Toronto's 50,000-seat Rogers Stadium has sustained significant damage as a severe thunderstorms rolled through southern Ontario.
The venue was left in ruins just ahead of a forthcoming Sept. 16 performance by AC/DC as part of the band's Thunderstruck tour. ”
Rogers Stadium, just north of Toronto, sustained major damage to its outdoor seating after radar-estimated winds topping 80 mph blasted North York, where structural damage was reported.
According to The Star, 80 mph straight-line winds and torrential rains left several sections of the north seating area torn apart, with the blue seats flipped over and fencing strewn around the stadium. The scaffolding of the bleachers had been pushed by the winds, causing it to fracture.
“We are currently assessing the extent of the damage and will provide further information as it becomes available,” Live Nation said in a statement on Wednesday night.
“As always, the safety of our employees and on-site contractors is our top priority. Fortunately, no one was injured during today’s extreme weather event.”
The venue has been the subject of noise complaints, traffic gridlock and crowd bottlenecks, though some improvements were made when it reopened earlier this spring.
Last summer, some concertgoers raised concerns about safety when they noticed the bleachers were swaying with the crowd. A Live Nation spokesperson told the Star at the time they were designed to flex and absorb crowd energy, using the same proven system as Super Bowl and North American Formula 1 events.
