They have been around for centuries. Used to build churches, mosques, and big
buildings. Now they're making a comeback in the modern day entertainment industry.
Welcome to the era of the domed stadium. Have these domes really improved the quality
of entertainment that much? Before the times of the domed stadiums, snow, rain, and
cold weather often caused the games to be postponed or cancelled. The people in the
entertainment industry knew they needed a big building able to host big sports events that
can be enjoyed by all. If they created such a big building then there would have to be
pillars in the middle of the field holding it up, which would affect game play. Thus
came the idea of the domed sports stadium. When the architects Rod Robbie and Michael
Allen were designing the Skydome, they knew it had to be something unique. Buck
Martinez told them that the baseball players enjoyed playing outdoors more than indoors,
and he gave them the idea of the a retractable stadium1. Then they had to go to work to
figure out how to make this retactable stadium. They tried all sorts of ways and couldn't
find anything that worked. One day at a restaurant they realized how a lobster's shell
folds underneath each piece and their idea for this retractable stadium was born2. It would
be called the Skydome. The construction started in April 1986 and after three years
our new stadium was a reality on June 5 1989, The Skydome. After it was built the total
cost came to just under 600 million dollars. It was funded by the government, the
Canadian breweries, and several other private companies. Its capacity is 53,000 people.
The Skydome was a revolution in sports stadiums, the players could enjoy the sun and
when needed, be shielded from the rain.
The entertainment at the Skydome is quite incredible. It is so versatile and allows
you to watch baseball, football, concerts, and var...