New Canadian stadiums

[Joe MacCarthy]

Eskimos home makeover
TERRY JONES, QMI Agency

This is not going to be your father’s Commonwealth Stadium when all is done with the addition of new dark green seats expected a year or two after the Grey Cup.

And this definitely isn’t your father’s artificial turf.

Monday, media members were introduced to the first look at the new turf, which was installed in Gillette Stadium for the New England Patriots prior to the FieldTurf people showing up here. A total of 21 of the 32 NFL teams now play or practise on FieldTurf.

Fans will be encouraged to sit in the stands and check out the Eskimos on their new field (and eyeball the construction site of the $106 million complex featuring a field house, new dressing room, two floors of Eskimo offices, etc.) during training camp.

It’s 10,215 square metres (110,000 square feet) of new turf replacing the last grass field in the CFL which cost $2.6 million ($1.3 million paid by the Eskimos and $1.3M by the city).

Unlike artificial turf of the past, there is no concrete under the carpet.

In all there will be five-and-a-half pounds of sand and rubber pellets between the “grass” blades per square foot.

In total 1,900 truckloads of grass and dirt were removed from the stadium and replaced by fly ash, a byproduct from power plants with outstanding drainage qualities.

An inch-and-a-half shock pad option will be under the usual surface. It makes the cushion effect somewhat better for the players but that’s not the primary reason for the extra expense.

“We were convinced by the Seattle Seahawks that this was the way to go because of the concerts,” said Eskimos CEO Rick LeLacheur.

“It’s more for the concerts. The compaction from the heavy stages is greatly reduced.

“The Seahawks swear by it.”



LeLacheur said that the Eskimos were also convinced by venues which occasionally host major soccer events (which this field has been approved for by FIFA — other than for the men’s World Cup itself), to go for turf without line markings so the lines can be applied for games and removed by hosed water.

“That will really help the look of the field in televising the various events,” said LeLacheur.

It’s not just the bright new green carpet that will help the look of the field on TV, especially late in the season when the grass turns brown.

The stadium improvements include new lights with much higher candle power which are HD TV compatible.

The lights have already been installed but won’t be aimed into position until the turf has been completely installed.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Sod Turning Begins On New Home Field For The Winnipeg Blue Bombers And University Of Manitoba Bisons
May 20, 2010

WINNIPEG, MB – Premier Greg Selinger and Mayor Sam Katz today joined Bill Watchorn, Chair, Board of Directors of the Winnipeg Football Club, CFL Commissioner, Mark Cohon, University of Manitoba President, Dr. David Barnard and David Asper, Executive Chairman of Creswin Properties Inc. at the site of the new home field of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the CIS’ University of Manitoba Bisons for the official sod turning of the new stadium. The new, state-of-the art facility is scheduled to open for the start of the 2012 CFL season and is located at the University of Manitoba at the corner of Chancellor Matheson Road and University Crescent.

“This is an exciting day for Bomber fans, for Bisons fans, indeed for all sports fans,” Premier Greg Selinger said. “It’s a perfect example of what can happen when partners work together to make something happen.”



The 33,000 seat world-class stadium, expandable to 40,000 for Grey Cups, will feature an approximately 25 foot deep, in ground bowl with 20,000 seats in the lower bowl area and overhead weather protection for 80% of its fans. It will hold 40 private suites, top quality concessions, state-of-the-art media facilities and modern team offices, locker rooms and training facilities. The stadium will not only be the new home of the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but also play host to the CIS’ University of Manitoba Bisons football program.

“As our organization embarks on celebrating the rich history of 80 years of Blue Bomber football, it is truly fitting that the team is now setting the stage with a new stadium to continue to provide exciting CFL football for its fans for many years to come,” said Bill Watchorn. “This is a great day for this organization and we’re thrilled to get this started.”

The new stadium, which has been promoted by Creswin for over three years, will be an elite facility with unparalleled sightlines and first-class amenities.

David Asper said, “This is another critical step along the way and it’s great to be finally getting into the ground. We have invested over three years of sustained effort to bring this project to life and we have had the generous support of thousands of fans throughout the process. It’s a tribute to them and we look forward to bringing the vision to reality, starting today.”

Not only will the new facility boast modern amenities, but it will also recognize the Winnipeg Football Club’s rich history by being home to a permanent Blue Bomber Hall of Fame and Exhibition, a Walk of Fame, interactive fan and player art installations and exterior commemoratives displaying Bomber and Bison championships.

“I know Winnipeggers are getting excited for another season of cheering on our Blue Bombers and with today’s ground breaking, we all have something else to cheer about,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “This new stadium will usher the Bombers into a new era as they celebrate 80 years of providing Winnipeggers with many memorable moments. I want to congratulate all the stakeholders again today for making this ground breaking a reality and look forward to seeing everyone here at the home opener in 2012.”

“The entire project continues to be an important and exciting development at the University of Manitoba, one that will benefit our own students and staff as well as the larger community,” said President David Barnard. “As the sod is turned to begin construction of the new stadium, I think of what a thrill it will be for all of us to attend the opening kick-offs of the first Bison and Bomber games here in 2012. Beyond those much-anticipated milestones, we can look forward to many years of the University of Manitoba being able to offer yet another wonderful recreational and athletic resource to the community.”



“On behalf of our Board of Governors, our teams and most of all our fans, I want to thank the province, the city and especially David Asper, for making today possible,” said Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League. “Our deepest congratulations of course go to the Bombers and their fans, who are now proudly marching into the future at the same time they're celebrating eighty years of tremendous history. While we know this facility will serve the community in so many ways, for us this is a special day for our league and the millions of Canadians who love it."

[Joe MacCarthy]

McGill Stadium almost ready for action
May 19, 2010

Montreal, May 19 2010 – The expansion project of McGill Stadium, home of the Montreal Alouettes, is in full progress and is in its final stages with just a few weeks to go before the start of the 2010 season. The project includes the addition of 5,000 new seats, knocking capacity up to 25,000 and giving more fans than ever before the chance to see their champions at home.



Season tickets are still available in every category, some for as low as $19.90 a game, tax included. For $37.50 a game, fans can get a season ticket in the Bronze category in the new north-east corner, featuring a spectacular view of the field as well as downtown Montreal. Nineteen new luxury boxes have also been added to the stadium, providing the opportunity to watch a game in the utmost comfort, but still right there as part of the action.

Even with all the improvements to McGill Stadium this year, ticket prices have not gone up a cent since 2009, when the Alouettes won the Grey Cup.

“The construction is going quickly and we are pleased with how’s it’s gone. We will be offering our fans an amazing experience in an amazing stadium, at affordable prices,” said Alouettes President and CEO Larry Smith. “We are excited to play our pre-season game in exactly a month from today at McGill this coming June 19. We’re even more excited to play our season opener there on July 22, when the stadium renovations will be completely done.”



The stadium will feature a new upper deck on the south side and a new upper concourse with a full array of concessions and facilities. The improved McGill Stadium will also feature a new ticket office, built into the mountain with a natural “green roof.” It will be located a few feet away from the new History Corner as well as the Builder’s Club, where fans’ personalized bricks will be found.

The stadium will also have two new spacious sections for physically challenged fans in the north-east and the south-west ends.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Early stadium design wins kudos from panel
Don Butler The Ottawa Citizen May 1, 2010

If Rob Claiborne has his way, a sculpted “stadium in the park” will replace the rotting hulk of Frank Clair stadium by 2013.



Claiborne is the architect chosen to design the stadium as part of the redevelopment of Lansdowne Park. He works for Cannon Design, the firm behind the much-admired Olympic Oval in Richmond, B.C.

His conceptual design for the new Frank Clair stadium has already won kudos from experts on the review panel overseeing the design of the Lansdowne Park plan.

George Dark, the renowned urban designer who chairs the panel, calls Claiborne’s design “quite cool. There’s quite an imaginative stadium being cooked up here.”

Another panel member, Rick Haldenby, the head of the University of Waterloo’s architecture school, is even more effusive.

If Claiborne’s design is accepted by city council on June 23, Haldenby says, “it’s going to be an instant architectural feature in Canada — the most interesting stadium in Canada by far.”

Claiborne knows he’s got something special. He describes his design, which he’s been working on since December, as a “gift to the city of Ottawa. I’m just thrilled, because people seem to be enjoying it.”

Its most striking feature is a sinuous $7.5-million “veil” of glued laminated Alaskan yellow cedar that rises up from behind new southside stands and curls over the top, creating a flowing system of enclosure and roofing.



Claiborne uses the same veil motif at the entrances to the northside stands. It recurs as well behind the end zone scoreboard, creating a bandstand that could be used during outdoor concerts in Lansdowne Park’s proposed “front lawn” urban park.

“I always saw this project being done in wood,” Claiborne says, proudly showing off his plans in Cannon Design’s 12th floor offices overlooking University Avenue in Toronto.

In part it’s a reference to Ottawa’s lumber-town past, but it also fits Claiborne’s daring concept of a stadium in the park. To do that, he says, “you have to be much more natural.”

Claiborne chose Alaskan yellow cedar for the veil because it withstands the weather well.



“It will turn a beautiful silvery colour over time, but in all our conversations with the manufacturers, they’re quite comfortable that this will maintain its structural integrity.”

In Claiborne’s design, the southside stands seem to emerge organically from a steep grassy berm that rises seven metres from the Queen Elizabeth Driveway. “You can actually see the park bending up, merging into the stadium,” the architect says.

It’s all part of his concept of “laminar space, a space that literally flows. The parklands become sculpted, undulating, flowing. That became really important to me.”

The wooden frames of the veil are part of that idea of flow, he says. At the concourse level of the southside stands, the public can walk or ride bicycles right through the veil, even on game days.

“Typically a stadium’s going to have a very clear border, a buffer,” Claiborne says. “There’s a public side, and there’s a stadium side. Not the case here. It’s not just lip service about being in the park. It is in the park.”

Lansdowne Park, he says, has never really been a park. “It was a fairgrounds, it was a carnival site, it was a series of venues, but it was never actually parkland. Now, for the first time, it’s a park.”

To improve spectator sightlines and enhance the stadium’s bowl appearance, Claiborne proposes to lower the current playing field by about one metre. “That one’s still a cost issue,” he cautions, “because it’s expensive to lower the field.”

On a pragmatic level, lowering the field makes it easier to widen it to 75 yards, the standard for FIFA soccer games. The current field is only 70 yards wide.

Under Claiborne’s plan, the remaining southside stands — Dark describes them as a “hideous lump” — would be demolished and replaced by new stands. The existing northside stands would stay, but get a retrofit.

New wider seats would be installed and the heavy metal roof would be replaced by the same translucent fabric used on the southside roof.

Claiborne is considering two possible suppliers for the roof fabric. His preferred choice is a German-Italian company called Vector Foiltec, which made the clear exterior panels for the Beijing Olympics’ aquatic centre, dubbed the Water Cube.

The stadium would have seating for 24,000 — 13,000 in the northside stands and 11,000 in the southside. It would offer three levels of seating — general, club seats and seats in 28 box suites.

For events such as the Grey Cup, temporary end zone seats could be installed, raising the stadium’s capacity to 45,000. Otherwise, the end zones would be grassy berms where people could sit or enjoy a picnic.

Claiborne’s plan calls for a two-storey retail component that would provide improved entrances to the arena and enclose the mammoth steel frames on the north facade of the Civic Centre.

Those sloping steel frames disrupt the view of the Aberdeen Pavilion, with its soft curves, Claiborne explains. “The second you put a vertical face here, it calms the entire vista.”

While the arena, home to the Ottawa 67’s, needs considerable work to address a long list of mechanical, electrical and structural problems, its design would remain essentially unchanged.

“If we turn it into a first-class arena,” Claiborne says, “the ticket prices have to go up considerably. The Ottawa 67’s are a very successful club, but they would be less successful if they had to double their ticket price.”

So far, Claiborne says cost estimates for the project are on target. “We have a budget of $85 million, not a penny more, for the stadium,” he says. “We’re right where we should be.” (The price tag rises to $110 million when “soft costs” such as professional fees are included.)

Dark says Claiborne’s thinking is “quite magical. He’s a smart guy.” Based on the design work he’s seen, Dark says the new stadium has the potential to rival the Richmond Oval as an iconic Canadian sporting venue.

Claiborne isn’t entirely at ease with the word icon, though. “An icon carries so much gravity with it. I would be more comfortable if this was a building people looked at and just had a comfortable, warm feeling about. If it was close to being universally liked, that would make me happy.”

Before joining Cannon Design about a year ago, Claiborne, a California native, worked for years for acclaimed architect Daniel Libeskind. He’s also an adjunct professor at McGill University’s school of architecture.

He’s acutely aware of the controversy surrounding the Lansdowne project.

He has relatives in Old Ottawa South — the area, along with the Glebe, where opposition to the redevelopment is concentrated — “and they hate me. They think I’m the devil because I’m working on Lansdowne Park.”

But Claiborne is hoping opposition will abate once people see his design. “Good architecture can be a great appeasement for everybody. People can actually enjoy it. And that’s the goal.

“It’s a building for the people. I’ve never lost sight of that for a second.”

For now, Claiborne’s stadium is just a concept on paper. But he’s optimistic that by 2013, it will be home to a new Ottawa CFL team.

“I go home every weekend and I’m having a glass of wine with my wife and I say, ‘Carolyn, you’re not going to believe this. This might actually get built’.”

[Joe MacCarthy]

The Jewel of the Canal awaits Ottawa
New Lansdowne Park to be envy of CFL, insiders say ahead of unveiling

To do it up even bigger, they could fly Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito in for the unveiling.

Then again, it sounds like the plans are impressive enough on their own.

Twenty-five years after The Jewel of the Nile hit the big screen, a similar title could be placed on the seven-minute video being shown as part of a much-anticipated presentation Thursday at Carleton University’s Bell Theatre.

For the first time on public display will be the designs for what will no doubt become known as The Jewel of the Canal.

Those who have had a glimpse at blueprints for the Lansdowne Park revitalization say the stadium, which will seat roughly 24,000, is absolutely spectacular. That the view from the canal is breath-taking. That Ottawa’s new CFL home will be the envy of the league.

But details — other than the number of seats and the fact much of the construction is made of wood to reflect the city’s heritage — have largely been kept under wraps.

City councillors, who six months ago voted 15-9 in favour of Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group proceeding with plans to turn Lansdowne into a world-class facility, should be more than satisfied with what they see Thursday. They’ll also be given an update on the progress of conditions they placed on the project, which need to be met by the final vote on June 28.

Along with Mayor Larry O’Brien, planning and environment committee chairman Peter Hume and OSEG’s Roger Greenberg, also in attendance will be local architects Ritchard Brisbin and Barry Hobin and Toronto-based Cannon Design’s Rob Clairborne to provide a detailed explanation of the designs for the mixed-use development and stadium renewal.

Don’t be surprised if CFL commissioner Mark Cohon shows up as an interested spectator, as well as a large number of Rough Rider alumni.

“I think sports fans in Ottawa, and all those interested in all activities relative to the stadium, are going to be very, very excited,” said OSEG frontman Jeff Hunt. “I think it will be the pre-eminent stadium in Canada.”

While the CFL has promised to return to the nation’s capital if the stadium is built, Hunt said “a lot of thought” has also gone into the requirements of a pro soccer team and its fans.

“It was not an after-thought or an add-on,” said Hunt. “Soccer needs were incorporated into the design as well as football elements. I think we’ve struck a great balance.”

Perhaps struck a chord with longtime Riders fans, as well.

Because of the placement of the more luxurious sections, Hunt noted there could be a “flip flop” of tradition.

“Fans who sat in the south side could gravitate to the north side, and vice versa,” he said. “It could be interesting.”

Indeed, but nothing sucks about this deal. Nothing at all.

Rather, it’s time to get pumped up about the development of a facility this city needs and deserves.

Oh, there’s sure to be some negativity surrounding Thursday’s landmark unveiling. The primary source is sure to be Clive Doucet, who is intent on leaving his mark as Capital ward councillor — even if it is a black one.

But his voice is getting weaker.

Other detractors also like to say the whole project is doomed because of the mostly terrible pro football played at Lansdowne over the last 20 or so years Ottawa had a CFL team.

Truth is, even when the Rough Riders/Renegades were at their lousiest — when there was an absentee owner and the team went decades without winning more games than it lost — attendance was still in the 17,000 range.

Now, ownership will be in the hands of a local group with deep pockets. The stadium will be full and vibrant, as full as new stadiums tend to be. The best example is Percival Molson Memorial Stadium in Montreal, where the Alouettes call home.

To be there for a football game is to have had a great night of entertainment.

Hunt believes free-agent players, like the fans, will want to be at the new Lansdowne as often as possible.

A good team, strong local ownership and a packed park?

Get the construction crews going, already.

“It’s been a long time coming, but I think people will say it’s been worth the wait,” said Hunt. “I think they’ll see something that’s going to be very special.”

It will be The Jewel of the Canal, at the very least.

[Joe MacCarthy]

First glance at Lansdowne redesign plan
JON WILLING, City Hall Bureau May 27, 2010

Three architects have nailed down a contemporary, cool vibe for a redeveloped Lansdowne Park, and although Aberdeen Pavilion is said to be the site’s anchor, it’s the sleek football stadium that has become the real show-stopper.



On game nights (and days) the new stadium will host up to 24,000 fans with the capability to expand to 45,000 for major events such as the Grey Cup or a top drawing concert. The elevation of the South side has been lowered to improve sightlines from old Ottawa and tapered to provide more seats in the best viewing areas. It also features approximately 30 suites and 700 Club Seats. OSEG handout

“I wish I could click my heels together and wake up and it’s June 2013 and it’s all done and there would be a ribbon-cutting ceremony, because there will be many, many hours between now and then to turn an exciting dream into a real opportunity for the city,” Minto Group CEO Roger Greenberg said Thursday after he helped unveil the proposed mixed-use designs at Carleton University.

The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) — made up of Greenberg, William Shenkman, Jeff Hunt and John Ruddy — wants to partner with the city on the Lansdowne redevelopment.

At the end of June city council will vote on the designs, including the winning front lawn concept, which alone could cost between $30 million and $90 million.

The curved wooden backdrop to the south-side stands, creating stunning sight lines along the canal, makes the stadium an instant standout in the OSEG design.



Ottawa’s new stadium has been designed to ergonomically blend with and grow from its surroundings with a natural wood façade that celebrates Ottawa’s heritage as a lumber town. Pedestrians, cyclists and joggers will be able to experience its unique design without fences or other obstructions, year-round. OSEG handout

Ottawa architects Ritchard Brisbin and Barry Hobin worked with Toronto architect Robert Claiborne on the concepts.

One big question still surrounds the businesses which will occupy the combined 300,000-sq.-ft. retail space.

“Today we can’t answer that,” Greenberg said. “We just unveiled these plans for the first time and these are our ideas. It’s still some ways before our ideas become city council’s ideas.”

Greenberg said potential tenants have been shy about commitments until the design plans are firm, and that means an endorsement from city council.

The retail construction would cost OSEG about $110 million. Costs for the 100,000-sq.-ft. office space and 250 residential units would be determined through a tendering process.

Mayor Larry O’Brien said he’s “absolutely delighted” with the designs but he emphasized that council will need to hear from residents.

O’Brien acknowledged that council will have to wade through the financial estimates during deliberations next month.

“Hopefully with a little bit of luck and a little bit of hard work we can push the go button on this project,” O’Brien said.

Critics of the partnership continue to predict a huge loss for the city.

Capital Coun. Clive Doucet still sees a mall when he looks at the designs but he likes the design of the football stadium.

“The part I’m not so keen on is we have to pay for it,” Doucet said.

The city would be expected to pay $130 million for the stadium and parking.

Doucet said there was a “fundamentally misleading” point in the slick presentation.

“It looks terrific, but it’s a shopping mall,” he said.

Orleans Coun. Bob Monette scoffed at the opposition.

“Anybody who votes against this doesn’t have a vision for the City of Ottawa as far as I’m concerned,” Monette said.

Monette said the only element in the design needing more explanation is the wooden veil on the football stadium and what kind of maintenance comes with it.

“I’m sure they looked into it but it’s something that needs to be addressed,” Monette said.

There are also clear heritage obstacles to overcome, most notably the proposed relocation of the historic Horticulture Building northeast of the Aberdeen Pavilion.

Brigid Phillips of Heritage Ottawa said moving the Horticulture Building shows a “lack of respect” for the property’s 150-year history.

“There’s quite a strong feeling the fix was in right from the beginning and we don’t see this as an enlightened way to develop Lansdowne Park,” Phillips said.

[argh1]

Promo video of the new Stade Moncton 2010 Stadium and the IAAF World Jrs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPU8m...layer_embedded

[Joe MacCarthy]

New stadium set to welcome fans
Jeff Hodson Metro Vancouver

Almost two decades after the demolition of Empire Stadium, a new temporary stadium opens this weekend on the grounds of the storied venue.



The $14-million, 27,500-seat and yet unnamed stadium hosts its inaugural event Sunday when the B.C. Lions take on the Edmonton Eskimos in their second of two pre-season games.

Dylan Tomlin, a Lions fan who toured the stadium last weekend, said he was excited at the prospect of watching the Lions outdoors in an intimate setting.



“Getting a glimpse last Sunday was great,” Tomlin said. “But seeing the players on the field and realizing how close and intimate the atmosphere is going to be will be something special.”

The stadium will be the home of the Lions and Whitecaps while a new retractable roof is fitted on B.C. Place.

Howard Crosley, general manager of B.C. Place, said fans for the most part will be happy with the temporary facility.



“We always hope for nice weather,” said Crosley, who will be attending the game as a fan.

“But it is Vancouver. We expect that there may be a rainy game or two, but I think people are up for it.”

Diane Douglas, secretary of the Lion Backers fan club, grew up on outdoor football in Saskatchewan.

“Everything is very close,” said Douglas, who also toured the stadium last week. “You don’t feel so far away from the players and what’s happening on the field.”

Other stories
Updated: Empire Field turf, concessions, even Lions’ honour ring ready to go
Empire Field provides great sightlines, great atmosphere

[Joe MacCarthy]

Temporary stadium completed in time for BC Lions’ first home game Sunday
June 18, 2010

Vancouver, BC (June 18, 2010): New field turf and lighting upgrades made at Empire Fields in Vancouver will be a permanent legacy for amateur sports in BC, announced Honourable Kevin Krueger, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts.

The high-quality artificial turf playing surface installed as part of the temporary outdoor stadium at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) will remain, and be available for future users of Empire Fields. In addition, new lighting installed at Empire Fields will also remain as an additional legacy, once the now-completed temporary stadium is disassembled and removed. Altogether, these legacy items are valued at $2.8 million dollars.

The temporary stadium was built by BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo) to accommodate all BC Lions home games in 2010, and the first games of Vancouver Whitecaps FC when they join Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2011. The temporary facility is required as BC Place remains closed from now until the summer of 2011 to permit construction of its new retractable roof.

“Since the plan to build the temporary stadium also required PavCo to return the original playing field once the temporary stadium is removed, it made sense to leave the new turf field and accompanying lighting in place, leaving Empire Fields in even better playing condition than when we started,” said Krueger, the Minister responsible for PavCo, the Crown Corporation which owns and manages both BC Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre. “It will be a legacy that allows amateur teams to make use of a high-quality field all year long.”

The $14 million temporary stadium contract with Nussli Special Events (Canada) was completed on time and on budget, with all costs covered by PavCo’s operating budget. The stadium will be in full operation for the first time this Sunday, June 20th, when the BC Lions host the Edmonton Eskimos in a pre-season CFL match. The temporary stadium has 20,500 covered seats, 7,000 additional end zone bench seats and 12 hospitality suites.

The outdoor stadium will also be an additional special events venue during the PNE’s 100th anniversary this year. Operation of the Empire Fields stadium will be managed by the PNE.

“On behalf of Vancouver City Council, I would like to thank the Province of British Columbia and PavCo for this wonderful gift to the citizens of the city,” said Councillor Raymond Louie, who also chairs the PNE Board of Directors. “This all weather field will be a great addition to the City of Vancouver’s extensive inventory of playing facilities, and with it, Empire Fields will be able to host many tournaments and other sporting events for years to come.”

The old Empire Stadium site at the PNE is well-known as the first home of the BC Lions, before they moved to BC Place in 1983. It was also the original home of the Vancouver Whitecaps. About BC Place BC Place is the largest sports, exhibition and entertainment venue of its kind in British Columbia, hosting the province’s most notable events, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

When it re-opens in 2011, BC Place will be the new home of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and will continue to be home to the BC Lions Football Club, the 2011 CFL Grey Cup and many other exhibitions, community and entertainment events.

[JohnnyCanuck]

I went to the game yesterday, and a special little stadium it is... It's gonna rock when its full for Lions and Caps games. It's right on top of the field of play, and great sightlines.

having a taste of this stadium re hashed all my bad feelings about not getting one of these done for the waterfront on Mr. Kerfoot's dime. :|