Inside the Venue: Rogers Arena

A quick look inside the Rogers Arena …

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Opened: 1995
Cost: $160 million
Seating Capacity: 19,000
Architect: Brisbin, Brook and Beynon

The Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place, will host its second Ultimate Fighting Championship event on Saturday, when UFC 131 “Dos Santos vs. Carwin” touches down in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The event, which will air live on pay-per-view at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, will feature a heavyweight title eliminator between Junior dos Santos and Shane Carwin. Eleven additional bouts populate the UFC 131 lineup, including the 145-pound debut of two-time lightweight title contender Kenny Florian. He meets once-beaten WEC import Diego Nunes in the co-main event.

A 475,000 square foot facility, the Rogers Arena opened in 1995 at a cost of $160 million. In the 16 years since, it has hosted a number of high-profile sporting events, including the 1998 NHL All-Star Game, the 1998 NBA Draft, the 2001 World Figure Skating Championships, the 2006 NHL Draft and the 2010 Winter Olympics. Only July 6, 2010, Rogers Communications purchased the arena’s naming rights from General Motors Canada, inking a 10-year sponsorship deal. Rogers Arena is home to the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, who are currently locked in a 2-2 tie with the Boston Bruins in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. Rogers Arena will play host to Game 5 between the two teams on Friday, on the eve of UFC 131.

The venue hosted UFC 115 in June 2010. The event was headlined by the Rich Franklin-Chuck Liddell showdown, which ended in Liddell’s being knocked out with five seconds remaining in the first round. The UFC hall of famer later announced his retirement.

Rhianna (June 24-25), Britney Spears (July 1), Kenny Chesney (July 20), Josh Groban (Aug. 30) and Kings of Leon (Sept 14) will follow UFC 131 into the Rogers Arena.