From a broadcasting radio / tv perspective, what upgrades will be made to the press and media facilities inside BC Place to prepare for 2010?

Has anyone on here done media or broadcasting in the dome?  Has the Stadium updated their broadcast facilities much since 1983?

What improvements can be made for 2010?

this news is all well and good...great for the Lions...but for the 'Caps, after watching the Toronto FC game today in Toronto, beautiful sunshine and surroundings...it will be a real tragedy if the Caps can't get their own stadium.

AM

With the new roof estimated to cost 150 million, I think it's a poor investment.

The province should have sat down with the Whitecaps and the Lions and just made a bigger version of the whitecaps stadium and put up the difference in cost.

How could it ever be considered a poor investment? Even if the reno's end up costing in the 200-250 million range, which it most likely will, it is still a great deal. Add in the original 60+ million of the initial build and you still get a downtown stadium with a retractable roof for around 300 million, which if built today would be at least 800 million upwards to 1.2 billion. If you want to average it out over the life of the stadium, say the reno's add 25 years, you get 50 years+ of service for around 6 - 8 million per year.
It's a great deal for the people of BC and will generate millions of dollars over its years of service.

Agreed!People have to remember that the stadium debt was retired a few years ago..its mortgage free. Its used over 220 days per year  with sports and tradeshows etc( thats without soccer)  its a good investment  to upgrade vs blow up and rebuild . In Seattle Safeco and Qwest, combined cost over 1.2 BILLION. We have something that we can tweak and get another 50 years use out of.

I think your assessment of 800 million to 1.2 billion is way off.

Looking at retractable roof stadiums that have been built in the last say decade.

Safeco Field, Seattle - 1999 - 517 Million
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale - 2006 - 455 million
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, 2008 - 675 Million
Reliant Stadium, Houston, 2002 - 352 Million.

And those are for 55 thousand plus stadiums.  Lets face it BC place is far too large for the Lions or the Whitecaps.

The only time BC is or will be full is for grey cups, the odd playoff game, and if the Whitecaps have another friendly with David Beckham.

A stadium that seats 35 thousand fans would seem to be enough for both.

So say that would cost 400 million.


You take away the 150 million for the roof (could be higher but I'll be generous), and it's down to 250 Million...add the 75 million that the Whitecaps had in private financing for their own stadium and you are down to175 million.

Still a considerable amount of change, but If the Lions were to match the Whitecaps at 75 million you are down to 100 million and between naming rights and the sale of the land (prime real estate).  If you aren't down to zero you are close enough that the amount of public money would be miniscule.

Even with the new roof I still think BC place will be the white elephant in the centre of downtown.  The White Caps will never even fill the bottom bowl even if they do go MLS.  They could be joining the English Premiere League and I don't think they would sell out the bottom.

The Lions I believe averaged right around 30 thousand fans per game last year.  35 thousand would give them amble room and make playoff tickets that much more of a "must have", simple supply and demand.

And again, what's the experience with retro-fitting current stadiums with new retractable roofs?  I heard on the Team someone talk about a stadium in Germany that's had it done, but it's definetly not something that happens often.

Quoted from clearskies

From a broadcasting radio / tv perspective, what upgrades will be made to the press and media facilities inside BC Place to prepare for 2010?

Has anyone on here done media or broadcasting in the dome?  Has the Stadium updated their broadcast facilities much since 1983?

What improvements can be made for 2010?

That's a good question. I can tell you that TSN football announcer Chris Cuthbert has said B.C. Place is his favourite stadium to do games in so something has to be right about the broadcast facilities in there. I wonder if there's enough space to accommodate the various announcers that will cover the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Olympics.

Unlike a CFL game where, at most, you have two TV and two radio crews, the ceremonies will require space for way more people, no?