Mosaic Stadium

Mosaic Stadium is a large outdoor stadium located in the REAL District in Regina, Saskatchewan. It officially opened in 2016 and became the new home for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, a team in the Canadian Football League. The stadium was built to replace the old Taylor Field and was designed by the companies HKS, Inc. and B+H.

Before the Roughriders started using it, the stadium had its first big event—a university football game between the Regina Rams and the Saskatchewan Huskies on October 1, 2016. Later, it hosted important games like the 2019 NHL Heritage Classic and the 109th Grey Cup in 2022. The city of Regina owns the stadium, and it is managed by the Regina Exhibition Association Ltd.

History

On July 12, 2012, the leader of Saskatchewan and the mayor of Regina announced plans for a new stadium for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The stadium would replace the old Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field and be built at Evraz Place, sharing the space with an indoor arena called the Brandt Centre.

The design was handled by HKS, Inc., a company known for designing big stadiums like AT&T Stadium and Lucas Oil Stadium. Construction began in April 2014, and the stadium was finished in time for the 2017 season. Before the Roughriders played there, the stadium hosted some test events, including a university football game and a concert by Bryan Adams. In 2019, a part of the street near the stadium was named after a famous former player, George Reed.

Design

The stadium was built to give fans a better experience than the old Taylor Field. It has a lower area for seats and a roof around part of it to keep fans dry. The design also helps keep snow off the roof.

There are special seats for groups and two levels of comfortable seating. Fans can walk all around the stadium on an open pathway. There is also a special area for adults with drinks, and statues of famous players, Ron Lancaster and George Reed, are placed at one end of the stadium.

Budget

Mosaic Stadium was expected to cost about $278 million to build. Money came from many places: the government of Saskatchewan gave $80 million, and a $100 million loan was paid back by adding a small extra charge to every Saskatchewan Roughriders ticket. The city of Regina added $73 million, which will be helped by small increases in property tax. The rest of the money came from the Roughriders team itself, mostly by selling the right to name parts of the stadium.

In 2022, the government of Saskatchewan decided to stop giving sports and entertainment tickets a special tax-free status, starting on October 1, 2022. This means tickets for games and concerts might cost a little more.

Accessibility and transportation

Regina Transit provides free shuttle buses and parking for Mosaic Stadium during games and big events. The shuttles stop at Northgate Mall, Southland Mall, the University of Regina, two downtown spots, and three places in the Warehouse District. In 2018, Normanview Crossing stopped being part of the program, and a new stop near the old Sears store on Broad Street was added. In 2019, Victoria Square Mall was replaced with stops at the University of Regina campus.

Notable events

Mosaic Stadium has been the venue for many exciting events. On November 20, 2022, it hosted the 109th Grey Cup where the Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers played.

The stadium has also welcomed famous musicians. Bryan Adams performed there on May 27, 2017. Guns N' Roses played on August 27, 2017, during their Not in This Lifetime... Tour. The Eagles performed on May 17, 2018, as part of celebrations for the 2018 Memorial Cup. Garth Brooks gave two concerts there on August 9 and 10, 2019. The Foo Fighters are set to perform on September 15, 2026, as part of their Take Cover Tour.

Ice hockey fans enjoyed a special game at Mosaic Stadium on October 26, 2019, when it hosted the 2019 NHL Heritage Classic featuring the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames.

Soccer matches have also taken place at the stadium. In 2017, an international friendly was held between Valencia CF and the New York Cosmos. Later, in August 2022, an exhibition match was played between younger teams of Sunderland A.F.C. and Toronto FC. In 2026, Queen City United SC will use Mosaic Stadium as their home ground for the first season of the Prairies Premier League.