BMO Field
 | This article or section is about a planned or proposed stadium. It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the construction and/or completion of the stadium approaches.</small> |
| BMO Field <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"> | |
|---|---|
| Location | Toronto, Ontario |
| Opened | 2007 (expected) |
| Owner | City of Toronto <tr><td>Operator</td><td>MLSE Ltd.</td></tr><tr><td>Surface</td><td>FieldTurf</td></tr><tr><td>Construction cost</td><td>C$72 million (estimate)</td></tr> |
| Tenants | |
| Canada national soccer team Toronto FC (MLS) (2007-present) Canada national rugby union team | |
| Seats | |
| 20,000 (Football (soccer)) | |
BMO Field is a soccer-specific stadium under-construction located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure will seat 20,000 spectators and be owned by the City of Toronto. Installation of the stands and field is set to be complete by January 1, 2007 with construction then beginning on the indoor features of the stadium. [1]
Contents |
History
The stadium was part of Canada's bid to host the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[2] The original plan was that the site was to be located at York University, with the university contributing $15 million toward the cost of the new stadium. However, the university was forced to back out in May 2005.[3] The eventual site was moved to the location of old Exhibition Stadium and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame building.
On May 11, 2006, Major League Soccer, North America's highest-level soccer league, announced that Toronto FC would join the league as its thirteenth (and first Canada-based) team in 2007. The league considers soccer-specific stadiums to be a critical part of its strategy; MLS commissioner Don Garber has been adamant that expansion teams must have plans for a soccer-specific stadium in place to be granted a franchise. These facilities are thought to improve overall crowd atmosphere (because they are smaller than stadiums built primarily for NFL or CFL football), and may allow teams to control most revenues generated by their facilities.On August 31, 2006, the Toronto Star reported that BMO Financial Group purchased the naming rights to the stadium.[4] On September 20, 2006, stadium webcam viewers watched as a banner was raised on the West Grandstand re-naming the stadium "BMO Field". The name was later announced on the team's official website.
Management, ownership and funding
Toronto FC will be owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (MLSE), owners of the National Hockey League's Toronto Maple Leafs and the National Basketball Association's Toronto Raptors. In addition, MLSE will contribute towards the cost of the building of the stadium. With the total costs in the realm of $62 million ($72 million including land), contributions will come from multiple sources. MLSE will contribute $8 million towards the construction of the stadium and $10 million towards securing the naming rights of the stadium. The Canadian Federal Government will contribute $27 million, with Ontario's government adding an additional $8 million. Toronto will pay $9.8 million, and have the rights to the stadium. (All figures are in Canadian dollars.)
Stadium Specifics
BMO Field will use FieldTurf rather than one of natural grass. As well, the stadium will have an inflatable bubble erected around it to allow its use during the winter months. The stadium will also be modified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, adding 5,000 temporary seats which will be dismantled after the championships.
Paul Beirne, director of business operations for Toronto FC, has stated that the seats will be entirely red with the exception of a design on each of the main stands. On the east side, the design will be a large maple leaf while on the lower west stand the design will spell out "TORONTO". [5]
Target opening
BMO Field is projected to open May 11, 2007, coinciding with the start of the 2007 MLS season. MLS's commissioner has declared that the 2008 All-Star Game will take place at BMO Field, as will an MLS Cup by the year 2012.
See Also
External links
| Preceded by: first stadium | Home of Toronto FC 2007–present | Succeeded by: current |
| Current Stadiums in the USL PDL New England Division | ||
| Union College Field (Albany Admirals) | BHS Stadium Field (Cape Cod Crusaders) | Keith Harris Stadium (Ottawa Fury) | Pierce Memorial Field (Rhode Island Stingrays) | BMO Field (Toronto Lynx) | Collins-Perley Sports Complex (Vermont Voltage) | ||
| Current Stadiums in Major League Soccer | ||
| Eastern Conference | Western Conference | |
|---|---|---|
| Arrowhead Stadium | Columbus Crew Stadium | BMO Field | Giants Stadium | Gillette Stadium | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | Toyota Park | Dick's Sporting Goods Park | The Home Depot Center | Pizza Hut Park | Rice-Eccles Stadium | Robertson Stadium | |
Categories
Planned or proposed stadiums | 2005 establishments | National stadiums | Major League Soccer stadiums | Soccer venues in Canada | Sports venues in Toronto | Toronto FC | Toronto Lynx