This morning at 9:30 am, the future of the BC Place retractable roof will be announced. According to CKNW, the Whitecaps and the Lions will be there, and the solution is expected to be positive for them. Here's a Vancouver Sun story as well... http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Place+retractable+roof/2134397/story.html
I think the $65m currently put into interior refurbishment for the Olympics is in that $500m. I don't know why these local reporters keep missing that. So the stadium is a positive thing as we'll have our club at a facility for 2011 but this really is still a temporary solution. I think our goal is still hopefully to have a proper football stadium for the Caps in a few years. Unless, the inner roof system turns out great and they install a modular grass system.
They may stay at there cause it'll be only 1 of 2 MLS stadium where you can increase capacity. Qwest is the other one. edit http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Place+million+upgrade/2137532/story.html BC Place to get 458m upgrade.
It's done. It's a fixed price contract worth $458 million, with the construction company responsible for overruns. The government still says they will recoup the cash by LEASING the land around the stadium for development. Here are the details: http://www.bcplacestadium.com/newsreleases/Province_Confirms_Roof_Oct-23-2009.pdf http://www.bcplacestadium.com/newsreleases/2009_Backgrounder.pdf
Huzzahh!!! 'Bout bloody time! Now we can talk about important things again- like logos, and sponsors!
GREAT NEWS!! i'm kind of surprised there is no mention of the P3 cost-sharing of the roofs which would have involved private investors-- like the BC Lions and the Caps-- to share in the revenues i still think there will be a lot more details coming forth that will allow this to happen
I'm interested who is doing the temporary stadium at the old Empire stadium site and how it will be configured and look. I'm guessing seating will be at least 30,000 for the Lions. I suspect that the Whitecaps will be playing there for the entire 2011 season (Summer 2011 could easily mean up to Sept. 21st. 2011)
From Friends of Soccer: B.C. Place Renovation - The Right Choice http://friendsofsoccer.blogspot.com/2009/10/bc-place-renovation-right-choice.html
for those who have not seen the german model of the retractable roofs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commerzbank-Arena having read other news about the bc place stadium roofs, it seems like the P3 possiblity is still being discussed
It may be discussed but I'm guessing it may not go anywhere. The province isn't selling that land after all and are going to lease it. I'm guessing they don't want to get burned like they did with the Expo lands. It seems that the Province is trying everything in their power to pay for this themselves with some creative accounting.
Just a couple of things on BC Place; First, The BC Soccer Association has strongly endorsed the renovation: Retractable roof plan is the right plan for BC Place http://www.bcsoccer.net/bcsa/Rotate...roof-plan-is-the-right-plan-for-BC-Place.aspx Second, I think most of us understand that the government is going to take a lot of heat for this. It would have been politically easy for them to go with something second-rate, or walk away from the project altogether. They could have been yet another level of government that screwed over the Whitecaps, only this time it could have been fatal for our team. But they didn't. They kept their word. They've taken action that will ensure the Whitecaps will continue to exist for years to come. And now they're going to get hit hard by their critics, including the NDP who have once again changed their position on the BC Place roof. Whatever you may think of this government, I believe it's important to let our elected officials know when they've done something right. I also believe in publicly supporting good decisions against critics who are bent on shouting down good ideas. Supporting good decisions now makes it easier for everyone in the soccer community to work with government in the future on other projects (ie. the Waterfront Stadium). If you support the Whitecaps, and the BC Place renos, I encourage you to drop a quick thank-you email to Premier Campbell and Kevin Krueger (The Minister responsible for BC Place). Letters to the editor supporting BC Place would also be a big help. I've listed some addresses below. People are always willing to take a swing at governments when they screw up. But few people are willing to come to their defence or thank them when they do something right. I know they appreciate it a lot when it happens, and it encourages them to do more good things. I hope you'll take a moment to write. Cheers, Bill Currie Friends of Soccer MLA: Hon. Gordon Campbell gordon.campbell.mla@leg.bc.ca premier@gov.bc.ca MLA: Hon. Kevin Krueger kevin.krueger.mla@leg.bc.ca The Vancouver Sun To submit letters to the editor for publication in The Vancouver Sun newspaper: sunletters@vancouversun.com. The Province E-mail: provletters@theprovince.com The Globe & Mail Letters@globeandmail.com 24 Hours (Vancouver) Online form at: http://rapids.canoe.ca/cgi-bin/reg/NR-register.pl?FORM_ID=24hrs_Vancouver_On_Your_Mind Metro (Vancouver) Online form at: http://www.metronews.ca/Vancouver/comment/lettereditor
A big win for soccer in BC and our tourism. I agree that we should continue to push for positive publicity on this as many BCers don't understand the long term benefits to our tourism, economy, and Vancouver's prestige with this plan.
New architectural renderings at the BC Place website. Larger size and a couple more drawings here - http://www.bcplace2011.com/#gallery,0 -It seems they also revised/enlarged the size of the roof opening to 119 yrds long x 92 wide. -The roof will be closed during winter months. -Preparatory works starts in Spring like waterproofing. The Auto show will be in there from 30/3 - 4/4 but all other shows after will move to the VTCC. -Summer 2010 will see the removal of the roof. -Summer 2011 will have substantial completion of the retractable roof. BC Place opens for events. The Whitecaps move back into BC Place in the Summer as well. -Nov 2011 the roof will be completed.
The complaints from people when seeing those is the cables are so noticeable but what they didn't realise is that it's a drawing with a white background. In person the cables won't be as visible and would be similar to how noticeable the cables are on the arch at Wembley. Though there will be a hell of a lot more of them.
Having watched the Olympic opening ceremonies I'm wondering if you'll be going with that golden "prairie turf"?
AT least we will get a new jumbo screen... the one in there now was state of the art in 1983! Its well past due
The one in there now is not the original. It is the one they bought from the Seahawks that used to be in the Kingdome.