145-661: BMO Field is an outdoor stadium located at Exhibition Place in Toronto , Ontario , Canada. Constructed on the former Exhibition Stadium site and first opened in 2007, it is the home field of Toronto FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). BMO Field is owned by the City of Toronto and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment , which owns both Toronto FC and
290-566: A domestic treble with their win, as well as the first Canadian team to win the MLS Cup. On July 24, 2014, BMO Field hosted the opening match of the 2014 International Champions Cup between Olympiacos and A.C. Milan ; Olympiacos won the match 3–0. On July 17, 2021, Toronto FC played their first home game at BMO Field since the COVID-19 pandemic after being forced to stay in the United States for
435-541: A 100-yard field with 15-yard end zones or a 110-yard field with 10-yard end zones, which is 20 yards shorter than the standard 110-yard field and 20-yard end zones. On December 16, 2009, the Argonauts officially abandoned the idea, after the CFL concluded that the venue was not suitable for Canadian football in its current state. Anselmi indicated in 2009 that a second level could be added to the east side stands and extra rows added to
580-465: A Canadian came at the official opening on May 11, 2007, in a U-20 friendly between Canada and Argentina. David Edgar scored a penalty in a 2–1 defeat for Canada, just four minutes after Gómez had scored the first international goal at the stadium. Costa Rica 's Víctor Núñez scored the first senior international goal in a 1–1 friendly draw with hosts Canada on September 12, 2007, shortly before Dwayne De Rosario scored Canada's first senior goal at
725-602: A Modernist façade main entrance to the south in 1963. The original façade was restored when the Enercare Centre was built. It is home to the minor league Toronto Marlies professional ice hockey team during the winter months. Every November, it is used for the "Royal Horse Show" component of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair annually in November. In another partnership with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment,
870-597: A WindShare wind turbine was built to the west of the Fort Rouillé site. The wind turbine has since been renamed ExPlace Wind Turbine . During the 2000s, the Exhibition Place grounds has seen several proposals for new uses. In July 2005, the City of Toronto asked for aquarium proposals from private enterprises. The only two respondents, Ripley Entertainment and Oceanus Holdings, suggested that they would be interested provided
1015-477: A big CFL fan and that we need to get the Argos on stable ground." Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly said that "the Argos have got to play there" and that "I think there is a very good chance that they will." On February 25 Grimes said that a deal was "getting close" and could be reached "in the next couple weeks". Preliminary plans were released to the public on March 5. In addition to making the field compatible for CFL games,
1160-727: A combined CA$ 35 million in funding for a new stadium if the CSA was successful in acquiring the rights to the tournament. At the time, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), owners of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs and the National Basketball Association 's Toronto Raptors , was also looking for a stadium to host a new Major League Soccer (MLS) team they were considering launching. The league considered soccer-specific stadiums to be necessary for an expansion franchise to be granted, due to
1305-414: A display of foundations of New Fort York which once occupied part of the site. Exhibition Place was also home to Exhibition Stadium, which was built out of the fourth Grandstand by adding two extra wings of seats. The original grandstand had been constructed in the late 1800s and was re-modelled, replaced, or destroyed over the years. It served as home to the CFL's Toronto Argonauts between 1958 and 1988 and
1450-531: A high-speed open-wheel car racing circuit for the first time. The race, known today as the Honda Indy Toronto, has taken place annually since, and is part of the IndyCar Series . The streets of Exhibition Place are closed off to regular traffic and a closed circuit is made through the grounds and along Lake Shore Boulevard. The race meant the end of the landmark Bulova/Shell Oil observation tower. In 1987,
1595-573: A public square, and move the parking underground. South of the central section are two pedestrian bridges over Lake Shore Boulevard to the Ontario Place complex. The east block was the most active area of military usage and retains the only military building left on the site, the Stanley Barracks Officers' Quarters, dating to the 1840s. The area is a mix of buildings, including the older Coliseum, Horse Palace and newer buildings. The section
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#17328439622261740-509: A successful 2026 FIFA World Cup by Canada. The plans called for $ 30 million retractable end zone seating in the south and a retractable terrace in the north end to ensure that fans aren't farther from the playing surface in soccer configuration due to the longer CFL field, and a roof over most permanent seating areas. Leiweke promised that the soccer playing surface will remain natural grass. A reinforced hybrid playing surface such as Desso GrassMaster , in which artificial fibres are embedded in
1885-592: A watercourse laid out on Lake Ontario. As a result of the games, the 2015 Toronto Honda Indy was scheduled in June to allow for time for the site to prepare for the Pan Am Games. As well the site was wound down in time for setup for the 2015 Canadian National Exhibition (scheduled to open August 21). While the CNE only lasts for a few weeks at the end of the summer, many major permanent buildings and other structures have been built over
2030-418: A winter bubble enabling use during inclement weather. The multi-use capability was one of the main reasons that the plan was passed by the governing council, as opposed to the 25,000-seat stadium. Compared to the old Varsity Stadium, the seating is closer to Varsity Arena, almost making the two structures one conjoined complex. Part of the red brick wall along Bloor Street was maintained for historic purposes, but
2175-465: A winter bubble to Lamport Stadium and $ 800,000 building a new artificial turf field to replace the community use hours lost at BMO. By the end of the 2010 renovation, the total cost came to $ 5.5 million CAD. In November 2009, it became public that the Toronto Argonauts were in discussions with the City of Toronto over the possibility of moving from Rogers Centre to BMO Field, potentially as early as
2320-587: Is a large open paved area in the southern central section, which is used for parking and the temporary amusements of the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE). The site has a variety of historic buildings, open spaces and monuments. The eastern entrance to Exhibition Place is marked by the large ceremonial Princes' Gates, named for Edward, Prince of Wales , and his brother, Prince George , who visited in 1927. The roads are all named after Canadian provinces and territories except for Princes' Boulevard, which
2465-531: Is a publicly owned mixed-use district in Toronto , Ontario , Canada, located by the shoreline of Lake Ontario , just west of downtown . The 197-acre (80 ha) site includes exhibit, trade, and banquet centres, theatre and music buildings, monuments, parkland, sports facilities, and a number of civic, provincial, and national historic sites. The district's facilities are used year-round for exhibitions, trade shows, public and private functions, and sporting events. From mid-August through Labour Day each year,
2610-524: Is a rectangular site located length-wise along the north shoreline of Lake Ontario to the west of downtown Toronto. The site is mostly flat ground sloping down gently to the shoreline. It was originally forested land, and was cleared for military use. Sections east and south of the Stanley Barracks building were filled in the early part of the 20th century. Today, the district is mostly paved, with an area of parkland remaining in its western section. There
2755-648: Is dominated by the exhibition complex of the Enercare Centre, Coliseum and the Industry Building. The Horse Palace (which adjoins the Coliseum and is used for equine shows and quartering), the Automotive Building (which was once used for car shows and is now a conference centre) and the General Services Building are all older exhibition buildings dating from the 1920s. The new "Hotel X" project includes
2900-443: Is obligated to fund. On May 20, 2015, it was announced that two of the three ownership partners of MLSE, Bell Canada and Larry Tanenbaum 's Kilmer Group, had acquired an ownership stake in the Argos, with the deal to close at the end of the year, and would move the team to BMO Field for the 2016 season . The new ownership group for the Argos committed $ 10 million to the conversion costs for BMO Field, with MLSE matching this to fill
3045-490: Is owned by the City of Toronto, their consent is required for any modifications. The City insisted that any renovations included making the playing surface longer to fit a CFL field so it could house the Argonauts, who had to vacate the Rogers Centre by the end of the 2017 season. Mark Grimes, Chairman of Exhibition Place's Board, began negotiating with MLSE on the project and said "I think I have Mr. Leiweke's ear in that I am
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#17328439622263190-537: Is the soccer -specific stadium, BMO Field . There is also an arena, the Coliseum , home to professional ice hockey . The site was used for several sports venues of the 2015 Pan American Games . The site is administered by the Board of Governors of Exhibition Place, appointed by the City of Toronto . As of 2014, the organization had 133 full-time employees, up to 700 during major events, contributed CA$ 11 million annually to
3335-577: Is the main street east to west. Several of the roads are used for the annual Grand Prix of Toronto car race. South of the grounds is Ontario Place , a theme park built in 1971 on landfill in Lake Ontario, and operated by the government of Ontario. The site also has a long history of sports facilities on the site, starting with an equestrian track and grandstand. The grandstand eventually was converted for use by music concerts, major league baseball and football teams. The newest sports facility to be built
3480-467: The 1976 Summer Olympics , Varsity Stadium hosted several soccer matches, and was the site of the semi-final game between Brazil and Poland . The NASL's Toronto Metros-Croatia used Varsity Stadium through 1978, before moving to Exhibition Stadium. They returned six years later as the Toronto Blizzard and again made it their home for the 1984 season. On October 3, 1984, before 16,842 fans,
3625-582: The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and first home for Toronto FC. It hosted matches during the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup . In 2010, when it was still a neutral-site game, BMO Field hosted the MLS Cup . It has since hosted the 2016 and 2017 finals featuring Toronto FC, under the current practice of giving home field advantage to the side with the better regular-season record. The venue has also hosted rugby union , including matches of Canada's national team , and rugby sevens during
3770-436: The 2010 CFL season . The CFL agreed to study the feasibility of the Argos playing at BMO Field, which was built too short to fit a full-length Canadian football field despite the requirement that the stadium be convertible to CFL configuration in the original stadium agreement. According to Tom Anselmi , former executive vice-president and chief operating officer with MLSE, without significant renovations BMO Field could only fit
3915-414: The 2015 Pan-American Games . From 2014 to 2016, the stadium underwent a series of major renovations, which added an upper deck to the east grandstand and a roof over the seating areas, and lengthened the field to make it suitable for hosting Canadian football. The latter allowed for the Toronto Argonauts to move to BMO Field beginning with the 2016 CFL season , which also saw the 104th Grey Cup played at
4060-682: The Bandshell , featured shows at the Coliseum , and the Canadian International Air Show held over Lake Ontario just south of Exhibition Place. The fair is one of the largest and most successful of its kind in North America and an important part of the culture of Toronto. In the fall, the Coliseum hosts the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair . The buildings on the site date from the 1700s to recent years. Five buildings on
4205-454: The Bank of Montreal (BMO) for $ 27 million over the first 10 years. The proposal approved by the City of Toronto was for a stadium that was "capable of a conversion to a football format." The Argonauts attempted to join the project at the last minute, but MLSE, citing budget and time limitations, constructed the stadium such that it could not fit a CFL field without demolition and reconstruction of
4350-432: The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), from which the name Exhibition Place is derived, is held on the grounds. During the CNE, Exhibition Place encompasses 260 acres (1.1 km ), expanding to include nearby parks and parking lots. The CNE uses the buildings for exhibits on agriculture, food, arts and crafts, government and trade displays. For entertainment, the CNE provides a midway of rides and games, music concerts at
4495-538: The Columbus Crew on September 22, 2007, snapping an 824-minute MLS goalless streak. The first Toronto FC MLS playoff goal was scored at BMO Field in the 15th minute by Sebastian Giovinco on October 26, 2016, in front of 21,759. In the same game, the first Toronto FC playoff goal scored by a Canadian was by Jonathan Osorio in the 48th minute; the final score was 3–1 over the Philadelphia Union. In lacrosse ,
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4640-672: The Grey Cup . Capacity of the stadium has varied with time, but peaked at about 22,000 in the 1950s although, with the use of temporary bleachers, a record crowd of 27,425 watched the Edmonton Eskimos defeat the Montreal Alouettes 50–27 in the 1956 Grey Cup final. Perhaps the most famous Canadian football game played in the Stadium was the 1950 Mud Bowl for the Grey Cup championship. During
4785-663: The Horse Palace was built, replacing temporary stables used for the Winter Fair. The Horse Palace used Art Deco ornamentation. In 1936, the Art Deco Bandshell was constructed for open-air music concerts. During the Second World War , the exhibition grounds became Toronto's main military training grounds. The CNE, and virtually all other non-military uses of the lands ceased. The CNE was not held between 1942 and 1946, when
4930-478: The Horticulture Building became a night club known as "Muzik." The Automotive Building was turned over to private management and is used exclusively for private events and conferences & has become known as the "Beanfield Centre" since 2017 by virtue of a naming rights agreement. In 1999, Exhibition Stadium , mostly vacant after the opening of the downtown SkyDome stadium, was demolished. The site
5075-637: The NHL Centennial Classic , in honour of the Toronto Maple Leafs' and the NHL's centennial seasons. The Leafs hosted the Detroit Red Wings , in a rematch of the 2014 NHL Winter Classic held three years prior. The venue was referred to as "Exhibition Stadium" for its duration, as Scotiabank (a direct competitor to BMO), was title sponsor of the event. The only music concert thus far at BMO Field
5220-467: The Netherlands were also staged in 1994. Minor league professional soccer team Toronto Lynx moved into the stadium in 1997 but was forced to move to Centennial Park Stadium due to the impending demolition of the historic facility. The stadium was demolished mid-2002 after the cost of maintaining the large facility was far more than it generated in revenue. At that time, several structural sections of
5365-513: The Ontario Soccer Centre their first three seasons, announced that it would move its home games to BMO Field and Lamport Stadium beginning with the 2018 season. However, with their drop to the division 3 USL League One for the 2019 season, the team moved their home games to BMO Training Ground . As part of the NHL's attempt to salvage its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic , BMO Field
5510-497: The Toronto Blue Jays (AL) between 1977 and 1989. The two teams left for SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) in 1989. After it lost many stadium concert tours to Rogers Centre, and many other outdoor concerts to the nearby Budweiser Stage (then known as Molson Amphitheatre) at Ontario Place, its usefulness was at an end. The stadium was demolished in 1999 to serve as parking and allow a more sprawling midway. However, on October 26, 2005,
5655-637: The University of Toronto . Athletic events have been hosted on the site since 1898; the current stadium was built in 2007 to replace the original permanent stadium built in 1911. Varsity Stadium is also a former home of the Toronto Argonauts , and has previously hosted the Grey Cup , the Vanier Cup , several matches of the 1976 Summer Olympics soccer tournament, and the final game of the North American Soccer League 's 1984 Soccer Bowl series (which
5800-413: The $ 20 million funding gap. Part of the agreement would see two Grey Cups played at the newly renovated BMO Field. The renovations for the Argonauts added a state-of-the-art 10,000 sq ft (930 m) dressing room. In February 2016 it was announced that BMO had extended its naming rights sponsorship agreement for an additional ten years. The renovation ended up costing $ 150 million in total. At
5945-437: The $ 3.5 million for the conversion, and promised to cover all additional costs to maintain the surface. A variety of Kentucky Bluegrass was installed in the spring of 2010, along with a state of the art drainage system and heating system in the field. MLSE spent a further $ 2 million to expand the north end by 1,400 seats for the 2010 season. As part of the deal to convert the field to natural grass, MLSE spent $ 1.2 million adding
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6090-532: The 1920s, the exhibition grounds were expanded to the west and to the east, as well as to the south, where reclaimed land was used to build Lake Shore Boulevard (originally "Boulevard Drive"), connecting downtown with Toronto's growing western suburbs. The Coliseum, to host the new Royal Agricultural Winter Fair , was opened in 1921, followed by the Government of Ontario Building in 1926, the Princes' Gates in 1927, and
6235-597: The 1959 Dufferin Gate. A monorail was proposed to move people around the site and to and from the parking lots. It had first been proposed to connect Union Station and the Exhibition Grounds. Dufferin Street was to be connected to Lake Shore Boulevard, a new four-lane road along the north of the site and a new 1800-place parking lot taking the place of buildings to the west of Dufferin. The plan resulted in some demolition, such as
6380-540: The 2000s. The Argonauts submitted a proposal to the city to renovate Lamport Stadium and expand its capacity to 19,000. In March 2003, the proposal was modified to constructing a new 22,000-seat stadium at Exhibition Place. That July the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) announced separate plans for a 30,000 seat $ 82 million stadium at the site, to host the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup which it had bid on. The governments of Canada and Ontario agreed to provide
6525-472: The 2016 season. In conjunction with the stadium construction, Princes' Boulevard was re-routed to the south of the stadium. The Coliseum (1922, now part of the Enercare Centre complex) is an indoor arena. It is an example of Beaux-Arts design by City architect George F. W. Price and renovated by Brisbin Brook Beynon, Architects. Its main entrance was originally to the north, and the building was remodelled with
6670-554: The 2020 season and the first half of the 2021 season. They drew 1–1 against Orlando City SC , ironically the team whose stadium they had been previously using. BMO Field hosted the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup , the first major tournament held at the stadium. The stadium saw the Canadian Under-20 squad once. The stadium also saw six knockout stage games including the Final; which was won by Argentina . Due to FIFA sponsorship regulations,
6815-622: The Argonauts played their first game at the stadium, a preseason (exhibition) game; the Argos defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 25–16. On June 23, the Argos played their first regular season game at BMO Field; the Ti-Cats defeated the Argos 42–20. Due to the position of the stands, each end zone is only 18 yards deep rather than the standard 20 in Canadian football. BMO Field was a home venue for Canada's national rugby union team . From 2011 to 2016,
6960-399: The Argonauts. The stadium's naming rights are held by the Bank of Montreal , which is commonly branded as "BMO" ( / ˈ b iː m oʊ / ). It is one of two Canadian stadiums which will host matches of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup . An expansion for the tournament will bring the stadium's capacity to 45,736 seats. BMO Field was originally constructed as a soccer-specific stadium for
7105-425: The Argos adding $ 20 million to the government funding. MLSE was not involved in this project. However, the Argos pulled out of the stadium after signing a new 15-year lease at Rogers Centre with significantly reduced rent. In 2005, the stadium site was moved back to Exhibition Place, on the location of the demolished Exhibition Stadium and then-existing Sports Hall of Fame building, in a partnership between MLSE and
7250-400: The Argos. However, MLSE backed out of the stadium due to a lack of financial return, and the deal ultimately fell through in 2004 when the university's new president withdrew his support after its cost rose over $ 100 million. Later that year, the Argos and CSA announced plans to build a 25,000-seat, $ 70 million stadium at York University , which would contribute the land and $ 15 million, with
7395-468: The BMO Field as long as it is used by a professional sports team". However, according to Leiweke, the federal funding "is not going to the stadium, their money is going to host big events." In another interview he said "the feds are giving us the resources to (temporarily) expand to 40,000 for our Grey Cup bids and Winter Classic bids". By late May 2014, MLSE had not reached a financing agreement with either
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#17328439622267540-713: The Biosteel Centre (now the OVO Athletic Centre ), a practice facility which is shared part-time with the community. In the south-east, along Lake Shore Boulevard, the Hotel X Toronto was constructed on the site of New Fort York. The foundations of several of the New Fort York buildings were revealed as part of the development. The hotel was built to complement the facilities of the Enercare and Allstream Centres. The soccer stadium
7685-532: The Board of Agriculture for Canada West inaugurated the Provincial Agricultural Fair of Canada West in 1846, to be held annually in different localities. For the 1858 fair, to be held in Toronto, a permanent "Palace of Industry" exhibition building, based on London's Crystal Palace , was built at King and Shaw Streets in what is now Liberty Village . The site held four more fairs until the 1870s when
7830-408: The CFL end zones are artificial turf. Removable paint is used for lining the field to allow for the football lines to be removed prior to soccer games. As well, the field has two football goalpost configurations so that the same grass isn't relined every game. Under a two-phase construction process, the field was lengthened and the capacity of the stadium increased for $ 77 million by May 1, 2015, with
7975-516: The CNE became the world's largest annual fair in 1920, a 50-year plan was launched following the urban design and architectural precedents of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago . Chapman and Oxley prepared the 1920 plan, which emphasized Beaux-Arts architecture and City Beautiful urban design. The Empire Court was to be a monumental central space with a triumphal arch and gates and monumental exhibition buildings with courtyards. During
8120-443: The CSA. With a total cost of $ 62.9 million (all figures are in Canadian dollars) to build the stadium ($ 72.8 million including the land), financial contributions came from multiple sources. The Canadian Federal Government contributed $ 27 million, the Government of Ontario added an additional $ 8 million, and the City of Toronto paid $ 9.8 million and contributed the land for the project (valued at $ 10 million), while retaining ownership of
8265-490: The Canadian intercollegiate championship, the Vanier Cup (as it had been for most years from 1965 to 1988 [with exception of 1973–75]), but that too moved to larger quarters such as SkyDome (now known as Rogers Centre ) as the popularity of the collegiate championship grew. Canada's national soccer team played several matches at Varsity Stadium, including crucial World Cup qualifying matches versus Costa Rica in 1985 and Mexico in 1993. Friendly matches versus Germany and
8410-461: The Canadian military returned the grounds back to its civilian administrators. After the military vacated Stanley Barracks, the CNE made plans for the Barracks' demolition. However, until 1951, the buildings were used for emergency housing. The first phase of demolition in 1951 demolished all of the wooden buildings, leaving only the original stone buildings. In 1953, despite public opposition, three of
8555-460: The City of Toronto approved the construction of a 20,000 seat soccer stadium (BMO Field) on Exhibition Place land. The CNE has been host to four grandstands since its inception. The third grandstand, designed by G. W. Gouinlock, was built in 1907 and had a capacity of 16,000. It burned down in 1946, subsequently leading to the construction of the fourth (known as CNE Grandstand ), built in 1948. Designed by architects Marani and Morris, this building
8700-597: The City of Toronto government decided the exhibition had outgrown the site. The City signed a lease with the Government of Canada for a section of the western end of the reserve in April 1878. The Palace of Industry was moved to a site on the reserve near today's Horticulture Building, reconstructed and expanded. The City sold the King and Shaw site to the Massey Manufacturing Company . The 1878 Provincial Agricultural Fair
8845-456: The City of Toronto, and attracted 5.3 million visitors annually to the site. The grounds are 192 acres (78 ha) in area. The small fort Fort Rouillé was built by French fur traders in 1750–1751 as a trading post on the site of today's grounds. The area was an important portage route for Native Americans , and the French wanted to capture their trade before they reached British posts to
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#17328439622268990-558: The Electrical and Engineering Building in 1928. By the 1930s, the Beaux-Arts style faded in popularity. The start of the trend for a new style of architecture arguably became evident in the construction of the Automotive Building in 1929, the first building that moved away from the Beaux-Art architecture envisioned by the 1920 plan, mixing clean modern lines with classical ornamentation. In 1931,
9135-601: The Electrical and Engineering Building in 1972 (allegedly in poor structural condition) and the General Exhibits Building and Art Gallery, which were in the path of the new road. In 1974, the International Building, (formerly the Transportation Building), to the west of the bandshell, burnt down. It was hosting an exhibit on Spain during the CNE when it caught fire and was destroyed. The building
9280-581: The English Premier League . BMO Field has hosted several MLS Cups, and was the first venue outside of the United States to host the event in 2010 , featuring the Colorado Rapids defeating FC Dallas 2–1. The first MLS home playoff game held at BMO Field saw Toronto FC defeat the Philadelphia Union 3–1 on October 26, 2016. BMO Field hosted the MLS Cup again in 2016 , as Toronto FC won
9425-426: The Fire Hall/Police Station, built in 1912. Just south of Dufferin Gate is Centennial Square, a green space with a bandstand. The Ontario Government Building was added later in 1926. The Bandshell, modeled after the famed Art Deco Hollywood Bowl was built in 1936, replacing a 1906 bandstand. North of the Bandshell is Bandshell Park, a large open green space for gatherings. Near the Bandshell is the 1790s Scadding Cabin ,
9570-428: The Food Building (1954), the Shell Oil Tower (1955), Queen Elizabeth Building (1957) and the Princess Margaret Fountain (1958). In the later 1950s, the new six-lane Gardiner Expressway was pushed through the north side of the grounds, cut below grade in the western section of the grounds, and an elevated section in the eastern section. This necessitated the demolition of the Dufferin Gate, the Women's Rest building and
9715-451: The Government Building was used as a barracks for soldiers, and a tent camp was set up on the site of the current Ontario Government Building (now Liberty Grand). The Dufferin Gates was manned by soldiers. The Stanley Barracks was also used as a prisoners-of-war and "enemy aliens" internment camp. The internment camp served as an intake centre; those interned at the Barracks stayed there temporarily before being moved to other camps. When
9860-412: The Grandstand to house Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame . In 1963, the Coliseum was re-clad with a modernist south facade. To replace its exhibit in the Ontario Government Building, the Government of Ontario built Ontario Place on artificial islands to the south of Exhibition Place (accessible via two foot bridges). Coinciding with the opening of the ultra-modern Ontario Place to
10005-409: The MLS Eastern Championship and hosted Seattle Sounders FC in the final; Seattle won the match 5–4 on penalties following a goalless draw after extra time. On December 9, 2017, BMO Field hosted its second consecutive MLS Cup in 2017 : a rematch between Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders from the previous edition. This time, Toronto FC defeated Seattle 2–0, and became the first MLS team to complete
10150-412: The Machinery Hall. The new parabolic arch Dufferin Gate was built in 1959. On January 3, 1961, the Manufacturer's Building and the Women's Building (the one built prior to the Queen Elizabeth Building) were destroyed by fire. The buildings were replaced by the Better Living Centre, which came with a distinctive Mondrian -inspired ornament on its roof. In 1961, the Hall of Fame building opened north of
10295-414: The Manufacturers' building, which burned down in 1961. The new building replaced the exhibit space of the Manufacturers' Building and the General Exhibit Building. The CNE no longer uses the Better Living Centre for its original purpose of introducing consumers to the latest and greatest products during the CNE. Instead, it has been divided in two. One-half hosts the CNE Casino for the month of August, while
10440-605: The Music Building, which had closed due to structural problems, was gutted by fire. The 1907 exterior was restored and a new interior was built. In the 1990s, budget pressures on the City of Toronto led to a new emphasis on the self-sufficiency of Exhibition Place. It saw the tear-down of the permanent midway buildings and the Flyer roller coaster. The City planned to charge rent to the midway's operator, Conklin Shows, which chose to tear down
10585-658: The National Trade Centre, took over the location of the old TTC streetcar loop and CNE entrance and the open space vacant since the Electrical and Engineering Building was demolished. It is interconnected with the Coliseum and the Industry Building to the north to provide one large, configurable exhibition space. Home to the Toronto International Boat Show , the National Home Show, the One of A Kind Show, and
10730-480: The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Designed by architectural teams Zeidler Partnership Architects and Dunlop-Farrow Architects. During the exhibition, the building houses international product displays and animal shows. Varsity Stadium Varsity Stadium is an outdoor collegiate football stadium located in Toronto , Ontario , Canada. It is home to the Toronto Varsity Blues , the athletic teams of
10875-529: The Stanley Barracks), to be located to the west of the existing fort. To finance this, the military sold the eastern half of the reserve. In 1840–1841, they constructed a series of six limestone buildings and several smaller ones. The fort was surrounded by a wood fence as elaborate defensive works were never built. The fort was turned over to the Canadian military in 1870, which named it Stanley Barracks in 1893. The Provincial Agricultural Association and
11020-550: The University of Toronto's collegiate Canadian football team, the Varsity Blues . However it was, until the opening of Exhibition Stadium in 1959, the home of the Toronto Argonauts of what would become the Canadian Football League . Although it has not hosted a meaningful CFL game in almost half a century, it still holds the record for the number of times any stadium has hosted the Canadian professional football championship game,
11165-559: The agreement, military uses were permitted to continue until such time that replacement facilities were built. Included in this was Old Fort York, which the City committed to preserve. The building campaign saw the building of fifteen permanent buildings designed by architect G. W. Gouinlock from 1903 until 1912, including the surviving Press Building, Horticulture Building, Government Building , Music Building and Fire Hall / Police Station. The new buildings were elaborately designed and set in an attractively landscaped site. The 1903 exhibition
11310-531: The buildings instead and set up temporary rides each year for the CNE. The new National Trade Centre (now the Enercare Centre ) trade show building, planned since the 1971 plan, was built on the vacant Electrical Building site to host more and larger trade shows year-round. It incorporated the Coliseum and Annex buildings to create one large exhibit space. In 2003, the Coliseum (now the Coca-Cola Coliseum)
11455-591: The buildings to the west: the Better Living Centre (exhibition space), the Queen Elizabeth Building complex (theatre, exhibition and administration sections) and the Food Building. The BMO Field soccer stadium, built in 2007, is situated on the site of the 1947 Grandstand and the 1961 Halls of Fame building. South of BMO Field is a large open parking lot and midway area. The CNE plans to make the area
11600-421: The central block of the site, exhibited a new Modernist style of architecture. In 1946, the third Grandstand burned down. In its place was built the fourth Grandstand, a massive concrete construction and monumental cantilevered steel roof was a sharp contrast to the other buildings around it. The Modernist trend continued with the construction of other buildings and monuments typifying the modernist style including
11745-472: The city over the previous five years, to help ensure that the city recoups its investment. The new arrangement guaranteed the city $ 25.4 million, and with the projected $ 6 million in parking revenues the $ 31 million in revenue over the term of the lease would be $ 19 million more than under the former agreement. As manager of the stadium, MLSE gets any profit turned by the stadium, and is responsible for any losses. MLSE's management and naming rights agreement for
11890-542: The deal on April 3, and the agreement is planned to be finalized by June 15. The Provincial Minister of Tourism and Culture Michael Chan said that MLSE has submitted a funding request and that "we are looking at it", while the Federal Infrastructure Minister Denis Lebel 's spokesperson said that "the federal government has no program to fund professional sports facilities". A spokesperson for Lebel would later say "our government will not fund
12035-570: The end zone stands. The field of play dimensions are 74 yards (68 m) wide × 115 yards (105 m) long, meeting FIFA standards. The stadium features seats that are entirely red with the exception of a design on each of the main stands. On the east side the design is a large maple leaf, while on the lower west stand the design spells out "TORONTO" and has a portion of the Toronto FC logo. The south stand has "BMO" spelled out. On May 11, 2006, Major League Soccer announced that Toronto FC would join
12180-426: The expansion. MLSE argued that the new stadium would result in $ 8 million in economic benefits, including taxes, accruing to the province annually, and $ 18 million in taxes on the construction project. The company has agreed to pay a fixed annual rental fee of $ 865,000 to the city for the upgraded stadium, rather than the variable revenue sharing model under the present agreement which returned an average of $ 397,000 to
12325-452: The federal or provincial governments to fill the $ 20 million funding gap. The fall of the government of Ontario, with an election scheduled for June 12 , prevented them from approving their share of the funding. With deadlines approaching to start construction to ensure that the stadium was ready for the 2015 Pan-Am games, MLSE decided to move forward with the first phase of the renovation without first securing further funding commitments from
12470-545: The final, 18–9. The new Toronto Blizzard returned to Varsity in 1987 as part of the Canadian Soccer League but would move to the smaller Centennial Park Stadium as a cost-cutting move. They returned in 1993 as a member of the American Professional Soccer League but again were forced to move, this time to Lamport Stadium, again due to financial difficulties. Varsity Stadium continued to host
12615-515: The first Major League Lacrosse goal at BMO Field was scored by Merrick Thomson of the Toronto Nationals in a 15–11 win in their home opener on May 22, 2009. In Canadian football, the first Canadian Football League points scored at BMO Field was a Toronto Argonauts completed touchdown pass caught by Vidal Hazelton , thrown by Logan Kilgore , in a June 11, 2016 exhibition Argos win; final score 25–16. The first CFL regular season points scored at
12760-477: The games, the facility was configured to hold roughly 2,000 spectators per session. The facility also hosted the archery events of the 2015 Parapan American Games In addition to hosting several University of Toronto athletic programs, the stadium has also hosted several events including military, musical, and sporting games. The stadium has also been host to several concerts most notably the 1969 Toronto Rock and Roll Revival , which Rolling Stone once called
12905-409: The government. The revised plan proposed a $ 65 million addition of an upper east deck in the first phase, and $ 40 million addition of a canopy in the second phase. The lengthening of the field to make it CFL compatible and the infrastructure to allow for a temporary increase in seating capacity was postponed to a third phase costing $ 20–$ 25 million to be completed by May 1, 2017, pending a commitment by
13050-406: The governments or other parties to fund it and a usage agreement being reached with the Argos. MLSE agreed to pay the city an additional $ 160,000 annually for as long as phase 3 remains uncompleted to compensate the city for the envisioned parking revenues at Argos games. Leiweke pledged that if both levels of government funded the project "we're obligated to renovate the stadium for the CFL", but if
13195-534: The grandstand was demolished, open-air concerts during the CNE have been held at the Bandshell. The Blue Jays and Argos left the open-air Exhibition Stadium for the retractable roofed Skydome (now, the Rogers Centre) in 1989. By that time it was recognized that the building was beginning to visibly decay, and was little used in its final decade of existence. Though it was the earliest of the modernist-style buildings on
13340-525: The grounds, it was the only one not to become a historically listed building. It was finally demolished in 1999. In 2007, the open-air BMO Field soccer-specific stadium was constructed on the site of the former Exhibition Stadium and the Canada Sports Hall of Fame buildings. The Hall of Fame building had been vacated by the Hockey Hall of Fame and was demolished to make way for the stadium. The stadium
13485-485: The home base for the Toronto Argonauts football team, and later, to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team. Architect Bill Sanford designed the alterations for baseball in 1976. A stock car race held on the grounds marked a historical race; on July 18, 1958, Richard Petty made his NASCAR Grand National Series debut at Exhibition Stadium. In addition to sports, CNE Grandstand was the stage for many entertainers over
13630-469: The improved atmosphere and control of revenue streams. The Argonauts, CSA and MLSE agreed to partner to build a new 25,000-seat, $ 80 million Varsity Stadium at the University of Toronto . Aside from the committed government funding, $ 15 million was to come from the UofT, which would own the stadium, and a $ 30 million loan would be taken out by the university with the annual $ 2.1 million financing charges paid by
13775-683: The land and its facilities were turned over to the Department of National Defence as a training ground. The Graphic Arts Building housed Red Cross facilities, the Coliseum became the RCAF Manning Depot, the Horse Palace was used for barracks and the Automotive Building became the shore facility HMCS York for the Royal Canadian Navy. After World War II, the buildings were used as a demobilization centre. The CNE would resume again in 1947, as
13920-626: The last game ever contested in the original North American Soccer League was played at Varsity Stadium when the Chicago Sting defeated the Blizzard 3–2 to win the deciding game of 1984 Soccer Bowl Series. The NASL would fold before the start of the next season. In mid-1986, Varsity Stadium played host to the World Lacrosse Championships , a tournament featuring the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. The US defeated Canada in
14065-409: The latest models of various consumer goods, ranging from vacuum cleaners to kitchen appliances. The building's stark modernist architecture, made up of large white forms, a vast flat roof and harsh angles, suited its futurist themes. The building was designed by architects Marani, Morris and Allan and was opened by Toronto mayor Nathan Phillips on August 17, 1962. It was built on the former site of
14210-465: The league as its 13th (and first Canada-based) team in 2007, with BMO Field serving as its home. BMO Field originally used FieldTurf rather than a natural grass pitch, which attracted some criticism . A temporary grass turf was laid in August 2009 for a friendly against Real Madrid . Prior to the 2010 season Toronto City Council approved MLSE's request to convert the stadium to natural grass. MLSE paid
14355-523: The location was closer downtown or had better transit access and parking. When the City of Toronto was considering the construction of a permanent casino, the CNE was the site of several proposals. The aquarium was built next to the CN tower and the City chose not to build a permanent casino. Two new buildings have been added at Exhibition Place. In the north-west corner, the Toronto Raptors basketball team built
14500-475: The necessary conditions for phase three are not met by May 15, 2017, MLSE can pull out. The new proposal was approved by city council on June 12. It is thought that if the Liberals win the provincial election they will fund the project. The official groundbreaking took place on September 23. In April 2015, it was reported that the renovations were $ 10 million over budget due to pressure to meet deadlines, which MLSE
14645-623: The new OVO Athletic Centre (originally known as the Biosteel Centre) was completed in 2016 at the west end of Exhibition Place on parking lot lands. The facility is a practice facility for the Toronto Raptors National Basketball Association team. It has two basketball courts. The facility displaced some parkland, including a baseball diamond on the site used for a CNE tournament. One of the Modernist buildings on
14790-443: The new facility is much more open and visible from the streets overall. The new facilities are designed by Diamond and Schmitt Architects . Following the renovation, the Argonauts returned to the stadium, hosting their 2013 preseason game at their former home. Their 2014 and 2015 preseason home games were also scheduled for the stadium. For the 2015 Pan American Games the facility hosted archery between July 14 and 18. During
14935-604: The only building dating to the 1879 inaugural exhibition. There are two large fountains; the Princess Margaret Fountain and the Shrine Monument Fountain south of the Bandshell. To the west of Bandshell park, the former International Building site is now a parking lot, and there is a parking lot in the north-west corner of the site. The central block contains more recent 1950-1960s buildings, which are all replacements for earlier buildings, and are larger than
15080-410: The only two Canadian venues to host matches during the tournament. During the event, the stadium will be temporarily renamed to "Toronto Stadium" in accordance with FIFA's policy on corporate-sponsored names. The field will be supplemented by 17,756 temporary seats to bring its capacity to 45,736 for the event, to satisfy a FIFA requirement. On February 4, 2024, it was revealed that the stadium would host
15225-435: The opening match for Canada on June 12, 2026. In total, the stadium will host six matches, five in the group stage and one in the knockout rounds. BMO Field has hosted a number of friendly soccer matches. With the Argonauts moving to the renovated BMO Field beginning with the 2016 CFL season, the team was awarded on October 1, 2015, the right to host the 104th Grey Cup at the stadium on November 27, 2016. On June 11, 2016,
15370-469: The original 1913 music bandstand was built on the site of the original in the park north of the Horticulture Building. North of the park a new structure designed to resemble the 1870s-era exhibition buildings was added. The buildings host mostly children's activities during the CNE. The park was renamed Centennial Square and is also used for corporate picnics. In 1986, the streets were turned into
15515-424: The other half is the "Farm, Food and Fun" pavilion during the CNE. The building is used at other times of the year for special events. It hosts an indoor amusement park during March Break and a Hallowe'en exhibit "Screamers" during the month of October. The Enercare Centre (1997), along Princes' Boulevard, has seven exhibit halls with 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m ) of space. The new building, first known as
15660-429: The proposed expansion could become permanent. Toronto FC played their first game at BMO Field on April 28, 2007. The grand opening celebration took place on May 12, 2007. On July 18, 2009, BMO Field had its first alcohol suspension, due to an incident that occurred on May 21, 2008, regarding alcohol consumption by a minor . The 2008 MLS All-Star Game was held at BMO Field on July 24, 2008, versus West Ham United of
15805-587: The remaining four stone buildings were demolished for parking, leaving only the Officers' Quarters. In 1955, the Quarters found its first CNE use, for Sports Hall of Fame exhibits before being turned into a year-round Maritime Museum in 1959. A new phase of building construction followed, replacing buildings destroyed by fire, demolished for the Gardiner Expressway, or needed expansions. The new buildings, mostly in
15950-472: The reopening ceremony it was announced that the province of Ontario had contributed $ 10 million to the financing. After the renovations, the field for configuration for football has only 18 yard end zones (instead of the standard 20 yards) due to space constraints and the necessity of a safety zone for players beyond the field of play. In April 2019, MLSE converted the field to a hybrid grass surface. In August 2017, Toronto FC II , which hosted their games at
16095-475: The reserve was taken over for exhibition purposes, including a horse track and grandstand, and exhibit buildings. In 1902, after the Government of Canada announced it would sponsor the exhibition at the site in 1903, the Toronto City Council decided to rebuild the exhibition site. In 1903, the Government of Canada reached an agreement to transfer the remaining military reserve to the City of Toronto. Under
16240-431: The roof added by May 1, 2016, for $ 43 million. Leiweke in the past had said that even without an expansion the stadium needed $ 30 million in repairs, and that the original agreement called for the city and MLSE to split that bill equally. Instead, MLSE looked for $ 10 million in public funding from each of the municipal, provincial, and federal governments to top up their $ 90 million contribution, plus any cost overruns, for
16385-402: The second most important event in rock & roll history. This concert led to the production of a documentary, Sweet Toronto , as well as John Lennon 's Live Peace In Toronto album. Performers included: The Doors , Plastic Ono Band , Bo Diddley , Chicago Transit Authority (later renamed "Chicago"), Tony Joe White , Alice Cooper , Jerry Lee Lewis , Chuck Berry , Cat Mother &
16530-502: The site (the Fire Hall/Police Station, Government Building , Horticulture Building , Music Building and Press Building), were designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1988. The grounds have seen a mix of protection for heritage buildings along with new development. The site was originally set aside for military purposes and gradually given over to exhibition purposes. One military building remains. Exhibition Place
16675-422: The site, the original purpose of the Better Living Centre was to introduce new ranges of consumer goods to the baby boomer generation, making it a "space of encounter between consumer and product". For many people attending the CNE, the building hosted their first encounters with such technologies as colour television , transistor radios or home computers . It also became the place where people would expect to see
16820-406: The south side stands, which would add an additional 8,400 seats, for approximately $ 15 million. Following Tim Leiweke taking over as president of MLSE in June 2013, he began discussing the company's plans for a major renovation of the stadium. In early January 2014, Leiweke said that next six months would be spent consulting with experts to determine the feasibility of the project. As the stadium
16965-688: The south, a new master plan for the Exhibition site was developed in 1971. The 1971 Master Plan was radical, calling for the demolition of many pre-World War II buildings, new Modernist buildings, and a massive central public space with a reflecting pool and fountains on the site of Exhibition Stadium, which was to be relocated. The plan proposed the demolition of the Fire Station, Art Gallery, General Exhibits Building, Railways Building, Government Building, Ontario Government Building, Automotive Building, Transportation Building, Band Shell, Grandstand, Shell Tower and
17110-532: The south. It was burned by its garrison in 1759 after other French posts fell to the British on Lake Ontario. When the Town of York , the predecessor of Toronto, was inaugurated in the 1790s, the land to the east and west of the garrison (later Fort York ) was reserved for military purposes. This includes all of today's Exhibition Place. Years later, the British military decided to replace Fort York with New Fort York (later
17255-495: The stadium was a conceded safety touch of 2 points by Canadian Argos kicker / punter Lirim Hajrullahu in a 20–42 loss on June 23. The first regular season points scored by the Argos at BMO Field was a successful field goal kicked by Hajrullahu in the same game. On July 25, the Argonauts won their first regular season game at their new home, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 30–17. The largest attendance for any event at
17400-552: The stadium was expanded beyond its permanent capacity. Notes: One Toronto FC home match played at BMO Field before season postponed, moved, and condensed , due to COVID-19 pandemic . Limited capacity for regular season home matches after Match 13 due to COVID-19 pandemic. Notes: 104th Grey Cup game between the Ottawa Redblacks and Calgary Stampeders . Limited capacity for all regular season games due to COVID-19 pandemic. Exhibition Place Exhibition Place
17545-714: The stadium was recorded on January 1, 2017, when the Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL Centennial Classic in front of 40,148 people. The largest attendance for a Major League Soccer game was on December 10, 2016, when Toronto FC hosted the Seattle Sounders FC in the 2016 MLS Cup in front of 36,045. The largest attendance for a Canadian Football League game was the 104th Grey Cup played before 33,421 on November 27, 2016. For all three games, which were played within five weeks of each other,
17690-500: The stadium were being held up by temporary repairs, and the future integrity of the structure was in question. The field and track were retained after the demolition. During the demolition and re-building of the site Toronto Varsity Blues relocated to Birchmount Stadium in Scarborough . From 2003 through 2005, temporary seating of about 1,500 was installed to permit the use of the field for intercollegiate games. The name Varsity Field
17835-459: The stadium, which was set to expire in 2027, were extended by 10 years under the proposal. The agreement requires MLSE to reach a "long-term use (i.e. 20 years)" lease with the Toronto Argonauts for usage of the stadium starting in 2015. The proposed renovations were unanimously approved by the Board of Governors of Exhibition Place on March 7, and the City of Toronto's Executive Committee gave their consent on March 19. The full City Council approved
17980-428: The stadium. BMO Field is the fifth stadium to be built at its exact location at Exhibition Place . The most recent was Exhibition Stadium , which lost its two primary tenants, the Argonauts and the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB), with the 1989 opening of SkyDome (now Rogers Centre ). Exhibition Stadium was demolished in 1999. A number of proposals to build a stadium in Toronto were considered in
18125-493: The stadium. The first Toronto FC goal scored by a Canadian at BMO Field was in a June 25, 2007 friendly against Aston Villa of the English Premier League. Andrea Lombardo scored an equalizer at BMO Field's south end to make it 2–2 before Aston Villa ran out 4–2 winners. The first league goal at BMO Field scored by a Canadian came when Miguel Cañizalez scored for Toronto FC in the second minute of their 2–1 defeat to
18270-421: The stadium. MLSE contributed $ 8 million towards construction costs and was responsible for any cost overruns. In return, they got the management rights for the stadium. MLSE committed to purchase a MLS soccer team to play in the stadium. The remaining funds came from MLSE, which paid $ 10 million for the naming rights of the stadium for the duration of the 20-year management agreement, which they later resold to
18415-666: The team has played at the venue regularly. During the 2015 Pan American Games , BMO Field hosted the rugby sevens competition (soccer events took place at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton ). Due to PASO sponsorship regulations, the venue was referred to as "Exhibition Stadium" during the event. In 2009, the Toronto Nationals of Major League Lacrosse began playing their home games at BMO Field. The team moved to Lamport Stadium for 2010 and to Hamilton in 2011 before folding in 2013. On January 1, 2017, BMO Field hosted an NHL outdoor game,
18560-567: The time of its demolition, Varsity Stadium was the second largest capacity stadium in Canada with a grass field, after Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta (however, that stadium has since switched to an artificial playing surface). The stadium opened in 2007. Facilities and features built in the first phase of the stadium's reconstruction include an IAAF Class II 400m eight-lane track, artificial field turf (FIFA 2 Star rated surface by Polytan), and
18705-415: The turf to allow for the grass roots to intertwine with them to strengthen the pitch, was originally under consideration, but concerns that this would complicate repairs to the pitch led MLSE to decide against it. A $ 1 million subsurface heating system and a $ 1 million artificial lighting system were installed to encourage grass growth, and MLSE secured an exemption to use pesticides on the field. Portions of
18850-433: The upgrades, which were originally budgeted for $ 115–120 million, added a new upper deck on the east side, raising capacity from 21,566 seats to 30,000 for soccer, with 26,500 seats in CFL configuration, and is temporarily expandable with additional end zone seating to 40,000 for big events such as the rugby sevens at the 2015 Pan-Am games, NHL outdoor games , Grey Cup , MLS Cup , possible 2028 Summer Olympics or later or
18995-408: The venue was referred to as the " National Soccer Stadium " during the event. BMO Field hosted the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup . Canada played in Toronto for the first two match days, with Korea DPR, Finland, and Ghana in their group. National Soccer Stadium also hosted a quarterfinal match on August 16. BMO Field is set to host several matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup , making it one of
19140-482: The years. Famous comedians who were featured there included Bob Hope , Victor Borge , and Bill Cosby . Similarly, many well-known musical acts made an appearance at the venue, ranging from Duke Ellington , Guy Lombardo , Benny Goodman , The Beach Boys (appearing there 11 times between 1974 and 1990), The Monkees , Sonny & Cher , to Melissa Etheridge , The Who , Simon & Garfunkel , Sinéad O'Connor , Billy Idol , Nine Inch Nails and Tina Turner . After
19285-549: The years. Most are used for other purposes throughout the year. The west end of the grounds is the original site of exhibitions and the oldest buildings are located here. There are five purpose-built fair buildings designed by architect G. W. Gouinlock: the Horticulture Building, built in 1907; the Government Building, built in 1912; the Music Building, built in 1907; the Administration Building, built in 1905; and
19430-537: Was also the last game played by the original NASL). It is located next to Varsity Arena . Athletic teams of the University of Toronto have used the site as an athletic ground since 1898. In 1911, the university opened Varsity Stadium. Canadian sprinter Percy Williams set a world record in the 100 metres with a time of 10.3 seconds at Varsity Stadium during the Canadian Track and Field Championships in 1930. Varsity Stadium has for its entire history been host to
19575-581: Was built to host Toronto FC , the Major League Soccer (MLS) team as well as the Canadian national soccer team . Capacity is approximately 31,000 people. It opened on April 28, 2007, the start of the 2007 MLS season. Under the FIFA-sanctioned name "National Soccer Stadium", it was the center-piece venue for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup . It was expanded for the 2015 season and had a new roof installed for
19720-405: Was demolished and not replaced, the site left vacant and has since used mostly as a parking lot. The 1971 plan was abandoned after Exhibition Stadium was redeveloped and enlarged to host Major League Baseball in 1977. The site officially became Exhibition Place, partly in recognition that very little of the site was retained as parklands. In 1978, to celebrate the centenary of the fair, a copy of
19865-573: Was held on the grounds. When Ottawa was chosen to host the 1879 fair, Toronto decided to hold its own fair. First called the Toronto Industrial Exhibition, it was held in the Crystal Palace and temporary buildings. At first, the eastern part of the site was still reserved for military purposes, the exhibition held on the western part of the reserve, where many of the oldest exhibit buildings are located. As time went by, more and more of
20010-519: Was performed by the progressive rock group Genesis on September 7, 2007. The first goal at BMO Field was scored by Eddie Johnson for the Kansas City Wizards in a 1–0 Major League Soccer win over home side Toronto FC in the stadium opener on April 28, 2007. The first Toronto FC goal at the stadium was Danny Dichio 's first-half strike against Chicago Fire on May 12, 2007 (also his club's first MLS goal). The first goal at BMO Field scored by
20155-661: Was rebuilt and expanded to provide a home for professional ice hockey. It is currently the home of the Toronto Marlies team from October to April each year. The trend to utilize the grounds year-round to cover the grounds' expense, continued with the rental of the Arts & Crafts Building to the Medieval Times theatre company, the Ontario Government Building was rented to become event space known as "Liberty Grand", and
20300-458: Was recently expanded, and adapted to allow it to host the Canadian Football League 's Toronto Argonauts . In July 2015, Exhibition Place was the site of sporting venues for the 2015 Pan American Games. The collection of sites was referred to as "CIBC Pan Am Park" and each building was given a venue name. The Enercare Centre and Coliseum buildings were used for indoor sports, temporary facilities for beach volleyball were built south of BMO Field and
20445-550: Was the first known as the Canadian National Exhibition. The five remaining buildings were declared a historic site in 1988. Several of the older buildings were lost to fire during this time, including the first Grandstand and the Crystal Palace (known as the Transportation Building) in 1906. In 1910, the Dufferin Gates was replaced with a more elaborate arch and out-buildings on each side. During World War I ,
20590-414: Was the first of what would prove to be several Modernist buildings built on the CNE grounds, its distinctive and bold cantilevered truss roof dominating the grounds for over 50 years. It initially housed 22,000 people, but was expanded over the years to a maximum of 54,000 in order to accommodate the additional seating required for major professional sports teams who made CNE Grandstand their home. It became
20735-459: Was used as part of the NHL's bubble in Toronto for the Eastern Conference teams in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs . BMO Field has been selected as a venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The city of Toronto has agreed to invest $ 37 million for updates to the stadium, including the temporary expansion of seating capacity to 45,000. However, there are discussion with MLSE about whether parts of
20880-399: Was used from 2002 to 2006 during the period when the old stadium was demolished and the new stadium was being built. A plan to build a new 25,000 seat multi-purpose stadium on the site in 2005 was voted down by the governing council of the University of Toronto due to concerns over its cost. The facility was then planned to be built on the grounds of York University but that too failed. At
21025-463: Was vacant until 2007, when the new BMO Field soccer stadium, a public-private partnership, was built on the site to bring Major League Soccer to Toronto. The new soccer stadium also meant the end of the Hall of Fame building. The Hockey Hall of Fame had vacated earlier for downtown Toronto. A portion of the Hall of Fame façade was retained as one of the entrances to the new stadium. As a demonstration project,
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