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Originally posted @ http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/blog/post/1065317 Roderick Robbie, the designer of SkyDome, died Wednesday at the age of 83. The British-born architect immigrated to Canada in 1956. In the 1980s, Robbie teamed with engineer Michael Allen to submit a bid to design a new Toronto stadium. The duo eventually won the competition partly because their design had the largest roof opening of all the finalists. Robbie is also known for the inventive Katimavik Canadian Pavilion at Expo '67 and consulting on the design for OCAD's Sharp Centre for Design. His passing makes us consider, and recognize, the mark he's made on Canada. But for many, the news invokes feelings of agitation over the "Concrete Mausoleum". I have been a steady critic of the dome. Sure, the other side always has the most beautiful green grass —but the truth is that there are better places to watch a baseball game. Mop-Up Duty has a long and comprehensive review of the positive and negatives of the dome. Most confusingly, something that still remains a hot-button issue for many, is the name. In 2004, Rogers rebranded the SkyDome, along with plans to update and upgrade several of its features. Changing the name from SkyDome to the corporate moniker of Rogers struck a cord. But why? The same people who forever tearfully beg the company to spend more money on the baseball team are quick to call Greed! on Rogers for the change. On the CBC.ca article about Robbie's death, one commenter says, "I will never call the SkyDome ANYTHING but the SkyDome. To hell with the rogers centre." The comment has 106 "Thumbs up", and two "Thumbs Down". Do people have such affection for the name SkyDome? The name comes from a province-wide "name that stadium' contest in 1987. More than 2,000 Ontarians suggested the obvious SkyDome. A winner was eventually chosen by draw, giving Kellie Watson of Wallaceburg, Ont., credit for name. Rogers Centre is hardly the only MLB park to sell its naming rights. Rogers, the name of the communications giant, is completely inoffensive as a name. It is infinitely more acceptable then Minute Maid Park or U.S. Cellular Field. It could have more to do with how the dome came to be the Rogers Centre. The SkyDome original opened in 1989 after about three years of construction. Construction costs were approximately $570 million — or about $914 million in 2012 dollars. It was mostly funded by taxpayers, split between the federal and provincial governments and the City of Toronto. Taxpayer-funded sports facilities are an awkward subject. Just ask Jeffrey Loria. When Rogers bought the stadium in 2004, they joined the other 29 baseball teams who operate their own stadiums. It gave the team better access to stadium revenues from parking, concessions, etc. It also gave them better overall control of the product — as a fan, that is a good thing. But they paid U.S.-based Sportsco International a paltry $25 million for the SkyDome. As taxpayers, does this purchase makes us feel collectively fleeced? It's hard to imagine why else somebody would feel such contention for the name of a building. If they changed the team name to Rogers, you would see some angry blogging, but otherwise? "Refuse to call stadiums by the names of arbitrary, greedy rich people or corporations unless it's a true homage."

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