This $270 000 000 arena is supposely the nicest and most modern in North America. It's located right in the heart of downtown Toronto, just down the road from the Skydome.

Capacity - 18 800
Opened - 1999

http://www.hockeyarenas.com/tor5.JPG
http://www.ja-vichy.com/images/concours/toronto.jpg
group.com/louvers/images/Variation1.jpg
http://www.theaircanadacentre.com/images/albums/album107/photo135-774.jpg
http://p.vtourist.com/241002-Air_Canada_Centre-Toronto.jpg

I was there last summer. Doesn't look like a stadium from the outside. Nice enough and great facilities, but doesn't do anything for me. Same goes for most arenas.

This $270 000 000 arena is supposely the nicest and most modern in North America.

Huh?

It is quite a place, I watched Mats Sundin score two goals while I was taking a wizz a few years back. The box seats are also top notch.

Huh?

Whatever you want to say.

I guess you don't understand the english language unless it is made terribly simple.

$270 000 000 - as in the cost. price of the arena when it was built.

"Supposely the nicest and most modern in North America"

mean even though it's not a fact, most people who know anything about North American arenas would tell you the nicest would be Air Canada Center in Toronto.

It is a fact however, that the ACC is the #1 TV/Media arena in the NHL, hence the world 'modern'

I hope this makes sense to you now. If not just go ask you mom, I'm sure she can help you

I've been there once, saw a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, 2 1/2 years ago. Haven't been back since. Nice arena, though. I did a rate the arena thread like this too for the Air Canada Centre, but it's gone now. It's too expensive to see games there. I'd rather see them at "The Joe" in Detroit or HSBC Arena in Buffalo. :)

I'll give it a 7.5/10 this time. I gave it a 6 the other time.

I do like it for having a backdrop of the Toronto skyline.

Here's the new western facade of the Air Canada Centre. It's been expanded to make way for a new pedestrian walkway connecting a massive condo tower being built across the street with the arena, and on to Union Station. It's Toronto's largest arena and home to the Toronto Raptors of the NBA and the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. First a shot taken from a distance and then a close up. They are getting close to installation of the new video screen.

March 21st
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3566/3372969493_65915aa284_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3617/3373785560_315fdae212_b.jpg
Courtesy of Silence&Motion at urbantoronto


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=730966&page=50

$65m PATH expansion raises hopes; 'Perhaps we can get all the way up to Bloor'
9 June 2009
National Post

Commuters pour off the subways, GO trains and buses before pressing north, past the Union Station hot dog vendors wiping down their metal carts, toward the glass towers along Bay Street and University Avenue.

It's shortly after 8 a. m. and the sidewalks aren't wide enough to support the crush of commuters during peak hours, so when many commuters get off the subway they stay deep underground in the 27-kilometre maze of tunnels known as the PATH.

The city has plans to ease this commuter congestion by extending the PATH from Union Station under York Street to Wellington Street. The $65-million project is funded by the city and the province, and is just one of multiple expansions that will extend the PATH south toward Lakeshore Boulevard and north toward College Park in coming years.

City planners hope the York Street PATH extension will be complete by 2012, but the beginnings of the tunnel system date back to 1900 when T. Eaton Co. joined its main store on Yonge Street to its bargain annex. More than a century later, the tunnels snake for 27 km of retail-lined space underground, connecting buildings from Front Street past Dundas Square. Eventually, the PATH could expand as far south as Queens Quay and as far north as Bloor Street, according to Pam McConnell, the councillor for Toronto Centre-Rosedale.

Expanding the underground pathway comes with some growing pains. The city doesn't get provincial or federal funding for the PATH. While the city and the province are fronting money for the York Street extension, most new PATH expansions are only possible by partnering with private developments. "We're trying to use each and every development in this grid as an opportunity," Ms. McConnell said.

This might mean developers are required to put a knock-out wall along potential PATH expansion zones, instead of a concrete one. The city has say over who can connect to the PATH and provides the signs and maps to help pedestrians navigate the tunnels. Once a building is connected, the walkway space is owned by the private building owner above it.

The decision to expand along with new private developments means the PATH follows the buildings above, rather than the street grid. This can be confusing to tourists and other PATH rookies.

"For first-time users it's a little disorienting, but once you're down here, you get the hang of it," said Manos Sigalas who works in the Royal Bank Plaza and uses the PATH for daily coffee runs.

Although the city views each new development as a potential for PATH expansion, new sections must be able to support retail, such as coffee shops, food courts and doctors offices, said James Parakh, a senior urban designer with the city.

"We don't want it to be just a series of tunnels," he said.

Mr. Parakh said the PATH is unlikely to expand further west toward Spadina Avenue, where there is more residential housing. As the PATH continues its slow expansion, Larry Bourne, a University of Toronto geography professor and Cities Centre interim director, said the city needs to find a balance between future development below ground and vibrancy on downtown streets. "Visitors I take downtown to King and Bay are amazed that there is no retailing," Prof. Bourne said. "They ask, 'Where is it? Is it all in the suburbs?' That's an example of where everything is just sucked downstairs."

Mr. Parakh said the city always prioritizes development above the PATH, to ensure the surface is pedestrian-friendly. "It provides an alternative pedestrian route," Mr. Parakh said. "You can use it, or not use it."

While the city beautifies the space above ground, the heated-in-winter and air-conditioned-in-summer PATH will spread south and north toward towering new developments.

Next year, a new section of the PATH will connect the Air Canada Centre to a 50-storey retail and condo building called Maple Leaf Square. Eventually, four other future high-rises near York Street and Lakeshore Boulevard will join.

Ms. McConnell said she hopes this southern development is the beginning of a push that will take the tunnels south across Lakeshore Boulevard all the way down to Queens Quay and the waterfront.

Plans for expansion north of Dundas Street are longer term, but the 75-storey Aura condo development near College Park at Gerrard Street was required to put a knockout wall along Gerrard Street, said Raz Dhanji, vice-president of sales and marketing for Canderel Stoneridge. "It's part of what the city wants as part of our overall approval process," Mr. Dhanji said.

Mr. Dhanji said the Aura building will be complete in 2012, but the PATH will not connect to it until a still-unconfirmed later date.

If the PATH connects to the Aura building, it will then be connected all the way to the College Park subway station.

Ms. McConnell said there is also potential to connect the PATH to the four hospitals in the area and beyond.

"Perhaps even, in the very far future, we can get all the way up to Bloor," Ms. Mc-Connell said.

mean even though it's not a fact, most people who know anything about North American arenas would tell you the nicest would be Air Canada Center in Toronto.



HUH?

I can think of 20 arenas better than that bland arena

^ I agree, the ACC is lackluster. I even prefer HSBC in Buffalo

Guys, can you explain me why in Canada durning basketball or hockey match everybody is singing "Oh Canada" with a performer unlike in the United States where a performer usually sings the Star-Spangled Banner alone.It is a bit strange for me.

Guys, can you explain me why in Canada durning basketball or hockey match everybody is singing "Oh Canada" with a performer unlike in the United States where a performer usually sings the Star-Spangled Banner alone.It is a bit strange for me.

I'm not sure I understand the question. Both are sung here, but being in America the fans sing the Star Spangled Banner much louder than Oh Canada. But that's just because there are more Americans in the crowd than Canadians.

Guys, can you explain me why in Canada durning basketball or hockey match everybody is singing "Oh Canada" with a performer unlike in the United States where a performer usually sings the Star-Spangled Banner alone.It is a bit strange for me.


...Obviously...emm..Why would the canadians sing the Star-Spangled Banner, which is the United State anthem...And why would the americans sing Oh Canada?

I mean that Canadians sing loudly their anthem ("Oh Canada") unlike Americans because don't sing loudly their national athemn - "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Canadians sing their national anthemn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meLpuF9UMvk&feature=fvst
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVCCzr6PlLQ&feature=related

In the United States a performer of "The Star-Spangled Banner" usually sings alone.

I mean that Canadians sing loudly their anthem ("Oh Canada") unlike Americans because don't sing loudly their national athemn - "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Canadians sing their national anthemn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meLpuF9UMvk&feature=fvst
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVCCzr6PlLQ&feature=related

In the United States a performer of "The Star-Spangled Banner" usually sings alone.

its out of respect usually. We just do things differently.

HUH?

I can think of 20 arenas better than that bland arena

^ I agree, the ACC is lackluster. I even prefer HSBC in Buffalo
I was kinda disappointed they didn't incorporate elements of the old Maple Leaf Gardens, which still stands today.
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/3852/dscf7270gxw2.jpg

The east side is much nicer than the west side, but in any case, that area is going to be hugely popular once Maple Leaf Square is finished.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/190/467878431_3df49e2f1d.jpg

http://thesportsroadtrip.wnymedia.net/blogs/files/2009/03/tor_7093.jpg

http://www.boldts.net/photos/TorBb.3.jpeg

I mean that Canadians sing loudly their anthem ("Oh Canada") unlike Americans because don't sing loudly their national athemn - "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Canadians sing their national anthemn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meLpuF9UMvk&feature=fvst
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVCCzr6PlLQ&feature=related

In the United States a performer of "The Star-Spangled Banner" usually sings alone.

And I'm telling you you're wrong.

its out of respect usually. We just do things differently.

one country being respectful and the other not? apologies if i misread this

one country being respectful and the other not? apologies if i misread this

well, to some countries its tradition to sing along, thats how they show respect.

In others its considered respectful to remain silent to honor the flag.

nice

I sing along to the Star Spangled Banner!

One of the great things about the Air Canada Center is its small footprint and excellent sight lines for basketball. The seats on the ends in the lower tier are very steep in hockey mode and fully telescope forward for basketball. It's a much more basketball friendly set-up than I've seen in several other new arenas like Boston's, Philly's, the Staples Center and Washington just to name a few. Although by far the best arenas for basketball are Conseco and Utah's arena (whatever corporate name it has now). These are basketball specific.

One of the great things about the Air Canada Center is its small footprint and excellent sight lines for basketball. The seats on the ends in the lower tier are very steep in hockey mode and fully telescope forward for basketball. It's a much more basketball friendly set-up than I've seen in several other new arenas like Boston's, Philly's, the Staples Center and Washington just to name a few. Although by far the best arenas for basketball are Conseco and Utah's arena (whatever corporate name it has now). These are basketball specific.

I think the arena in Sacramento has nice sightlines for basketball as well. I forgot what its called but whenever they show their games on TV, I always notice how the seats wrap around the edges of the court rather than a bit further. That is good because the people sitting in those seats are facing the court where as in ACC, the people sitting in the extreme edge before the seats start curving are facing the crowd members straight ahead.

Good catch. Sacramento's another basketball-specific arena with excellent views.

Wow, looks like a good basketball arena ;)

One of the great things about the Air Canada Center is its small footprint and excellent sight lines for basketball. The seats on the ends in the lower tier are very steep in hockey mode and fully telescope forward for basketball. It's a much more basketball friendly set-up than I've seen in several other new arenas like Boston's, Philly's, the Staples Center and Washington just to name a few. Although by far the best arenas for basketball are Conseco and Utah's arena (whatever corporate name it has now). These are basketball specific.
Agree with everything.

I also like that only a single tier of suites separates the lower bowl from the upper.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Raptors_0607.JPG/800px-Raptors_0607.JPG

I think the arena in Sacramento has nice sightlines for basketball as well. I forgot what its called but whenever they show their games on TV, I always notice how the seats wrap around the edges of the court rather than a bit further.


Oh, you mean ARCO Arena.

http://basketball.ballparks.com/NBA/SacramentoKings/interior.jpg

(From Ballparks.com)

As for the "best", that's just a matter of opinion (as least from what I know and heard) and it's not really worth arguing too seriously about. It does look like a nice joint and at least it's a better place for the Raptors to play in rather than the arena I'll always know as the Skydome.

http://www.htheuner.de/Bilder/Skydome_Raptors.jpg

(From German personal website htheuner.de)

any good as a hockey arena? lol