The Wonder of This Wonder

Official Review by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

In 1989, Toronto opened the SkyDome. It was state of the art in every sense of the word and was casually referred to as the next wonder of the world (right after Andre the Giant). It helped put Toronto in the centre of the sporting universe and made the Blue Jays the envy of the league. The SkyDome put the Jays at the top of the attendance heap in Major League Baseball and gave the team the needed revenue to help them build World Series Championship teams in 1992 and 1993. SkyDome has also hosted some significant events, including major concerts, two WrestleManias, Grey Cups, NCAA Bowl Games and public showings of the final episodes of Cheers and Star Trek: The Next Generation, and recently the biggest UFC event in history.

The city of Toronto eventually sold the SkyDome to media giant Rogers Communications and it was immediately renamed. Rogers also purchased the Blue Jays, who had fallen on hard times. Original owner, Labatt's brewery had been purchased by Belgian beer conglomerate Interbrew and the exodus of key executives, including Paul Beeston and Pat Gillick, began. Interbrew was not interested in running a professional sports franchise, and began cutting costs.

Much has changed in the twenty plus year lifespan of what is now known as the Rogers Centre and there are rumblings from local fans that maybe it's time for something new. What remains certain is that this wonder is at the very least a revolutionary stadium that led to many of the amenities and features that are now commonplace among newer stadiums. There's a funny thing that's happening in the MLB. The quest to create new and original stadiums has left the league with numerous stadiums that are very similar. This has left the Rogers Centre as a rather unique alternative.

Food & Beverage    4

There are numerous choices for the consumer at the Rogers Centre. Originally the concessions were run by McDonald's restaurants, but now Aramark has the contract for the Rogers Centre. Pizza Pizza once had a huge presence at the Rogers Centre, but that has been tempered recently with more Hogtown Grill stands. Pizza is on the expensive side here at over $5. Hogtown features many of the ballpark staples including sausage, popcorn, sodas and hot dogs. They also feature a couple of unique hot dogs and footlongs.

The 100 level features some options that are not available in the upper deck. Asian noodles are available as well as Haagen Dazs stands. A good place to stop would be the Quaker Steak and Lube for some wings at a bit of a price ($11).

Bud, Bud Light, Stella, Bud Lime and Alexander Keiths are available in cans at many stands. For the most part this is okay. At $11 for a tall-boy, the price is not terrible. It is a shame, however, that the franchise that was owned by Labatt's Breweries in its heyday, does not sell any Labatt's products any more.

Atmosphere    3

As mentioned above, the Rogers Centre was revolutionary in adding amenities that hadn't been seen before. Rogers Centre had the first fully functional retractable roof. Although the locals like to complain when the roof is closed, that the environment is much better than some April games at old Exhibition Stadium or even currently in Detroit or Minnesota. It's not ideal when the roof is closed, but let's face it, rain delays stink!

Rogers Centre was one of the first stadiums to feature restaurants and private clubs at the ballpark. This seems to be an area of transition. After 20 years, the Hard Rock Cafe has left the Rogers Centre with no replacement as of yet. Also, Windows restaurant is sporadically open and the iconic windows under the centerfield video board are mostly covered with gaudy advertising. Sightlines restaurant, above Windows, remains open. Over time, Rogers has made significant improvements to their club section. It is very nice with carpeted foyers, bars, and padded seats, but it is easy to see where the club seats end and the general population begins, suggesting the price points for the club section are not in line with what the market is willing to pay.

The video board, which was another innovation, has been upgraded since opening, and is bright and clear. Apparently it is big enough to build a house on and have a pool in the yard. The Rogers Centre also features video boards in right and left centerfield as well as a partial ribbon board around the upper deck. These features add to the in-game experience and provide the fan with just about every piece of information that a ball fan could want.

One of main complaints over time has been that there is too much exposed concrete. Recently, the Jays have attempted to rectify that by adding more blue to the seating bowl. Inside, there is more of a home feeling than there was a few years ago. Also significant in the stadium are the banners celebrating the 1991 All-Star Game, 1985, 1989 and 1991 American League East Championships and the 1992 and 1993 World Series Championships. Added this year are banners for this year's Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, Pat Gillick and Roberto Alomar; the first true Blue Jays to be inducted. Also prominent in the Rogers Centre is the Blue Jays' Level of Excellence featuring Gillick, Alomar, team president Paul Beeston, George Bell, Joe Carter, Tony Fernandez, Dave Steib, manager Cito Gaston and broadcaster Tom Cheek.

There are areas where the Rogers Centre is showing its age. The time has come to replace some of the seating which looks old and rusty in many places. This would also be an opportunity to reduce seating capacity.

On the day of this review, it was a perfect setting for baseball. The weather was beautiful and the roof was open. The Jays hosted the Houston Astros on a holiday weekend, under the shadow of the CN Tower. Being a Saturday, it was a special Junior Jays game. There were special activities for the youngsters in the concourses, a special Junior Jays announcer for an inning, discounts for kids, and the opportunity to run the bases after the game.

Neighborhood    4

As I've mentioned in other reviews, there are a ton of different things to do in downtown Toronto. The Rogers Centre is located right beside the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, which holds numerous events each year. It is located directly under the iconic CN Tour which is a tourist attraction, and a great place for a romantic dinner. The Steam Whistle Brewery is just up the road. The Renaissance Hotel is built right in the Rogers Centre.

There are numerous places to eat and drink within walking distance of the Rogers Centre. There are chain restaurants familiar to most, including Baton Rouge, Jack Astor's Lone Star Texas Grill, St. Louis Bar & Grill, Canyon Creek Chop House and Casey's Bar and Grill. There are also a few original restaurants including the Loose Moose Tap and Grill. Our pre-game stop was Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant on Blue Jays Way. The food is good and the atmosphere is good. There is also an abundance of memorabilia from the hockey legend.

Fans    3

Gone are the days when the Blue Jays would draw over 3 million fans a year. Gone are the days when the Blue Jays were the toughest ticket in town. Toronto is a very trendy city, and the Rogers Centre is not the trendy place to be anymore. The Jays boast one sell-out per year. Opening day is the sell-out, and it is an amazing atmosphere. Other than that, the Jays are averaging between 20,000 and 24,000 fans per game. This is easily in the bottom quarter of the league. On the long weekend Saturday, the Jays saw just over 21,000 fans show up. There are always many more fans for games against the Yankees and Red Sox, but unfortunately the extra fans are not Jays fans.

The fans that do show up are louder than expected and support their team vocally. What makes this really unfortunate is that the Blue Jays have boasted some of the top tier players in all of baseball including Roy Halladay and currently Jose Bautista. The Toronto fans are acting as if Toronto is a small market, when in reality it is in the top 5 in market size. Until more fans show up on a regular basis, nothing other than a mediocre mark can be awarded.

Access    4

The Rogers Centre is located just north of the Gardiner Expressway. It can be a bit of a challenge to get down there at times. This day was not a problem however, and the Gardiner was closed for repairs all weekend. The parking can be pricey the closer to the stadium you get. I paid $10, but $25 parking is not unheard of. A better option may be to take the subway to Union Station and walk over to the dome via the covered Skywalk.

Return on Investment    4

If you are studious, you can take in a Jays game for a real bargain. All upper deck tickets are $15, and on Saturdays kids tickets are half-price. For my family of four this made for very reasonable entertainment. Rogers Centre also allows patrons to bring in their own food. This is not common in major sports facilities, but is a welcome opportunity to save some money. With concessions being on the expensive side, this is a welcome change. However, with many of the seats empty on the lower levels, especially the 2nd level club seats, it is apparent that the Blue Jays are missing on some of their price points.

Extras    3

An extra point for the trend-setting nature of the Rogers Centre and many of its amenities. It is now a very unique stadium compared to others in the MLB.

An extra point for the super efficient way the "??run the bases"?? event for the kids was handled.

An extra point for the 7th inning stretch song "OK Blue Jays" which is played before "??Take Me out to the Ballgame"?? and has been a staple at Blue Jay games since the snowy opener in 1977.

Final Thoughts

It seems that the Rogers Centre is at a transition point in its life. There are some upgrades that are needed and some vacancies that need to be filled. Rogers Communications have shown that they are willing to invest in the dome, and have made some serious improvements. Where they go in the future, combined with some more success for the Jays will help map out the future for this venue. All of this makes me wonder, what will become of this former wonder of the world? Will the Rogers Centre achieve some sort of classic/cult status; or will it be on its way to replacement?

Sushi at a stadium...wonder if that would be really cool or really scary??

Sushi at a stadium...wonder if that would be really cool or really scary??

by jbrady | Apr 08, 2010 03:00 PM

The issue I have with ballpark sushi is that it\'s in Toronto. Maybe in Seattle I would feel better

The issue I have with ballpark sushi is that it's in Toronto. Maybe in Seattle I would feel better about some raw fish served up at the stadium, but not Toronto.

by paul | Apr 09, 2010 04:07 PM

It\'s probably Lake Ontario sunfish sushi :)

It's probably Lake Ontario sunfish sushi :)

by dan | Apr 12, 2010 06:11 AM

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