ROGERS CENTRE

Rogers Centre was renamed from Skydome in 2005. However, I dislike the new name and will therefore refer to it as Skydome in the review.Skydome opened in 1989 to rave reviews - the first retractable roof stadium in major league baseball. Loosely based on the cookie-cutter parks with its round seating area, the park was sold out for several seasons, including the 1993 campaign which ended with Joe Carter's memorable home run over the left field fence.  But now, the stadium seems almost obsolete. The new retro parks give fans more amenities, better seating, and a wider variety of food choices, and retractable roofs are now in Phoenix, Houston, Milwaukee, and Seattle. Even then, it is still a good place to watch a game, especially if the roof is open.

From the CN Tower

Getting to Skydome is easy - take the subway to Union Station and then walk over on the Skywalk, which passes right beside the CN Tower. There are 11 different gates that you can enter; the best gate to use is marked on your ticket. For those of you with knapsacks or other large bags, the Jays allow you to check those bags at Gate 5, as such bags are currently not allowed into the stadium due to the terrorist attacks in September, 2001. 

Outside the dome

Outside the stadium, you will notice lots of banners of former Blue Jays, as well as some artwork built into the stadium itself. Take a walk around and look closely at some of the interesting pieces on display, including some cut glass around gate 5.

The dome is divided into 5 levels, appropriately called 100, 200 (Club) 300 & 400 (luxury suites), and 500 (Skydeck). Ticket prices here are similar to those in the States, with the best seats going for US$30 (C$44). The lower level seats between the bases are called Field Level - Infield and are about $27 (C$41), although these seats are apparently sold out to season tickets. As you move down the lines on field level, the seats are $24 and are called Field Level - Bases, while the last couple of sections are Field Level - Baselines and are $20 (C$29). The next price level is $15 (C$23) and covers three different sections - the 100 and 200 level in the outfield, and the Skydeck Infield. The final options are Skydeck - Bases for $10 (C$16) and Skydeck - Baselines for $5 (C$7). We think the Skydeck is really far away, but still offers the best value because once the ticket is bought, you can move to other sections fairly easily.

You can walk around the stadium on the 100 level, although there isn't much to see. The concourses are wide, and you can see the field as you walk around. But the food selection here is not so good, with Canadian chain restaurants Pizza Pizza and Mr. Sub offering the obvious, while hot dogs and other normal ballpark fare is available at Sky Snacks. There is a sushi stand that looks very good, but we recommend buying your food outside at one of the Shopsy hot dog stands. Food is not allowed into the Skydome, so eat while waiting to get in.

There are a few restaurants located inside the park. The most obvious is Windows, the long glass windows that sit above center field. Seats are generally available and you can enjoy a buffet there while watching the game, although you are rather far away. The Hard Rock Cafe is located on the 300 level above right field, while Fanatics Sports Bar provides a small seating area behind section 121.

The best thing about this stadium is the absolutely huge jumbotron in centerfield. It shows player stats, photos, as well as the pitch speed. The quality is still very good so it may be better to avoid outfield seats so you can have a look at it during the game. Above the jumbotron are the Blue Jays' pennants, including the 1992 and 93 World Series flags. The Level of Excellence, which honours past greats is also on that level; currently George Bell, Joe Carter, Cito Gaston, and Dave Stieb are listed, as is Jackie Robinson. Tony Fernandez will be added after this season. Because the Skydome is a multi-purpose facility, you can also see the retired numbers and championship flag of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts.

Pennants and Jumbotron

The stadium seats blue, although the club level is a shade darker. There is a premium seating area behind home plate which has gray seats, but those are season tickets only. The field is the bright green of artificial turf. The top level of the dome tries to add colour with painted entryways, but it is not particularly effective.

The roof of Skydome is very interesting, in that it is divided into three sections. To open the roof, the middle section slides back over one of the end sections, and the other end section then completes a 180 degree trip around the top of the stadium to rest beneath the other two sections. If you are lucky, you will get to see the roof open or close. 

The final note on Skydome deals with their unique 7th-inning stretch song, known as "Let's Play Ball". Girls dance and try to encourage the fans to follow along. A tradition from the first year of the Jays, this song is great for Blue Jay fans, but apparently not popular among others. In order to maintain some semblance of tradition, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is also played during the stretch.

Let's play ball

Overall, the Skydome is an average facility. It is still clean and seems new, but it simply can't compare to the recently opened parks. Having said that, my bias as a Blue Jays' fan says that you should try and see a game there if you can - unlike the new parks, this one is truly unique - there will never be another Skydome.