video Board, the Centre has many other features that make it a Toronto attraction such as a theatre, the Hard Rock Café restaurant, a fitness club, and a hotel. The Rogers Centre Hotel is the classy Renaissance Hotel, for those sports fanatics who want to sleep as close to the game as possible!
Each event at Rogers Center holds from 5,000 up to 60,000 people. There have been over 2,000 events staged and 50 million people visiting this huge Toronto attraction. Having won many awards for being a great place to work and watch events, Rogers Centre Toronto is also one of the busiest venues in the world. It does not just host sporting events but concerts, family shows, trade shows and conventions as well.
It is possible to rent the Rogers Center field for your own baseball game, should you have an extra $10,000CAN lying around. For that price, you are given the privileges of playing Rogers Centre field for four hours, access to the dressing rooms and dugouts, and one Security/ First Aid officer. Also included are the bases, balls and bats—but you‘ll need to bring your own baseball gloves!
