Rogers Arena

Not to be confused with Rogers Centre in Toronto or Rogers Place in Edmonton.

Rogers Arena is a multi-purpose arena located at 800 Griffiths Way in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, the arena was known as General Motors Place (GM Place) from its opening until July 6, 2010, when General Motors Canada ended its naming rights sponsorship and a new agreement for those rights was reached with Rogers Communications. Rogers Arena was built to replace Pacific Coliseum as Vancouver's primary indoor sports facility and in part due to the National Basketball Association (NBA) 1995 expansion into Canada, when Vancouver and Toronto were given expansion teams.

Rogers Arena

The Garage
Rogers Arena in August 2011
Former names	General Motors Place (1995–2010) Canada Hockey Place (2010)
Address	800 Griffiths Way
Location	Vancouver, British Columbia
Coordinates	49°16′40″N 123°6′32″W / 49.27778°N 123.10889°W / 49.27778; -123.10889
Public transit	Stadium–Chinatown
Owner	Aquilini Investment Group
Capacity	Ice 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 size	44,100 m^2 (475,000 sq ft)
Construction
Broke ground	July 13, 1993^[1]
Opened	September 21, 1995
Construction cost	CA$160 million ($265 million in 2021 dollars)^[2]
Architect	Brisbin, Brook and Beynon
Structural engineer	Stuart Olson Dominion^[3]
Services engineer	The Mitchell Partnership Inc.^[4]
General contractor	Huber, Hunt & Nichols Dominion Construction Joint Venture^[5]
Tenants
Vancouver Canucks (NHL) (1995–present) Vancouver Warriors (NLL) (2018–present) Vancouver Titans (OWL) (2020–present) Vancouver Grizzlies (NBA) (1995–2001) Vancouver Voodoo (RHI) (1996) Vancouver Ravens (NLL) (2001–2004)
Website
rogersarena.com

Rogers Arena interior in March 2013

It is home to the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League, the Vancouver Warriors of the National Lacrosse League and the Vancouver Titans of the Overwatch League. The arena also hosted the ice hockey events at the 2010 Winter Olympics. The name of the arena temporarily became Canada Hockey Place during the Olympics. It was previously home to the Vancouver Grizzlies of the NBA from 1995 to 2001. The Grizzlies spent six seasons in Vancouver before relocating to Memphis, for the 2001–02 season.

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 will consist of a new center 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 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

GM Place

The arena was completed in 1995 at a cost of C$160 million in private financing to replace the aging Pacific Coliseum as the main venue for events in Vancouver and to serve as the home arena to the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League and the Vancouver Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association.^[6] It was originally named General Motors Place as part of a sponsorship arrangement with General Motors Canada, and was commonly known as "GM Place" or "The Garage".^[7] The arena was also briefly home to the Vancouver Ravens of the National Lacrosse League from 2002 to 2004.^[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 from UNITE HERE – Local 40 to the Christian 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 by Aramark. 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 the ice hockey tournaments at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Canada won 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

On July 6, 2010, it was announced that GM had declined to renew the naming rights, and that Rogers Communications had 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 with PepsiCo, 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 the 2010–11 Vancouver Canucks season. Canucks Sports & Entertainment installed 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 the 2015–16 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

See also: List of entertainment events held at Rogers Arena

Hockey

• October 9, 1995 – First Vancouver Canucks game at the arena, 3–5 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
• October 6, 2002 – Queen Elizabeth II dropped the ceremonial first puck in an NHL exhibition game between the San Jose Sharks and the Vancouver Canucks.^[20]
• February 13 – February 28, 2010 – The ice hockey tournaments at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Canada won both gold medals.^[12]
• June 1, 4, 10, and 15, 2011 – Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. The Boston Bruins defeated the Canucks 4–0 in game 7 of the finals to capture the Stanley Cup.
• December 26, 2018 – January 5, 2019 - 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.^[21]

 

Rogers Arena during an exhibition basketball game between Canada and China in 2010

UFC

• June 12, 2010 – Hosted UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin.^[22]
• June 11, 2011 – Hosted UFC 131: dos Santos vs. Carwin.^[23]
• June 14, 2014 – Hosted UFC 174: Johnson vs. Bagautinov.^[24]
• August 27, 2016 – Hosted UFC on Fox: Maia vs. Condit.^[25]
• September 14, 2019 – Hosted UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Gaethje.^[26]
• June 10, 2023 – Hosted UFC 289: Nunes vs. Aldana.^[27]

WWE

• July 21, 1996 – Hosted WWE's In Your House 9: International Incident pay-per-view
• December 13, 1998 – Hosted WWE's Rock Bottom: In Your House pay-per-view
• February 14, 2020 – Hosted a live showing of WWE SmackDown
• January 5, 2024 – Hosted WWE's New Year's Revolution (2024) special episode

Juno Awards

• March 22, 1998 – Hosted the 27th annual Juno Awards
• March 29, 2009 – Hosted the 38th annual Juno Awards
• March 25, 2018 – Hosted the 47th annual Juno Awards

Other events

• March 17–25, 2001 – Hosted the 2001 World Figure Skating Championships
• August 20–25, 2018 – Host of The International 2018 Dota 2 eSports tournament^[28]
• September 22–24, 2023 – Host of the 2023 Laver Cup men's tennis tournament^[29]

See also

• List of National Hockey League arenas
• List of National Basketball Association arenas
• List of indoor arenas in Canada
• Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario
• Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta
• National Hockey League
• Vancouver Canucks
• Pacific Coliseum

References

1. "General Motors Place". Basketball.ballparks.com. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
2. 1688 to 1923: Geloso, Vincent, A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850 (December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 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. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
3. [1] April 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
4. "GM Place - TMP Toronto" (PDF). Retrieved February 18, 2013.^{[permanent dead link]}
5. "Rogers Arena". Hockey.ballparks.com. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
6. John Mackie; Lionel Wild (January 20, 2018). "Pacific Coliseum at 50: The Rink on Renfrew in photos". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved April 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. Retrieved April 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. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
10. "Look at Vancouver to see a new scoreboard". East Bay Times. January 29, 2007. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
11. Lanaway, Jeremy. "Show Time". Canucks Sports & Entertainment. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
12. "Vancouver 2010 ends in wild celebrations after Canadian ice hockey victory". Olympics.com. February 28, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
13. Johns, Stephen (February 20, 2010). "Dispatches from Vancouver: The Curious Case of General Motors Place". torontoist.com. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
14. "GM Place to get new name for 2010". CTV News British Columbia. August 6, 2008. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
15. Canadian Press (July 6, 2010). . TSN. Archived from the original on July 9, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
16. "Pepsi ousts Coke in Rogers Arena deal". October 5, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
17. "Canucks partner with BC talent, create magic". NHL.com. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
18. Frances Bula (July 15, 2012). "Rental units proposed for Rogers Arena". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
19. Meiszner, Peter (April 27, 2016). "Second tower of rental apartments at Rogers Arena takes shape - urbanYVR.com". Retrieved August 10, 2016.
20. . Archived from the original on November 22, 2005. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
21. "Vancouver and Victoria to host 2019 World Juniors | Offside". dailyhive.com. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
22. . The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on August 19, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
23. "UFC 131: CARWIN VS. DOS SANTOS". MMA Fighting. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
24. Jeremy Brand (January 19, 2014). . vancitybuzz.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
25. UFC Press Release (June 15, 2016). "UFC returns to Vancouver in August". ufc.com. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
26. "UFC Fight Night on ESPN+: Cowboy vs. Gaethje in Vancouver". ESPN Press Room U.S. September 12, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
27. "UFC 289: Nunes vs. Aldana". ESPN Press Room U.S. June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
28. Rose, Victoria (March 15, 2018). "The International 8 to take place August 20–25 in Vancouver". The Flying Courier. Polygon. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
29. "Félix Auger-Aliassime to help defend Laver Cup title in Vancouver". Montreal Gazette. February 2, 2023.

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

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rogers Arena.

• Official website
• General Motors Place at Hockeyarenas.net