Definitely has an England League One vibe about it rather than a modern 2014 soccer stadium. Pig. Make-up. Etc.
And that is they way they will promote it with the old stadium roof look as retro. It started as a quick inexpensive sss in coumbus and has evolved into a league of SSS with a modern look. Toronto may start a trend for the retro old England soccer look
MLSE plans to spend big bucks to upgrade BMO Field Kurtis Larson, Toronto Sun March 16, 2014 The commitment from MLSE, as Leiweke explained it, is the full $120 million, with the city, province and federal governments each contributing $10 million. The city will be paid back over 20 years, with interest. The province and feds will benefit from tax revenue. “There has been so much written about this and it amazes me that it has been this controversial,” Leiweke said. “The reality is that, originally, this stadium was meant to be a solution for the Argos as well.” As a result, Toronto FC will likely play an additional two road games to start the 2015 season. They will not, however, be forced to find a temporary venue. The second phase will run from Sept. 1, 2015 to May of 2016. Again, no TFC games will be moved. “When you walk into the building for a TFC game, you won’t know the Argos play there,” Leiweke said. “We’re not painting logos, so there won’t be a centre logo. The CFL logos in the end zones will be underneath the stands so you won’t see them. We’re going to work at making sure the lines go away.” He said it was an additional $30-million commitment to make moveable stands a reality. “We live in a different age and world now where the creativity and technology we can use to move stands in and out, to use paint that goes away, to ultimately use a turf system that gives both sides a green grass. We’re going to do all we can to protect the purity of the sport.” He added that an MLS game will never be played the day after a CFL game, but the reverse is possible.
I see that the additional 30 million is asked for the movable endzone seats which would enable the Argos and the CFL to play. I could very well see it happen again when all of the upgrades for TFC, FIFA, and Leafs Outdoor are done that the 30 million for the retractable seats may suddenly hit a big snag an not get done. Leaving the Argos on strike three for veneus built in the last decade in the city of Toronto. If so it will be time for Bell, who also has a ton of $$$, jump in with their own stadium project, purchase the Argos, place the stadium outside Toronto in the GTA and give MLSE and Rogers competition for events that will be coming to Toronto. Bell will than level the playing field with Rogers owning 37.5% MLSE as well as a stadium of their own. JMO
??? The retractable seats are for the soccer fans, Argo capacity is 25k, TFC 30k. It's not about who's more popular, it's about fitting the size of the field. The seats will retract to allow for the CFL endzones, and be pulled out and used for TFC. It's a done deal, Argos are going to BMO, the only question left is whether MLSE will buy them or if they'll work out a decent tenant agreement.
The retractable seats are for the TFC soccer field set up but the seats not being retractable would be just as good for soccer. The CFL is the league that needs to have the seats moved back to fit the end zones I don't doubt it is a done deal with the reno's but the last thing to be done will be to place retracable seats to move out of the CFL end zones. MLSE is talking a good game but if they do not own the Argos besides having another tenant they really have no reason to hurry with the retractables. Right now do you really think that the MLSE partners will come to a consensus for it to be an MLSE property??? The Argos small stadium or not will not get the same affect of being a full part of the MLSE umbrella and synergy of promotions, Merchandise sales, and Networks in which to promote the Argos during other programing on the MLSE owned NBATV Canada and Leafs TV. Also two networks to promote Argo programming as well. Just as Raptors TV expanded to NBATV Canada, Leafs TV could expand to MLSE sports TV but will Rogers let the purchase of the Argos happen.
I have no idea what you are talking about. The Argos are going to have logos in the endzones (the only ones allowed) They will be covered by the retractable seats (in soccer mode) and the soccer crowd won't see them. They're not going to have a soccer field with an additional 20 yards of Argo logo-ed endzones on each end visible during a soccer game. You might want to take a look at this FINAL DRAFT FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION: March 10, 2014 Proposal for Expansion of Stadium at Exhibition Place
Are you from Canada? Why would LeafsTV dilute their brand and lessen screen time with the lesser properties Raptors or TFC, there's a reason why it's called MLSE. As for purchasing the Argos, MLSE has five board members, four of which are sympathetic to the Argos and I am to understand that consensus has to be reached in any decision, so guess who could throw a wrench in the works. As for the Argos, much of this expansion is being driven by the owners of the stadium (the city) it's a win/win for everybody except a vocal minority of whiny TFC fans. No Argos no expansion, simple as that.
Forget it I saw all the stuff and truly hooe they see it all the way through to the end part where the Argos are able to play there. The seats that will be moved to fit a CFL field is going to be the last thing done is what I am saying. I get it
Looks like CSA might be getting serious about 2026 Canadian World Cup bid, found these pics leaked on another forum:
The only thing I do not see as a reality is the NFL stadium in Toronto. Everything else is pretty likley to happen. Both Commonwelth and Olymnpic may be able to push the limits to 80K. Rogers Centre also seats 55K plus for a regular NFL or soccer game could probably also place in more seats if Toronto wants a second stadium in the mix. Would have to think that the field surfaces by that point would either have the hybrid grass that is at Wmebeley and proposed for BMO or temp grass will have to be brought in similar to when World Cups were held in US. Both Toronto stadiums will already have natural or hybrid natural surfaces
I don't think Skydome is expandable. There isn't anywhere to put the extra seats without renovations so drastic that you might as well just build a new stadium. NSR, as a CFL fan this would be interesting. An NFL team in Toronto would potentially threaten the Argos but a stadium in Halifax would essentially guarantee a CFL team there.
Could be tru but for sure Toronto would like to have two and counting Hamilton 3 in the GTHA. Facts are to be faced at some point that an NFL team in Toronto is a long shot at best. It is amazing enough that in the LA metro there are two teams for every mahor sport and zero for the NFL so that will be first. The Commish also is something of a bully and he wants a team in London, which is hard to figure out, but he also does not want to see the Bills going anywhere. Finally an NFL stadium for Toronto would coast no less than a half a billion right now
Two pie in the sky ideas rolled into one: Canada hosting the World Cup and NFL in Toronto. I think Toronto needs a visit from all of the other major cities in the world without an NFL team to see that you don't need an NFL team to be a real city.
Some guy is going around posting the "leaked pics" as some sort of CSA document. It looks more like the "proposal" is a bogus concoction of a fan. I couldn't believe anybody didn't notice LA's Farmer's Field for a Toronto stadium, the first Halifax stadium is Moncton, and I've seen the second Calgary stadium before 2011. Found it Does anybody actually think the CSA would mention a future Toronto NFL stadium in their WC document? I could be wrong but the second Halifax? stadium looks suspiciously like an earlier render of TEmpire in Vancouver. I realize the two below are not the same. Bogus plan, my friends, too early for April Fools and not too well crafted either.
I'm also unsure where this came from. The quality of the presentation is pretty high, someone took quite some time to design it. And yet the images used are not official in any way, and many are just flat out wrong (ex: farmers field) But at the same time, the details and data is all legitimate. It's either stuff we've heard before or logical extensions. So I think there are 2 possibilities: -It was created by some poster who is talented and had too much time on his hands. or - it was legitimately a CSA powerpoint, made by a lower level employee for internal use to summarize their plan. Since it was internal no serious effort was made to produce accurate pictures, so anything suitable was used. I'm leaning towards the latter. I think this is a legit internal presentation, probably something they are showing government, soccer and corporate officials. All people who want a nicely made .ppt, but are not eagle eyed enough to note one stadium concept over another.
Major League Soccer Exclusive: Sun obtains rendering of BMO Field upgrade Kurtis Larson Toronto Sun September 03, 2014 TORONTO - Hold your horses, Hamilton, it turns out Toronto might one-up Tim Hortons Field. A day after the new home of the Hamilton Ticats’ opened in Steel Town, the Toronto Sun got its hands on the latest BMO Field rendering. And, despite many Toronto FC fans being skeptical of the club’s new digs, the “upgraded” BMO Field looks pretty nice. Heck, it looks like a real soccer stadium, roof and all. “The link between what we did with TFC from (last) November on and what we’re doing with the stadium is tied hand-in-hand in order to make sure that we have a stadium that is one of the best in the league,” MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke told the Toronto Sun earlier this year. While the latest renderings the Sun received are subject to change, the image shows roofing above three of the sections, with two extra decks built behind the east stand and the supporters’ end. Capacity is supposed to peak at close to 30,000 for Toronto FC games once the $120 million in renovations are complete. Phase 1 of the project is scheduled to begin this month.
None of this would've been necessary had they built an actual stadium instead of a glorified texas highschool football stadium or NCAA Division II stadium in the first place.
And the money to build that great palace back then would come from where, again? Have to laugh at the BS I used to read about THF being a high school stadium and now all the people going back into the woodwork now that it turned out so well on the small budget it had. BTW that famous Texas high school stadium that everybody loved to compare and whine about the new Canadian stadiums; it got condemned.
I'm not going back into the woodwork. I look at it and still marvel at how it cost as much as it did and look as amateur as it does. As for who would build that "great palace", the billionaire corporation owned by billionaire owners, who have a ground lease of the entire site would pay for it, like they should.
At the time BMO was among the top new SSS. With MR Hunt throwing up the first SSS stadium in Columbus before the turn of the century. During and shortly after the MLS took a bigger step forward. Expansion and re-branding of clubs came with with an explosion more modern upgrades to the now popular SSS sized venues that are of a high demand need for more than just soccer. It fit the need between the 15 plus capacity arena's to the higher capacity football and baseball stadiums which are anywhere from double to triple plus the capacity of SSS. So MLSE is going in and making the upgrades needed. Many Arena's and football stadiums have gone through this process as well to add modern amenities. As for Hamilton and Ottawa stadiums they are no different than many of the NFL and NCAA DI stadiums that have gone up. They are bigger stadiums with better sightlines with nicer seats. The Hamilton stadium brings all of the modern amenities needed with variety of premium seating sections. Winnipeg has bowl seating and a curvy roof. A CFL field size often doe not make for having seating in the end zone. So having Patio and open areas for fans to congrigate are the latest and greatest
TFC's stadium set to undergo massive renovations Toronto Sun obtains new renderings of BMO Field Kurtis Larson, Toronto Sun September 22, 2014 TORONTO - A former MLSE staffer once described current-day BMO Field as an “IKEA” stadium. “Pull the pin and it will crumble to the ground,” he told me. That’s not a shot at MLSE — or the city. It’s the truth. Current-day BMO Field has served its purpose. It’s a testament to MLS that it took just eight seasons for TFC to grow out of its current digs. But it has. And, on Tuesday, all parties will be on site to unveil BMO Field 2.0: A massive renovation that will turn the stadium into something more than a “ready-to-assemble” venue. “Go look at what our stadium was when it opened to what it is today,” Leiweke told the Toronto Sun last week. “We’ve fallen so far behind it’s shocking.” Soccer-specific stadiums in Kansas City and New York are considered world-class. BMO Field has fallen to the bottom of the pack. The three photos the Sun obtained ahead of Tuesday’s unveiling reveal a stark upgrade, one with a luxury club level and the addition of a few thousand new seats under roofing. Capacity is expected to grow to around 30,000. Toronto FC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko and MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum are expected to speak on Tuesday. Councillors Norm Kelly and Mark Grimes will be in attendance, too. Although Toronto FC is expected to remain the primary tenant, MLSE’s top brass has left open the possibility of the CFL moving into BMO Field one day. “That’s a commitment that is a legal obligation to the city and the province,” Leiweke told the Sun. “We will honour that commitment.” Construction is under way and is expected to be completed in two phases over two years.