We’re just weeks away from the official opening date for Rogers Stadium, a massive open-air — and temporary — music venue that is set to host some of Toronto’s biggest concerts this summer, including highly anticipated shows from Oasis and K-pop supergroup Blackpink.
The 50,000-seat colossus — not to be confused with Rogers Centre (the downtown baseball stadium that also hosts dozens of live music events) — under construction at the former site of Downsview Airport will kick the summer concert season off with the Korean boy band Stray Kids on June 29. The stadium will host a total of 14 concerts between June and September.
On social media, eager music fans are circulating images of the sprawling site in North York, which remains under construction as of early June.
Built on a former landing strip just east of Downsview Park, not far from the Toronto FC training site, the mega-facility doesn’t provide much to look at right now: dozens of large white tents have been erected, along with a series of towering blue bleachers forming a large horseshoe shape. The site is filled with large trucks and plenty of equipment, but there does not appear to be a stage as of writing.
The state of the site has lead some music fans to speculate that the mega-venue might not be ready in time for the first show. However, in an email to the Star, a representative for Live Nation Canada said that the build was “on track for our opening on June 29.”
Others music fans raised questions about how to get to the stadium, noting the site’s somewhat remote location. Live Nation Canada’s spokesperson confirmed that the site has no public parking but is accessible via public transit or ride share. The venue also has a “Pick-Up & Drop-Off” area located on the south end of the Downsview Runway.
“We strongly encourage taking public transit or ride-share options,” the spokesperson said. “Downsview Park Station is recommended for the closest and most convenient access, though Sheppard West and Wilson Stations are also nearby alternatives.”
According to Google, Downsview station is about a 25-minute walk from the venue.
Rogers Stadium and Live Nation Canada have not shared any photos of the venue yet, but a rendering was posted on Instagram in May.
What do we know about Rogers Stadium?
Live Nation Canada first announced its plans for Rogers Stadium last September, an ambitious project launched in response to a massive surge in demand for live entertainment in Toronto.
Rogers Stadium, its important to note, will be temporary. The venue plans to host 12 to 15 events annually for the next five years. After that, the site’s developer, Northcrest Developments, plans to transform the 44-acre industrial lot into a new residential neighbourhood.
In an interview with the Star, Northcrest CEO Derek Goring noted that its plans for residential development will take “many years to materialize,” adding that “we didn’t want the land to just sit there empty while that’s happening.”
The stadium, which will be entirely financed by private funds, will provide a “unique concert experience,” according to Live Nation Canada, and will also feature an open-air concourse offering “elevated” food and beverage offerings.
Following the announcement, many raised concerns that such an ambitious project could not be built in nine months. However, experts note that the temporary nature of the site makes construction far quicker: “It’s not a stadium, really,” Will Galloway, an assistant professor of architectural science at Toronto Metropolitan University told the Star last year. “It’s just benches.”
What shows are being held at Rogers Stadium this year?
K-pop boy band Stray Kids will have the honour of kicking off the summer season at Rogers Stadium on June 29.
Following that, British rock band Coldplay will perform four times between July 7 and July 12 as part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour. They’ll have support from Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna and Nigerian artist Ayra Starr. If you’re doing the math, that’s about 200,000 Coldplay fans descending into North York over a six-day period.
Next up will be Blackpink, widely considered the biggest girl group in the world, who will play back-to-back shows on July 22 and July 23.
After a short break, R&B singer Chris Brown is set to perform with Summer Walker and Bryson Tiller on Aug. 19 and Aug. 20. Brown’s tour was briefly thrown into question after he was arrested in the U.K. over allegations that he beat a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023. In May, Brown was released on 5 million-pound ($6.7 million) bail, allowing him to start his tour.
Britpop legends Oasis will hit the stage on Aug. 24 and Aug. 25 for their long-awaited reunion tour, so long as the notoriously drama-attracting Gallagher brothers don’t reignite their feud before then.
On Sept. 3 and Sept. 5, Rogers Stadium will host a mini nu-metal festival headlined by System of a Down and Deftones.
And finally, to close the inaugural season, Irish rock artist Hozier will perform a single show on Sept. 10.
With files from Joshua Chong and Nathan Bawaan
