Coca-Cola Coliseum
Former names |
|
---|---|
Address | 45 Manitoba Drive |
Location | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Coordinates | 43°38′09″N 79°24′54″W / 43.63583°N 79.41500°W |
Public transit | Exhibition GO Station Exhibition Loop |
Owner | City of Toronto |
Operator | Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment |
Capacity | End Stage Mode: 5,000-7,300[2] Centre Stage Mode: 9,000 |
Construction | |
Broke ground | 1920 |
Opened | December 16, 1921 |
Renovated | 1963, 1997, 2003 |
Construction cost | ) (2003–2004) |
Coca-Cola Coliseum (also or formerly known as CNE Coliseum, Royal Coliseum, Ricoh Coliseum, Toronto Coliseum or Coliseum) is an arena at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, used for agricultural displays, ice hockey, and trade shows. It was built for the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (the Royal) in 1921. Since 1997 it has been part of the Enercare Centre exhibition complex. It serves as the home arena of the Toronto Marlies ice hockey team, the American Hockey League farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs. For the 2015 Pan American Games the venue hosted the gymnastics competitions and was known as the Toronto Coliseum.[6]
History
On January 1, 1920, Toronto voters approved by plebiscite
The Fair Association had hoped for the arena to be open by the fall of 1921 to inaugurate the new fair, but it was not ready. The CA$1 million (CA$12.4 million in 2021 dollars)[15] building had its official public opening on December 16, 1921, attended by 5,000 persons to see an athletic meet put on by the "Sportsmen Patriotic Association."[16] Upon completion, the building was billed as the largest of its kind in North America.[17] The name "Coliseum" was given to the building in 1922, in time for the opening of the CNE.[18] The main entrance was to the north, along Manitoba Drive. The southern side of the building was along the main TTC streetcar rail lines serving the CNE, which separated the Coliseum and Industry Buildings to the north, and the later Engineering and Electrical Building (1928) to the south. In 1926, additions were built and the complex was claimed to be the largest structure of its kind under one roof in the world.[19] In 1931, the Horse Palace was built next door to provide a permanent building for the stables of the Winter Fair.[20] From 1942 to 1945, the building was used as a training base for the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II and known as the 'Manning Depot'.[17] A photo of it as the RCAF Manning Depot is in the New Westminster Museum and Archives # IHP9562-003. After the war, it mainly hosted equestrian events for the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, the CNE and other events. The arena was also used as a horse barn.
In time for the 1963 CNE, the southern facade was reconstructed.[21] As part of the renovation, the southern facade was reclad with black, grey and white siding and a new front plaza was built, with a large "COLISEUM" sign on top. The CNE spent CA$3 million from 1960 until 1963 on "face-lifting" the Coliseum.[22] In 1997, the National Trade Centre (now the Enercare Centre) exhibition complex was built. The new project removed the 1963 entrance and cladding, restoring the original facade, although the cupola towers on the southern facade had been removed in the 1963 renovation. Access to the Coliseum was moved to the western entrance of the exhibition complex through a hall known as Heritage Court.[23]
In November 2002, the City of Toronto agreed to an extensive renovation of the Coliseum to attract a professional ice hockey team to the arena.[24] At a cost of CA$38 million, the arena's capacity was expanded from 6,500 to 9,700 by building a new higher roof, lowering the floor, adding new seats in the expanded area[3][4] and the installation of 38 private suites.[3] Borealis Infrastructure contributed CA$9 million up front and CA$20 million of borrowed funds in return for a 49-year lease to the arena.[25][26] The City of Toronto invested CA$9 million in the project and guaranteed Borealis' loans, while remaining the owner of the building.[3][25][24][26]
In 2003, Japanese office supply company Ricoh purchased the naming rights to the new facility for CA$10 million over ten years, with an optional five-year extension.[3][4][25][27]
During the summer of 2015, a new scoreboard was installed at the
In 2018, MLSE announced that the Toronto Argonauts football operations offices and weight rooms would be relocated to the Coliseum in late June of that year.[29] On July 11, 2018, at the end of Ricoh's partnership with the building, Coca-Cola purchased the naming rights to the facility for ten years, renaming it the "Coca-Cola Coliseum".[30]
Usage
Since November 1922, the Coliseum has been used by the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair held in November annually except during the years of World War II. The Fair uses the arena for the annual "Royal Horse Show" equestrian competition, as well as animal presentations.
Each year in August, the Coliseum is used by the CNE for exhibits and performances. It has in the past used for CNE cat, dog and horse shows. Until 2013, the CNE held the CNE Horse Show, a competitive event in the Coliseum. At one time run during the Ex, it changed to be a pre-CNE event in 2005.[31] It has been used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride. During the 2009, 2010 and 2011 CNE, it was used for a figure skating show.
The arena is also used for trade shows. The annual Boat Show builds an indoor pond over the arena floor.
Ice hockey
As early as the 1970s, plans were floated to outfit CNE Coliseum for ice hockey. When the World Hockey Association's Ottawa Nationals moved to Toronto as the Toronto Toros, they initially wanted to play at a renovated CNE Coliseum. However, due to objections from Maple Leafs vice president Bill Ballard, the Toros played at Varsity Arena before briefly becoming tenants of the Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens.
In the early 2000s, there were efforts to bring a minor professional hockey team to the Coliseum. Plans to move the dormant
On November 1, 2003, the Coliseum made its debut as an ice hockey venue, as the Roadrunners tied the Rochester Americans 1-1. However, the Roadrunners' lease was terminated in June 2004, following their first season, for defaulting on its rent.[26][37] The Oilers chose to relocate the Roadrunners to Edmonton for the following season due to poor attendance and in anticipation of the impending NHL lockout.
The Coliseum was left without a hockey tenant for a year, but in August 2004
On October 27, 2021, the city of
Other sports
- On April 4, 1922, it was the site of the Johnny Dundee vs Jimmy Goodrich boxing match promoted by Jack Corcoran that set a new indoor sports attendance record for Toronto with 11,900 spectators packed into the building. The mark would stand until the construction of Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931.
- In 1974, the Coliseum hosted half the home games for the World Team Tennis alongside the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New Yorkfor one season before the team was contracted by the league in 1975.
- The Coliseum hosted the Lingerie Football League's Toronto Triumphin their lone season in operation in 2012.
- From July 11 to 20, 2015, the Coliseum hosted the gymnastics competition of the 2015 Pan American Games, during which it was known as the "Toronto Coliseum."
- The Coliseum hosted the Longines World Cup Jumping (Equestrian) Championships in November 2015.
- The Coliseum hosted events as part of the NBA All-Star Weekendin Toronto over 2 days:
- the 2016 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game on February 12, 2016.
- the NBA All-Star open practice and NBA D-League All-Star Game on February 13, 2016.
- The Coliseum hosted the Canada-Netherlands Davis Cup tie September 14–16, 2018, which featured Daniel Nestor’s final competitive match.
- The Coliseum hosted Purdue vs. Alabama and Clemson vs. TCU for men's college basketball double-header games on Saturday, December 9th, 2023 in the Hall of Fame Series.
Concerts
The Coliseum has been used for numerous musical concerts. Acts that have performed there include Playboi Carti, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Who, Genesis, Bob Dylan, Vanilla Fudge, Mötley Crüe, G.E.M.[45] and Kraftwerk.[46] From 1922 to 1934, the CNE's Canadian National Exhibition Chorus performed in the arena.[47] In 2007, the Coliseum hosted the first We Day concert.[48]
Professional wrestling
In March 2016, the Coliseum hosted the WWE Network special Roadblock.[49][50]
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) scheduled its first ever Canadian shows at the Coliseum, with a live broadcast of AEW Dynamite on October 12, 2022, and a taping of Rampage the following night.[51]
See also
References
- ^ Filey 1996, p. 72.
- ^ "Venue Rental Technical Guide" (PDF). coca-colacoliseum.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Christie, James (January 16, 2003). "Coliseum Gets Makeover". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Ricoh Canada Inc. Announces the Opening of Toronto's Ricoh Coliseum" (Press release). Ricoh Canada, Inc. November 6, 2003. Archived from the original on January 4, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014. Alt URL Archived January 3, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Coliseum Complex, Exhibition Place - G.F.W. Price, City Architect". Toronto History. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ Gilbert, Erika (July 15, 2015). "Guide to the 2015 Pan Am Games: Everything you need to know about artistic gymnastics". National Post. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
- ^ "Total Vote Polled For Mayor, Controllers And Bylaws". Toronto World. January 2, 1920. p. 4.
- ^ "Change In Size of Fair Arena". The Globe. April 15, 1921. p. 8.
- ^ "City Architect Is Told To Build Live Stock Arena". Toronto Star. May 6, 1921. p. 1.
- ^ "Arena Contracts Are Debated by City Council". Toronto Star. May 27, 1921. p. 1.
- ^ "Pay Cut-Rate Wages On Arena Contracts?". Toronto Star. June 29, 1921. p. 19.
- ^ "C.N.E.; Coliseum, laying of cornerstone by T. L. Church. Toronto, Ont". Toronto Public Library. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
- ^ "Mayor Well And Truly Lays Corner-Stone Of New Arena". The Globe. July 28, 1921. p. 6.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|url=
(help) - ^ "New Live Stock Arena Assuming Shape". Toronto Star. July 27, 1921. p. 3.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "5,000 People Attend Opening of New Arena". Toronto Star. December 17, 1921. p. 3.
- ^ a b "Walking Tours". Exhibition Place. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
- ^ "Council To Consider Rental of Coliseum". Toronto Globe. July 8, 1922. p. 17.
- ^ "Open Plaques: Toronto, ON, Canada: Unphotographed". openplaques.org. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
- ^ "New Million-Dollar Exhibition Stables Completed Tomorrow". Toronto Star. August 14, 1931. p. 24.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|url=
(help) - ^ "World's Biggest, The CNE Just Another Month Away". Toronto Star. July 17, 1963. p. 33.
- ^ Lee, Betty (August 23, 1963). "How Much Has The CNE Changed?". The Globe and Mail. p. 7.
- ^ Hume, Christopher (April 5, 1997). "Vast trade centre shows two faces". Toronto Star. p. M7.
- ^ a b Campbell, Ken (November 29, 2002). "AHL Team Back on Ice". Toronto Star.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Deal with the City Had Its Skeptics". Toronto Star. November 1, 2003.
- ^ a b c d e "Expansion of MLSEL Office Space in Ricoh Coliseum" (PDF). Exhibition Place. June 26, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ a b c d Ireland, Joanne (April 18, 2002). "Hamilton Bulldogs Unleashed to Become Toronto Roadrunners: New Deal Will Save Oilers Several Million Dollars". Edmonton Journal.
- ^ Mudhar, Raju (July 24, 2015). "Air Canada Centre to debut new scoreboard this year". Toronto Star. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- ^ "Argonauts to relocate football-operations staff - Article - TSN". TSN. May 31, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
- ^ "New Coca-Cola and MLSE Partnership Expands Commitment to the Community Through Coca-Cola Coliseum - Article - CISION". CISION. July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ^ "CNE cancels Horse Show competition". Inside Toronto. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ Campbell, Ken (June 1, 2001). "Roadrunners' Future in the IHL Looks Pretty Grim ; Team's Hopes of Survival Seem to Be on Life Support". Toronto Star.
- ^ a b Mckay, Garry (July 7, 2001). "Bulldogs at Centre of Louisville Relocation". The Hamilton Spectator.
- ^ a b Peters, Ken (April 3, 2002). "Deal to Bring AHL to the CNE 'Close' ; Hamilton's Bulldogs Could Become the Toronto Roadrunners". Toronto Star.
- ^ a b "AHL Bulldogs Eyeing Move to Toronto". Guelph Mercury. April 1, 2002.
- ^ Thompson, Robert (October 25, 2003). "Roadrunners Aim to Score at Box Office: Toronto's New Hockey Team Vows to Make Money". National Post.
- ^ Erwin, Steve (June 16, 2004). "Oilers' Farm Team Caught in Lease Controversy at Ricoh". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ "Leafs Making Final Run in St. John's". American Hockey League. November 29, 2004. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ "Comprehensive Review of City's Loan Guarantee and Loan Portfolio" (PDF). City of Toronto. April 9, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ Peddie, Richard (2013). Dream Job. HarperCollins.
- ^ "Deacon Sports says Growlers "Kicked Out" of Mile One". vocm.com. October 27, 2021.
- ^ "Newfoundland Growlers to play next homestand in Toronto; after that is anyone's guess". saltwire.com. October 27, 2021.
- ^ "UPDATE: Newfoundland Growlers to play at Coca-Cola Coliseum after getting barred from their arena pending investigation". SBNation. October 7, 2021.
- ^ "GROWLERS TO PLAY FIRST SIX GAMES OF THE SEASON AT CBS ARENA". Newfoundland Growlers. October 30, 2021.
- ^ "Change positive! G.E.M.: The show must go on". on.cc Hong Kong and Macao Edition. Retrieved March 15, 2019. March 15, 2019.
- ^ "History - Ricoh Coliseum". Ricoh Coliseum.
- ^ "Canadian National Exhibition Chorus". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
- ^ "Evolution of a Movement". We Day. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
- ^ "WWE Title match official for re-named Network special". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
- ^ "Live Report From WWE Roadblock". 411MANIA. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
- ^ "AEW News: Two More Matches Set for Dynamite in Toronto". 411MANIA. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
- ISBN 9781550026139.