Two months after taking control of Toronto's famous domed stadium, its new owners are making some changes. In addition to a facelift, they're giving it a new name.

The landmark stadium known until now as SkyDome, is being renamed Rogers Centre in honour of its new corporate owner, Rogers Communications.

Last November, the company bought the stadium from Chicago-based Sportsco for the bargain price of $25 million. When it was built 16 years ago, construction costs for the stadium and its retractable roof were pegged at approximately $600 million.

Although it was state-of-the-art when it opened -- with its massive "Jumbotron" scoreboard, retractable roof, 348-room hotel, two restaurants and a bar overlooking the field -- the 50,000 seat facility has since fallen somewhat behind the times.

With that in mind, owner Ted Rogers and Toronto Blue Jays President Paul Godfrey also announced a number of other improvements including new video scoreboards and a new playing surface.

"No longer will the Blue Jays be the only team in major league baseball to play on AstroTurf,'' Godfrey told reporters, explaining the existing covering will be replaced with a newer, more forgiving artificial turf.

"This is our start, but by no means is it our finish,'' he added.

Rogers also promised to pump a total of $210 million US into players' salaries over the next three years.

"That represents about a 40 per cent increase on the payroll in the past year,'' he said.

The Jays ended the last season at the bottom of the American League East with a record of 67-94.

The Blue Jays are signed up to play baseball in the stadium until 2008. The CFL's Toronto Argonauts, who also call the SkyDome home, are scheduled to leave for a new facility of their own in 2006.