As recently as a week ago, Rogers StadiumÌýnear Downsview Park looked to be little more than three hulking blue grandstands, lying among billowing grass and baking in the humid air of a ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ heat wave.
It was not listed on Downsview’sÌý sprawling directory map, even as a daycare centre and a TTC warehouse were given top billing on signage.Ìý
But that sleepiness transformed into glee Sunday evening when K-pop superstars Stray Kids bounded out onto the stage and sent 50,000 screaming fans into a state of near-hysteria.Ìý
A once sleepy, open concrete runway became a bustling hub of excitement.
The performance was more than just an opportunity for excitable concertgoers to see their favourite group; it was the opening night for a venue that had long been anticipated.
Though that hysteria was enough to sustain some fans’ enthusiasm through an occasionally bumpy night, getting in and out of the park led to frustration and anger for many.
Parking and logistics have dominated conversations about the venue’s viability and experience, and the early moments of opening night showed why. Lines were long and often confusingly arranged, and getting to the venue was a challenge for some.Ìý
The 632-space parking lot at the nearby Sheppard West subway station filled up by 4:30 p.m., a full three hours before the performance was due to begin, and the stadium’s ride-share and pickup spot — which itself was a 12-minute walk to the nearest gate — likewise, was flooded with cars, spilling some traffic onto nearby Wilson Avenue.
Some, like concertgoer Marcia Bodner, 58, had their Ubers try to access closed entrances, leaving them to make awkward U-turns amidst traffic.
Rogers Stadium, Live Nation’s temporary, 50,000-person venue near Downsview Park, came together quickly ahead of a packed summer of big-name acts.
Hayden Godfrey/ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ StarThis was after Bodner mistakenly booked a hotel close to Rogers Centre, not realizing that the site of the Stray Kids show was at a different venue than the similarly named home of the Blue Jays.
The new Rogers Stadium is located on the former Downsview airport site, near Keele St. and Sheppard Ave. W.
Once Bodner realized the error and planned accordingly, however, she said it was smooth sailing.Ìý
“There was no problem,†said Bodner, who drove from Murrysville, Pa., for the show. “I just followed the crowd of young ladies till I got here.â€
It’s been three decades since a new, 10,000-person-plus venue opened in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½, and Rogers Stadium far exceeds that threshold, with 32,000 fixed seats and a vast floor that can hold more than 17,000 between seated sections and the general admission pit.
The stadium’s sight lines were solid, even in the higher seats, and while the band’s vocals were occasionally drowned out by the earsplitting screams of the crowd, the sound quality was acceptable for a venue of its size and scope.
Walking up to the grandstand seats is, by any objective measure, a unique experience. Though they were solid as fans took their seats, there’s a certain unease to walking up several flights of stairs with an intricate, branching network of metal poles and support structures on both sides of the staircases.
As expected, concessions were pricey, with the cheapest beer coming in at $14.75 and Randy’s Patties — normally $2.85 a pop at its Eglinton Avenue West location — going for $8.
Fans at the temporary Rogers Stadium are greeted with a festival atmosphere, with food trucks aplenty and a bright Ferris wheel.
Hayden Godfrey/ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ StarMost fans, though, spent the pre-show hours excitedly buzzing around. It appeared as though most of the issues were restricted to the venue’s exterior.
Christine Anderson, a high school teacher from Sudbury, Ont., said that the venue’s staff was well-prepared both for the show itself and the exclusive pre-show merchandise sale Saturday morning.
“It was super easy,†Anderson, 52, told the Star. “They were super prepared.â€Ìý
Others, however, had a decidedly less pleasant experience, particularly at the end.Ìý
of traffic bottlenecks on the way out of the venue, with some even reporting an hour-long wait just to leave the stadium grounds.Ìý
In a statement to the Star, a Live Nation Canada spokesperson said that they “strongly encourage fans to take advantage of free and expandedÌýTTC and GO transit rides home for future events, which will help ease parking and traffic in the area.”
“We are already making adjustments based on community feedback and will continue to refine our operations to ensure a positive and safe experience for everyone at Rogers Stadium and in our neighbouring community this summer - working closely with city officials, the TTC and Metrolinx, emergency services, and our community partners along the way,” the spokesperson said.Ìý
Perhaps Mikus Peirhas, a 21-year-old ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½nian who arrived well ahead of the fan plaza’s opening, put it best when describing the venue’s opening night. The set-up wasn’t perfect — and there were factors that the venue’s staff simply couldn’t control, like the soggy lawns caused by the previous day’s rain — but it worked for the hordes of enthusiastic concertgoers.
From the long-anticipated Oasis reunion to farewell tour stops from Wu-Tang Clan and the Who,
“Honestly, for the first time, it’s pretty OK,†Peirhas said. “The first time, there’s going to be problems. It’s not — pardon my French — a s—-show as I thought it would be.â€
Rogers Stadium will host a four-night run from Coldplay in July, back-to-back performances from K-pop quartet Blackpink (July 22 and 23), and appearances by Chris Brown (August 19 and 20) and Oasis (August 24 and 25). System of a Down (September 3 and 5) and Hozier (September 10)also appear in late-summer shows.
Ìý
Clarification — June 30, 2025
This article has been updated to clarify the location of the new Rogers Stadium
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation