View Full Version : BC Place Reno thread
NF-FC
01 Jun 2009, 01:27 PM
Has it started? The inside has to done in less than a year for the Olympics.
PG Tips
01 Jun 2009, 08:39 PM
It's been closed for May and now June for further refurb stuff inside. They did a lot of work already from Oct - Jan. No major exterior work has been done yet except the entrance ways outside. New seats and other major work will probably be done after the CFL season or worked around the Lions schedule.
As of Feb the work that's been done - New concessions, new flooring on ramps, paint in various areas, new fan system and pipes from the 4th floor, restrooms completely refurbished - toilets, tiling, etc.
No photos yet but in the meantime here's an illustration released last week from the City's High Level Review for North East False Creek, which includes the stadium precinct. They're will be an addition of 6m square feet of commercial/residential for this area.
http://i43.tinypic.com/34y8di1.jpg
NF-FC
02 Jun 2009, 12:54 AM
When's the next time that the building will be open to the public, Lion's opener?
PG Tips
02 Jun 2009, 02:17 PM
Yep, 23 June when the Lions open. Hopefully we'll finally get to see some pics of the refurb work then. It should be interesting to see how much work they may do up until the end of Oct, which is as far as the BC Place events calendar goes.
There's only a couple of games in July so that could be a good month for work. August is completely busy with 2 Lions games and also Aerosmith and then AC/DC. The last half of Sept looks good but October is chock a block right up till U2 and a Lions game at the end.
PG Tips
02 Jun 2009, 02:19 PM
double post. please delete.
canuck51
06 Jun 2009, 01:52 AM
GlobalTV News story
http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/bc/video/index.html?releasePID=Bf2tfUfomqWTmEQlW3ItbkJ3TQ4Jyq00 (http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/bc/video/index.html?releasePID=Bf2tfUfomqWTmEQlW3ItbkJ3TQ4Jyq00)
Full computer animation renderings
http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/bc/video/index.html?releasePID=A1OD_Jy76MCUAP1dOuajFziOGGAC_jcF (http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/bc/video/index.html?releasePID=A1OD_Jy76MCUAP1dOuajFziOGGAC_jcF)
PG Tips
23 Jun 2009, 06:14 PM
B.C. Lions may return to original site of Empire Stadium
Team might play some 2010 CFL games at old Empire Stadium location while B.C. Place gets new roof
By Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun June 23, 2009 10:34 AM
VANCOUVER — A retractable roof won’t be installed at BC Place until 2011, but the B.C. Lions could be playing in an open-air facility a year earlier.
The Vancouver Sun has learned that the B.C. Pavilion Corp. and the Canadian Football League club that is PavCo’s primary tenant are considering moving at least some games in the 2010 season to a temporary facility at the site of old Empire Stadium in east Vancouver during construction of the new roof.
Construction is expected to start soon after BC Place serves as host for the Closing Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The 32,375-seat Empire Stadium was home to the Lions from 1954 to 1982 and to the Vancouver Whitecaps of the North American Soccer League during the 1970s and ’80s. The stadium was demolished in the early 1990s and served as a parking lot for the Pacific National Exhibition for several years before the property was converted to soccer and ball fields.
With PavCo now evaluating tenders on the roof project, neither David Podmore, the Crown agency’s chair, nor B.C. Lions executives would directly confirm the old Empire site is in play.
“I can’t go down that path,” Podmore said in a telephone interview. “We’re just in the final stage of evaluation of a very complex bid, or tender. As soon as we’ve reached a conclusion as to what’s the best approach, we’ll share those thoughts and suggestions as to how we’ll proceed. What we’re doing is looking at all the various ways to minimize the impact not only on the Lions but all tenants. We’re examining all options to find the most cost-effective approach.”
Those other tenants include such long-standing trade shows as the Vancouver International Auto Show, the B.C. Home and Garden Show, the Vancouver International Boat Show and the golf and outdoor recreation show. Some of those could be moved, if necessary, to the new Vancouver Convention Centre.
But there are relatively few options available in Greater Vancouver for CFL games with 30,000-plus seats. “Potentially it would be possible,” PNE spokeswoman Laura Ballance said Monday of installing temporary grandstands, concessions and washrooms on the green space in the shadow of Playland’s wooden roller-coaster. “We can’t comment on any discussions, but we can say we don’t have a formal proposal in front of us at this time. With our long history with the B.C. Lions and going into our centennial year next year, there might be some synergy there . . . but we have no formal proposal from PavCo or the B.C. Lions.”
Lions owner David Braley said it would not be appropriate for him to comment while PavCo was still evaluating what is the “most cost-effective way to build roofs.”
George Chayka, the Lions vice-president, business, also tried to defer all questions to PavCo. He said the Lions have not looked at any potential sites for relocated games, but did acknowledge that the University of B.C.’s Thunderbird Stadium would be too small, even with temporary seating.
“If there is a move from BC Place, it will be announced in due course,” he said. “I’m sure PavCo will be cognizant of our needs in whatever decision could be made.”
gkingston@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
Keystone FC
24 Jun 2009, 12:52 PM
For those interested:
http://football.ballparks.com/CFL/BC/oldindex.htm
dewhitecapfan
24 Jun 2009, 01:22 PM
If the BC Lions are playing temporarly at Empire Stadium... is there a chance the Whitecaps can play some of their big games there as well?? Would be kind of cool, and I think they could draw big crowds against teams like TFC or Montreal... based on last weeks events..
Interesting this solution never came up when 'caps fans were dreaming of where they would play if they went as deep as the Impact in the CCL
carnifex2005
24 Jun 2009, 01:33 PM
If the BC Lions are playing temporarly at Empire Stadium... is there a chance the Whitecaps can play some of their big games there as well?? Would be kind of cool, and I think they could draw big crowds against teams like TFC or Montreal... based on last weeks events..
Interesting this solution never came up when 'caps fans were dreaming of where they would play if they went as deep as the Impact in the CCL
There is nothing at that site anymore other than two baseball fields and a couple of soccer fields. I don't see how they can make a temporary stadium of 30,000 there.
Below is a Google Maps Satellite view of the former Empire Stadium site...
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=49.282589,-123.033352&t=h&sll=49.274631,-123.08497&sspn=0.026503,0.128629&safe=on&ie=UTF8&ll=49.282627,-123.033324&spn=0.002306,0.005466&z=18&iwloc=poi0
PG Tips
24 Jun 2009, 05:11 PM
I'm not sure it would be cost effective considering the Lions only have limited home games -7?. That's got to be pretty expensive to set up a shed load of seats/grandstand. These things are done all over the world though for big events like Formula 1 races.
Here's a link for a company that does temp stadium seating - http://www.sportsvenue-technology.com/contractors/seat/daplast/
sportie1
24 Jun 2009, 06:44 PM
sounds like this idea started with a drug party and then went berserk with ideas-- absolutely mind-boggling that the big wigs would ever float such a ridculous idea-- who will compensate the lions for all the lost revenue??
dewhitecapfan
25 Jun 2009, 02:21 PM
What lost revenue?
From what I have heard on the news etc. It will be up to Pavco to pay for a temporary home for the Lions while construction on BC place is occuring... Revenue for 30,000 at Empire stadium (which the media is making out to be the only option) can't be that significantly different from the revenue from 30,000 fans at BC Place... Besides I am sure the Lions will take short term losses (has it been announced how many games will have to be moved?) for the long term gain of a complete overhaul of the stadium.
NF-FC
04 Jul 2009, 12:18 PM
so... any pics of the reno work inside the stadium?
PG Tips
13 Jul 2009, 09:43 PM
Amazingly tough to find some new pics of the suites, WC, etc. All photos I've come across are from on field Lions action.
As for refurb news. Apparently all the seats will be replaced soon with new red ones. A small amount have already been installed on the south lower bowl.
I think this is a fresh new approach to the stadium's look and combined with the new roof, new video screens, cosmetics, it will feel like a brand new venue.
carnifex2005
13 Jul 2009, 10:16 PM
Amazingly tough to find some new pics of the suites, WC, etc. All photos I've come across are from on field Lions action.
As for refurb news. Apparently all the seats will be replaced soon with new red ones. A small amount have already been installed on the south lower bowl.
I think this is a fresh new approach to the stadium's look and combined with the new roof, new video screens, cosmetics, it will feel like a brand new venue.
I was wondering about the red seats when I was watching the game last week. Thanks god they are replacing all of the seats. The light blue is totally played out. The only other thing I hope for is that the lighting gets changed. It always looks like a doctor's waiting room inside there. There is no other dome stadium in NA that is that brightly lit.
whiteisthecolour
13 Jul 2009, 11:07 PM
Wow! You guys are really okay with RED seats? I am not saying we don't need new seats...red just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
Krammerhead
13 Jul 2009, 11:17 PM
Wow! You guys are really okay with RED seats? I am not saying we don't need new seats...red just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
Red is fine. Empire stadium had red seats (benches).
http://www.nasljerseys.com/images/Whitecaps/Whitecaps%2080%20Home%20Team.JPG
canuck51
13 Jul 2009, 11:35 PM
No one will even notice the colour of the seats when there's fans sitting in every one of them
WhiteCapArmy
14 Jul 2009, 12:55 PM
No one will even notice the colour of the seats when there's fans sitting in every one of them
Standing you mean;) I don't care about the color of seats as long as everyone is wearing blue or white.