Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Preview of the new Rogers Stadium, the temporary 50,000 seat concert venue in Toronto that opens this weekend at the Downsview Airport. Video in the article.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/entertainm...33d14f72&ei=32

"Temporary"... doubtful, IMO. That's not necessarily bad, as the Downsview site is enormous and hopefully the plans for its redevelopment move along at a good pace. But I think this thing will be around a long time and made more permanent as the years go by. I think Toronto does need this kind of facility though.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

"Temporary"... doubtful, IMO. That's not necessarily bad, as the Downsview site is enormous and hopefully the plans for its redevelopment move along at a good pace. But I think this thing will be around a long time and made more permanent as the years go by. I think Toronto does need this kind of facility though.

Yeah, they do need something like this and yes to something more permanent. I doubt Livenation is going to fund a more permanent structure though, they will be pitching it to the city to kick in. Will be interesting to hear the early reports, it already sounds like a nightmare to get to. Which is interesting since this is exactly where people wanted the Jays to move to in the 80's, and I can't imagine any more convenient a setup than they have now at the dome.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Yeah, they do need something like this and yes to something more permanent. I doubt Livenation is going to fund a more permanent structure though, they will be pitching it to the city to kick in. Will be interesting to hear the early reports, it already sounds like a nightmare to get to. Which is interesting since this is exactly where people wanted the Jays to move to in the 80's, and I can't imagine any more convenient a setup than they have now at the dome.

If there are still NFL aspirations Downsview is one of the only places available to build a big enough stadium. I doubt the NFL will ever come to Toronto, though (and being a huge CFL fan, while I'll watch some of the games I don't want that league in Canada)

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

If there are still NFL aspirations Downsview is one of the only places available to build a big enough stadium. I doubt the NFL will ever come to Toronto, though (and being a huge CFL fan, while I'll watch some of the games I don't want that league in Canada)

Yeah, I think that ship has sailed. Who has the pockets for that now? We are talking a $10billion+ CDN nut for that anymore, maybe Edward Rogers can get David Thomson and that guy that tried to buy the Commanders together and form a group.

[ericmacm]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Yeah, I think that ship has sailed. Who has the pockets for that now? We are talking a $10billion+ CDN nut for that anymore, maybe Edward Rogers can get David Thomson and that guy that tried to buy the Commanders together and form a group.

Yeah I agree, the NFL in Canada ship has sailed. The average NFL team valuation is now ~7B USD and a stadium could easily be $1-2B USD, so the total cost of an expansion team could come close to the current value of the entire rest of the MLSE portfolio.

[SteelTown]

Paul McCartney to open TD Coliseum with Hamilton show this fall

https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/local...how-this-fall/

Sir Paul McCartney is set to be the first act to play the newly renovated TD Coliseum when it reopens in Hamilton this fall.

McCartney will be coming to Hamilton on Nov. 21 as part of his Got Back Tour, which includes 18 other stops, the venue announced Thursday.

Hamilton is the only other Canadian city included on the tour aside from Montreal, where McCartney will play two shows.

In a news release, TD Coliseum General Manager Nick DeLuco said the performance will mark a “bold new chapter” for the 18,000-seat sports and entertainment venue and speaks to the calibre of acts they’re planning to host.

“Opening night deserves something extraordinary, and it doesn’t get any better than Paul McCartney,” DeLuco said in a statement.

The venue said McCartney will deliver a “high-energy, career-spanning set filled with iconic hits and inspiring music.”

[Coldrsx]

Riverhawks with over 8000 (8004) in attendance last night.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Riverhawks with over 8000 (8004) in attendance last night.

That got me to wondering which stadium (not arena) team had the highest per game average attendance for 2025. Here are the top five in order:
BC Lions
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Toronto Blue Jays
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Hamilton Ti-Cats

It should be noted that the Lions number is somewhat inflated by a first game concert. But it should also be noted that, that game is now a regular part of their season and there is nothing preventing any other teams from doing so, so in my opinion it is legitimate.

Also last year the Lions played a regular season game where they sold out but in a stadium that held 10k less than their average attendance. This year it seemed a smarter decision to play a smaller stadium off site game and sellout in the preseason. Also affecting the Lions number is they drew almost 29k last night. I expect by the end of the year, they will be fighting it out with the Riders for the third spot

I should say that the Blue Jays number came from AI and not an actual definitive calculation that I could see. We are also approaching the time of year where most team's attendance will also increase.

[Djeffery]

I get my MLB attendances from https://www.espn.com/mlb/attendance, which shows the Jays just over 31,000 per game average, which will go up as they are solidly in first place and drew 40k+ this weekend. I predict they will finish minimum 2.7 million, for a 33k average over the season, and likely a bit higher as that only requires a 36k average down the stretch in a heated pennant race.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

I get my MLB attendances from, which shows the Jays just over 31,000 per game average, which will go up as they are solidly in first place and drew 40k+ this weekend. I predict they will finish minimum 2.7 million, for a 33k average over the season, and likely a bit higher as that only requires a 36k average down the stretch in a heated pennant race.

31k is what Google AI delivered to me and what I used. I haven't followed the Jays in years but if they're in a pennant run they should top the list at the end of the year. Winnipeg can't go higher (stadium capacity) and I don't foresee the Lions getting all 30k crowds for the rest of the year.

[J.OT13]

Latest news on the new Sens arena at LeBreton Flats; the NCC and Sens think they can close the deal by the end of September, instead of the end of the year as previously anticipated. Sens President Cyril Leeder seems to think the first puck drop Downtown will be in 5 years (so 2030).

[J.OT13]

Sens, NCC have land sale agreement for LeBreton Flats arena
Joint statement says it's a key step toward new event centre
CBC News · Posted: Aug 11, 2025 1:46 PM EDT | Last Updated: 22 minutes ago

The Ottawa Senators and National Capital Commission (NCC) say they've taken the next step toward building a major events centre and surrounding district at LeBreton Flats on the western edge of the city's downtown.

The NCC and Capital Sports and Development Inc. (CDSI), the corporation representing the Senators in the project, put out a joint statement Monday afternoon.

"[We] have signed an agreement of purchase and sale for land parcels totalling approximately 11 acres at LeBreton Flats," it said.

"Both parties can proceed with next steps in the project. These include zoning, design and approvals, as well as decontamination of the land parcels to prepare for construction," it went on to say.

The two sides reached an agreement in principle on the project last September. The Senators have been working on their next arena for several years.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...lats-1.7605973



Edit: here's the land in question:

[QUOTE=Spoonsy;10467186]They have this image on the NCC Lebreton Major Event Centre website... have we seen this before?

Parcels A1 through A5 (Bayview to a bit past Preston)

[FactaNV]

Im glad to see federal tax dollars in part buying the Sens a new arena. If they want an arena, the Sens should build it, not the NCC. :/

[elly63]

Just a reminder of the TD Place design that will be up for final approval in Q4 (design subject to change). I know these have been posted before.

I'm not sure if I have seen one or two of these angles. I like the quirky looking stand, it has all the seats where they should be. It look like a US college setup. I think this is going to turn out better than some people think it will (like Hamilton)

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by FactaNV

Im glad to see federal tax dollars in part buying the Sens a new arena. If they want an arena, the Sens should build it, not the NCC. :/

The Feds aren't paying for it. The Sens are buying the land at market value. Rumors are that the purchase price is $30 million, which is seems cheap however, we have to take into consideration major decontamination work. The land was a former rail yard.

The Sens have been clear that they won't ask for any monetary contribution from the Feds, Province or City to build the arena, but they do want the NCC to speed up development of LeBreton (i.e. sell or lease more land to private corporations for housing, retail and entertainment). They'll likely ask the City to partner up with them on a community rink (City rents ice time), transit discounts (transit tickets included with game/concert tickets) and tax breaks (City has a CIP for contaminated land).

So unlike Edmonton and Calgary, the Sens arena will have virtually no taxpayer contributions.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by elly63

Just a reminder of the TD Place design that will be up for final approval in Q4 (design subject to change). I know these have been posted before.

I'm not sure if I have seen one or two of these angles. I like the quirky looking stand, it has all the seats where they should be. It look like a US college setup. I think this is going to turn out better than some people think it will (like Hamilton)

The issue is that we're putting in a huge investment for little benefit. $500 million for a smaller arena (which might drive away PWHL to LeBreton), a smaller stadium with no roof. The retail podium won't have much more retail space than the current Civic Centre, and no new destination. Initially the retail podium was supposed to be bigger and include a mid sized music venue and RecRoom.

It seems that after this half billion investment, fewer people might actually go to Lansdowne than before, when the stated intention is to attract more people to make the whole project financially viable.

I'm also bummed about losing the unique Civic Centre, designed by Raymond Moriyama, and its history.

[Calgarian]

Stoked for Ottawa! having the arena in the burbs did not work out well.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

The issue is that we're putting in a huge investment for little benefit. $500 million for a smaller arena (which might drive away PWHL to LeBreton), a smaller stadium with no roof. The retail podium won't have much more retail space than the current Civic Centre, and no new destination. Initially the retail podium was supposed to be bigger and include a mid sized music venue and RecRoom.

It seems that after this half billion investment, fewer people might actually go to Lansdowne than before, when the stated intention is to attract more people to make the whole project financially viable.

I'm also bummed about losing the unique Civic Centre, designed by Raymond Moriyama, and its history.

Personally I have no interest in the arena, it's past it's useful life and like the Forum, and MLG, its time has come.

I don't think you can predict that less people will come, we had quite a few naysayers about THF and it turned out well and has been a popular venue since. I tend to tune out chicken little prognostications.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by elly63

Personally I have no interest in the arena, it's past it's useful life and like the Forum, and MLG, its time has come.

I don't think you can predict that less people will come, we had quite a few naysayers about THF and it turned out well and has been a popular venue since. I tend to tune out chicken little prognostications.

We're getting smaller venues and PWHL might not want to play in a smaller arena considering their success. Seems very likely fewer people will go to Landowne after all this unless they can somehow attract far more events, which seems unlikely with a smaller arena and the competition from the new LeBreton arena.

[trueviking]

I hope they call the new Ottawa arena the Rogers something.....