Rogers Arenais a multi-purposearenaat 800 Griffiths Way in thedowntown areaofVancouver,British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, the arena was known asGeneral Motors Place(GM Place) from its opening until July 6, 2010, whenGeneral Motors Canadaended its naming rights sponsorship and a new agreement for those rights was reached withRogers Communications.Rogers Arena was built to replacePacific Coliseumas Vancouver's primary indoor sports facility and in part due to theNational Basketball Association(NBA)1995 expansion into Canada,when Vancouver andTorontowere givenexpansion teams.

Rogers Arena
The Garage
Rogers Arena in 2011
Map
Former names
  • General Motors Place (1995–2010)
  • Canada Ice Hockey Place (2010)
Address800 Griffiths Way
LocationVancouver,British Columbia,Canada
Coordinates49°16′40″N123°6′32″W/ 49.27778°N 123.10889°W/49.27778; -123.10889
Public transitStadium–Chinatown
OwnerAquilini Investment Group
CapacityIce hockey:
18,422 (1995–2002)
18,514 (2002–2003)
18,630 (2003–2009)
18,810 (2009–2010)
18,860 (2010–2011)
18,890 (2011–2012)
18,910 (2012–present)
Basketball:
19,193 (1995–2003)
19,700 (2003–present)
Concert:19,000
Field size44,100 m2(475,000 sq ft)
Construction
Broke groundJuly 13, 1993[1]
OpenedSeptember 21, 1995
Construction costCA$160million
($294 million in 2023 dollars)[2]
ArchitectBrisbin, Brook and Beynon
Structural engineerStuart Olson Dominion[3]
Services engineerThe Mitchell Partnership Inc.[4]
General contractor
Tenants
Website
rogersarena.com
Rogers Arena during an exhibition basketball game betweenCanadaandChinain August 2010

It is home to theVancouver Canucksof theNational Hockey League(NHL), and theVancouver Warriorsof theNational Lacrosse League(NLL). The arena also hosted theice hockeyevents at the2010 Winter Olympics.The name of the arena temporarily becameCanada Hockey Placeduring the Olympics. It was previously home to theVancouver Grizzliesof the NBA from 1995 to 2001. The Grizzlies spent six seasons in Vancouver beforerelocating to Memphisfor the2001–02 season.

Rogers Arena interior in December 2016

Prior to the start of the 2022/23 NHL season the arena underwent one of three phases. Phase one consisted of a complete renovation of the players dressing room and team staff area. Phase two being completed prior to the start of the 2023/24 NHL season[needs update]will consist of a new centre-hung video board and a new ribbon board going around the arena above the lower bowl. A new VIP restaurant is being added in between the two tunnels that lead out to the home and away team benches. Prior to the start of the 2024/25 season[needs update]the third and final phase of the arena upgrades will be completed which will replace all the seats in the upper and lower bowl of the arena.

History

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GM Place

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The arena was completed in 1995 at a cost ofC$160 million in private financing to replace the agingPacific Coliseumas the main venue for events inVancouverand to serve as the homearenato theVancouver Canucksof theNational Hockey Leagueand theVancouver Grizzliesof theNational Basketball Association.[6]It was originally named General Motors Place as part of a sponsorship arrangement withGeneral Motors Canada,and was commonly known as "GM Place" or "The Garage".[7]The arena was also briefly home to theVancouver Ravensof theNational Lacrosse Leaguefrom2002to2004.[8]The operations of the team have since been suspended although attempts were made to revive the team in 2007 and again in 2008.

The employees of the arena belong to a trade union. In 2007, they chose to change their union affiliation fromUNITE HERE– Local 40 to theChristian Labour Association of Canada.After many months of struggle, the British Columbia Labour Relations Board declared the employees choice of a new union. The employee group includes hosts, housekeeping, security and various event staff at the venue.[citation needed]UNITE-HERE local 40 still represented food service workers in the arena, employed byAramark.Another union protest began in 2009 when GM Place concession workers, cooks and event staff protested their payment.[9]The arena's event technical employees are provided through Riggit Services Inc. In the same year, the arena also received a new suspended scoreboard, which at the time was the largest in the NHL.[10][11]

In February 2010, the arena was used for theice hockey tournamentsat the2010 Winter Olympics.Canadawon both gold medals.[12]The arena was temporarily renamed "Canada Hockey Place" during the Olympics due to regulations regarding corporate sponsorship of event sites.[13][14]

Rogers Arena

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On July 6, 2010, it was announced that GM had declined to renew the naming rights, and thatRogers Communicationshad acquired the naming rights under a 10-year deal, under which it was renamed Rogers Arena.[15]The following year, the arena reached a five-year sponsorship deal withPepsiCo,under which it became the exclusive provider of beverages and snacks at Rogers Arena, and gained sponsorship placements.[16]In addition, all concerts held at Rogers Arena promote the venue as Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena.

In October 2010, prior to the2010–11 Vancouver Canucks season.Canucks Sports & Entertainmentinstalled four-storey high theatrical scrims, and 16 projectors were installed. It was the first setup of its kind in North American sports.[17]Last time they were used was during the2015–16 Vancouver Canucks season.They are still present inside the Arena; however, it is unknown when they will be ever used again.

In July 2012, Aquilini Investment Group had originally planned to build the towers with condo units. The switch to rental units provides the city with much-needed rental space. However, the city lost about $35 million in developer contributions to community facilities in the Northeast False Creek area that would have been collected if the buildings had been condos.[18]As of June 2016, the first tower is completed, with the second tower nearing completion.[19]

Notable events

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Hockey

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Juno Awards

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Other events

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See also

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References

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  1. ^"General Motors Place".Basketball.ballparks.com.RetrievedFebruary 18,2013.
  2. ^1688 to 1923:Geloso, Vincent,A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850(December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based onStatistics Canadatables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021)"Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted".Statistics Canada.RetrievedApril 17,2021.and table 18-10-0004-13"Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit".Statistics Canada.RetrievedMay 8,2024.
  3. ^[1]ArchivedApril 25, 2012, at theWayback Machine
  4. ^"GM Place - TMP Toronto"(PDF).RetrievedFebruary 18,2013.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^"Rogers Arena".Hockey.ballparks.com.RetrievedFebruary 18,2013.
  6. ^John Mackie; Lionel Wild (January 20, 2018)."Pacific Coliseum at 50: The Rink on Renfrew in photos".Vancouver Sun.RetrievedApril 8,2020.
  7. ^"Canadians enjoying the NBA".New Bern Sun Journal.North Carolina, New Bern. December 17, 1995.
  8. ^Ewen, Steven (December 23, 2018)."Duch in the clutch: Former Warriors sniper helps spoil home opener for Vancouver NLL side".The Province.RetrievedApril 8,2020.The Ravens played out of the rink, then known as GM Place, from 2002-04 before folding due to money troubles. They weren't owned by the Canucks.
  9. ^"Union pickets surround GM Place".sportsnet.ca.September 13, 2009.RetrievedApril 8,2020.
  10. ^"Look at Vancouver to see a new scoreboard".East Bay Times.January 29, 2007.RetrievedMarch 20,2018.
  11. ^Lanaway, Jeremy."Show Time".Canucks Sports & Entertainment.RetrievedMay 12,2010.
  12. ^ab"Vancouver 2010 ends in wild celebrations after Canadian ice hockey victory".Olympics.com.February 28, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 22,2023.
  13. ^Johns, Stephen (February 20, 2010)."Dispatches from Vancouver: The Curious Case of General Motors Place".torontoist.com.RetrievedApril 8,2020.
  14. ^"GM Place to get new name for 2010".CTV News British Columbia.August 6, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 22,2023.
  15. ^Canadian Press (July 6, 2010)."GM Place to be renamed Rogers Arena".TSN.Archived fromthe originalon July 9, 2010.RetrievedJuly 6,2010.
  16. ^"Pepsi ousts Coke in Rogers Arena deal".October 5, 2011.RetrievedMarch 8,2019.
  17. ^"Canucks partner with BC talent, create magic".NHL.com.RetrievedJune 1,2022.
  18. ^Frances Bula (July 15, 2012)."Rental units proposed for Rogers Arena".The Globe and Mail.RetrievedFebruary 18,2013.
  19. ^Meiszner, Peter (April 27, 2016)."Second tower of rental apartments at Rogers Arena takes shape - urbanYVR.com".RetrievedAugust 10,2016.
  20. ^"Queen visits GM Place to drop ceremonial puck".Archived fromthe originalon November 22, 2005.RetrievedOctober 5,2010.
  21. ^"VANCOUVER, BC CHOSEN BY HOCKEY CANADA TO HOST 2006 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY | Offside".bchl.ca.January 29, 2004.RetrievedFebruary 24,2024.
  22. ^"Vancouver and Victoria to host 2019 World Juniors | Offside".dailyhive.com.RetrievedOctober 9,2021.
  23. ^"UFC 115".The Vancouver Sun.Archived fromthe originalon August 19, 2010.RetrievedAugust 17,2010.
  24. ^"UFC 131: CARWIN VS. DOS SANTOS".MMA Fighting.RetrievedAugust 2,2019.
  25. ^Jeremy Brand (January 19, 2014)."UFC announces Vancouver event on June 14 for UFC 174".vancitybuzz.com. Archived fromthe originalon March 2, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 19,2014.
  26. ^UFC Press Release (June 15, 2016)."UFC returns to Vancouver in August".ufc.com.RetrievedJune 15,2016.
  27. ^"UFC Fight Night on ESPN+: Cowboy vs. Gaethje in Vancouver".ESPN Press Room U.S.September 12, 2019.RetrievedSeptember 22,2019.
  28. ^"UFC 289: Nunes vs. Aldana".ESPN Press Room U.S.June 10, 2023.RetrievedJune 11,2023.
  29. ^"Vancouver to host Survivor Series: WarGames in November | WWE".www.wwe.com.RetrievedAugust 1,2024.
  30. ^Rose, Victoria (March 15, 2018)."The International 8 to take place August 20–25 in Vancouver".The Flying Courier.Polygon.RetrievedMarch 16,2018.
  31. ^"Félix Auger-Aliassime to help defend Laver Cup title in Vancouver".Montreal Gazette.February 2, 2023.

28. Arena Renovationshttps://vancouver.citynews.ca/2023/08/24/vancouver-canucks-rogers-arena-upgrades/amp/

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