Report: BC Place WILL get a Retractable Roof - Print Topic

B.C. Place to get new retractable roof... after the Olympics.
Rising costs and lack of work crews cited as reasons for delay.
by Jeff Lee
Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, May 15, 2008

The crown corporation that oversees B.C. Place will announce tomorrow that it will replace the iconic teflon dome with a retractable roof after the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Two weeks ago, The Vancouver Sun broke the story that David Podmore, the chairman of PavCo, which operates B.C. Place, had advised the provincial cabinet that he wants to install a new retractable roof.

However, pushing ahead with the replacement in time for the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Games was considered too costly and complicated, and Podmore decided to do the work after the Olympics.

The major reason, he told cabinet, was that firms that could install the retractable roof are already busy with other work and the cost of structural steel has risen by upwards of 40 per cent since last year.

By delaying the new roof until after the Olympics, PavCo - which is already under fire for the inflated $883-million cost of the new waterfront exhibition and convention centre - would supposedly be able to better control costs.

Since that cabinet briefing, PavCo officials have declined to comment and Tourism Minister Stan Hagen, who personally favors a retractable roof, would only say an announcement would be made "soon".

George Chayka, vice-president of business for the B.C. Lions, confirmed that he's been asked to be at a press conference tomorrow (FRIDAY) at B.C. Place. But he would not discuss the topic of the meeting.

Podmore did not respond to calls for comment as of Thursday afternoon.

jefflee@png.canwest.com

Will BC Place Stadium get a Retractable roof?  Just wondering what you Media people have heard as you have a close ear to what's going on in Victoria.

I was at PlayDome tonight and looked up at the Stadium roof and almost got sick.  That roof looks deplorable.  It's worse than atrocious.

It's water stained, full of soot, and looks like total garbage.  I'm ashamed that that could be the roof we show off to the world in the Opening Ceremonies in 2010 with 3 billion people watching.

The other issue is the Olympic flame.  How will they vent the fumes and smoke from that Olympic flame?  Don't tell me they're going to burn that flame inside an airtight dome?  Is this Government totally crazy?

my personal hope is that it is a retractable roof. as for the flame...it should be in a 'tower' structure as it has been in the past, but i would also like to see the flame lit as a 'ring' around the entire building as well.

"Is this government totally crazy"....why so vanboy? Because they don't start a big project like this without first doing their due diligence? Or would you suggest they just fly at it and be damned if its finished on time, or not, or even close to the projected budget. I suppose if its not completed by Feb 12/10 they could always have the opening ceremonies at Swangard Stadium....or not.

The retractable roof option is slowly closing due to time restraints, some are still hopeful that it could be done before the opening ceremonies, but I am having my doubts. Also, the chance of major cost overruns on hurried projects is almost a given, especially in this tight labour market, is the public ready for a $50 - $100 million overrun on a new roof? Even if they decide they can't go with the retractable roof, you can rest assured there will be new fabric installed to replace the 25 year old one currently in place.
The lighting of the flame and the flames position is highly secretive, but you can bet it won't be burning throughout the Olympics inside the stadium.

Quoted from 2405

my personal hope is that it is a retractable roof. as for the flame...it should be in a 'tower' structure as it has been in the past, but i would also like to see the flame lit as a 'ring' around the entire building as well.

Great idea. The entire outside of the stadium as a burning cauldron. ;D Not bad.

If the roof isn't done now, it will never get done.

Where did I say they shouldn't due their due diligence?   Mabey if they would've thought of this earlier they would have given themselves enough time to put on a proper roof?

Of course they have to do a study and get quotes and prices and estimates, and in fact an engineering feasibility study was done...  they've already gotten quotes in from the roof's manufacturer Birdair and Unisystems.

But why have they left it this late?

Pavco applied to the City to sell off some land around the Stadium but I think it's just a smokescreen.  If they just spend $ 20 million on a lousy replacement bubble, it won't show much commitment and I'd say the Stadium will be imploded within 10 years.

BC Place wouldn't need concrete piles for a replacement of the current bubble but would need concrete towers to support Arches to support a Retractable system.

And YES The Edge Daily stands by this story absolutely. Cepco is talking to the contractors, not to Pavco directly.

http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/content.jsp?id=com.tms.cms.article.Article_5f29b516-cb73c03a-1d7b2220-e3fdfed5

28-02-2008: Cepco in talks on Winter Olympic indoor stadium
by Yantoultra Ngui Yichen
Email us your feedback at fd@bizedge.com

KUALA LUMPUR: Concrete Engineering Products Bhd (Cepco) is in talks with Canada on the development of the indoor stadium for the Winter Olympic 2010 in Vancouver, said its managing director Nelson Leong.

�It is still in the enquiring stage though, like how much it is to produce the piles, and how much it is to ship to Vancouver,� he told reporters after Cepco�s AGM here yesterday.

On the value of the contract, he said it would only be confirmed by the end of this month, adding that it would make the necessary announcement when the deal was finalised.

The pre-stressed spun concrete piles and poles manufacturer was currently focusing on the export market such as the Middle East especially Iran, said Leong.

Currently, its revenue contribution from exports was 15% and it expected export sales to increase in tandem with its overseas expansion plan, he added.

Leong said Cepco had an outstanding order book of RM80 million, which would keep the company busy until the end of this fiscal year ending Aug 31, 2008 (FY08).

On the local front, Leong said Cepco was confident of securing a RM150 million contract from UEM Builders Bhd to supply marine piles for the second Penang bridge project.

�Our marine piles were successfully tested for the second Penang bridge in July last year,� he said.

He added that three points along the site of the bridge were tested with its 1,000mm diameter marine piles and they all passed the respective tests.

Apart from the bridge project, Leong said Cepco was also bidding for contracts in the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) projects such as the electric double-tracking rail project.

There are only two players in the spun concrete pile industry locally, with its only competitor being Industrial Concrete Product Bhd (ICP).

Cepco has four plants located in Sungai Petani, Pasir Gudang, Rawang and Nilai, with an annual production capacity of 830,000 tonnes in total.

For its first quarter ended Nov 30, 2007, Cepco�s net profit surged 227.5% to RM1.41 million from RM433,000 a year earlier on the back of improved demand and delivery of its products.

Well what did the Premier say today at the Auto Show about the Roof design other than putting out John Les fires?  He was supposed to make some presentation today on the new Roof design.  Wonder why that got scuttled.  I guess he's got his hands full with John Les.  Gotta put priorities first, right Gordo?

Apparently now the City has some reservations about the Retractable design as it will allow noise from events to bother the residents in the area.  Hell the Stadium was there before the towers, give the BC Lions a break.

Don't ya think we should get rid of this Mayor?  He shows no leadership; he'll probably kill that Stadium.  Is the Mayor election in November?

While no official announcement has come out, it will be a newer version of the inflatable roof now in place, or so it has been reported by some within city hall. This info was taken from the cities website.

The proposed rehabilitation work will include the replacement of the roof with an improved air-supported roof, as well as other up-grades to the building prior to the Olympics.Following the Olympics, there will be further work including improving the environmental performance of the building and addressing staging and operational issues.

The Stadium Roof is leaking again. I was at the Auto show and they have pails out again to catch the dripping water.

The Exhibitors are not happy. So much for the idea of replacing an inflatable with another inflatable

waiting this long to come up with a solution could be a huge mistake...

Perhaps rushing head first into a retrofit that might not be finished by Feb.12 2010 might be a bigger mistake. Word is that there have been engineers crawling all over the place for the last few weeks, no doubt important first steps.

Yes and some engineers from Germany, possibly from Koch Hightex, are walking around with Tripods doing sighting and survey measurements...

would the presence of Surveyors from Germany indicate a structure will be built outside the stadium such as a tower such as the Incline Tower outside Olympic Stadium?

If they were just doing a simple bubble replacement, why would they need Surveyors?

Re Olympic Stadium, is that roof still Retractable or is it just a Fixed roof held up by cables?

Forgive me if this sounds ignorant, I'm not from BC. Would it be out of the question to simply remove the roof for the Olympics. That would have aesthetic benefits for the television audience.

Well they already told NBC and TSN that the ceremonies will be an indoor event so I suspect they're planning for Indoor conditions however I suppose they could change this.

Now that's an interesting idea. Leave the stadium uncovered for the Olympics and put on a roof after. That way the Olympic Flame can burn inside the Stadium as there's no dome over it.

All Trade Shows and Conventions slated for the Stadium next year would be moved into the new Convention Center as that should be ready by then.

One thing I'd like to know is how much money they expect to make by selling off parcels of land around the Stadium...

Having no roof for the Olympics is not an option, the chance of rain, heavy, wind blown sideways, mixed with snow, type rain, is a good possibility for that time of the year in Vancouver and a scenario that could ruin the opening ceremonies.

Quoted from flyfisher

Having no roof for the Olympics is not an option, the chance of rain, heavy, wind blown sideways, mixed with snow, type rain, is a good possibility for that time of the year in Vancouver and a scenario that could ruin the opening ceremonies.

I think the building floor was also not built with proper drainage for if rains were to occur.

Aer there drains in the floor of SkyDome in Toronto?

the people behind BC Place NEED to get together with the folks behind both the Vancouver Whitecaps AND the BC Lions and work on some sort of multi-purpose field BOTH successful pro sports teams could live with....a proposal that would include a retractable roof.  THEN put a bid in to buy the current location of Swanguard Stadium and put it there.  Granted the Whitecaps would be without a home for awhile, but putting it in Burnaby adjacent to Skytrain would work.  Maybe the Whitecaps and Lions could work out some temporary arrangement where the Whitecaps could play games at their Surrey training facility or work out some sort of deal with UBC to use Thunderbird stadium.  It could work...

If they were REALLY smart, they'd make the stadium configurations such that baseball could be a tenant, with a vision to reviving that MLB pre-season tourney that BC Place used to have...or have the Mariners bring a 3-game pre-season homestand north each year, etc.  OR open the door to a return of Triple A ball.  Rain-outs would no longer be a factor.

It's nice to dream, I know!!!   ;)

The days of the multi purpose stadiums(Football/Soccer/Baseball) have come and gone.Pro teams want their own facility(see Seattle with Quest and Safeco side by side, and their are dozens of example in North America) I think Swangaard is a great place to watch a Caps game, but I can hear the screams about building a "Playpen for the Rich" in Central Park. They would have to knock down some of that forest thats opposite to the
Main Grandstand, that would bring out the tree huggers en masse. It must be soooo frusterating for Bobby Lenarduzzi who bleeds soccer, to watch as Montreal and Toronto put up Soccer Specific Stadiums in a couple of years( with a combination of Public and Private funding), yet in Vancouver its well documented that the Caps owner has spent almost 6 years trying to build a facility with his OWN money, and runs into obstacles from those dim wits at City Hall, and the poverty industry in Gastown.I of remember a column that Greg Douglas wrote in the Vancouver Sun after attending the public gearings 2 years ago and being shocked by the ignorance of the people in that hood, Especially when one activist said that Whitecaps soccer would bring in thousands of " soccer hooligans and other undersirables" to the Gastown area!? ! Even though she later admitted of never attending a game at Swangaard , and had "no idea that it was full of families and soccer moms".

When are we going to hear about BC Place and a Retractable Roof? They gotta make a decision soon one way or another or they'll run out of time.

I would hope Pavco and Stan Hagen will make the announcement this week. Any media people here can confirm that?

A stadium that would suit both the BC Lions and Whitecaps would be too big for the Whitecaps as the Lions have said they need a facility that holds 45 to 50,000.

Quoted from CRS

the people behind BC Place NEED to get together with the folks behind both the Vancouver Whitecaps AND the BC Lions and work on some sort of multi-purpose field BOTH successful pro sports teams could live with....a proposal that would include a retractable roof. THEN put a bid in to buy the current location of Swanguard Stadium and put it there. Granted the Whitecaps would be without a home for awhile, but putting it in Burnaby adjacent to Skytrain would work. Maybe the Whitecaps and Lions could work out some temporary arrangement where the Whitecaps could play games at their Surrey training facility or work out some sort of deal with UBC to use Thunderbird stadium. It could work...

The whole reason the Whitecaps want out of Swangard is because it's a terrible location, and the land belongs to Burnaby. There is no better site in the entire province for a stadium than where the Whitecaps want to build it.

The Whitecaps want their own stadium, and will get their own stadium. If the roof at BC Place is retractable and a new field-turf is laid, they'll be able to join MLS before the waterfront stadium is complete. The Lions don't want to be on the waterfront, because they need 60,000 seats to host the big games. The city can easily justify having two facilities, and negotiations are continuing between the Whitecaps and the Port. It's just a matter of dollars.

We'll never be anything more than a single A baseball town, so there's no need to include baseball in the mix.

Can someone confirm that the Premier will have the press conference next week in Victoria?

http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2008/04/18/5318451-sun.html

I really can't understand how some people think:

Soccer stadium needs a second look

Don Larson
Special to the Sun

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Why would anyone risk soccer moms and kids by placing a new Whitecaps Stadium beside a huge railway shunting yard that carries dangerous chemicals?

Do we want even the remote possibility of mixing soccer or music fans with "trichloroisocyanuric acid" during a half-time hotdog munch?

The 2004 emergency response guidebook states "inhalation, ingestion by contact (skin, eyes) with vapours or substance may cause severe injury, burns or death." And this is a direct quote from the joint publication by Transport Canada and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Next on the list of concerns to local residents is noise. At up to 92 decibels, the Whitecaps Stadium should keep working-class families and young professionals living nearby up at all hours.

Vehicle congestion before and after each event will be a problem, too. In spite of public transit, about two-thirds of those going to the proposed Whitecaps Stadium will use private vehicles.

And what about the $131-million vehicle ramp that would have to be built to get cars from the stadium to Granville Street?

Is it David Beckham or Posh Spice who is going to pay for this? Oh, the taxpayer?

Women's groups in the Downtown Eastside have expressed concerns about Carrall Street pedestrian overpass will likely be built over the railway tracks and to the Whitecaps Stadium.

Can you say: "New Granville brawl, er, mall?"

Libby Davies, MP for Vancouver East, in her letter to federal Transportation Minister Lawrence Cannon, says, "I believe that core value for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is to develop, sustain and enhance port infrastructure as a nexus for trade and transportation for the long term; and that this value serves local, regional and national economic interests -- none of which is compatible with the development of a soccer stadium."

I agree.

Don Larson is a community activist in Vancouver.

The Vancouver Sun 2008

All those ridiculous assertions by "the sky is falling Larson" have been long since been contradicted by people who actually have some credibility.

The stadium is getting 100% private funding, along with all the access and infrastructure, and 92 decibels is as loud as a motorcycle.

If the rail yards are SO hazardous, why haven't they evacuated Canada Place or Granville Square, or all the office towers that stand immediately adjacent to the rail yards?

And in MLS, the Whitecaps would more likely play in the afternoon, thus not keeping the drug addicts and prostitutes "up at all hours"

This stuff really makes me mad...Don Larson is a kook. And the Vancouver Sun should be ashamed of itself for even publishing such garbage.

Quoted from bradster

>>snipp<< I can hear the screams about building a "Playpen for the Rich" in Central Park. They would have to knock down some of that forest thats opposite to the
Main Grandstand, that would bring out the tree huggers en masse. >>snip<<

As well as flushing out more than a few muggers. I agree that Central Park would be a good location for a new stadium. Skytrain's right there, for one thing. And the park is not the sort of place that sees a lot of 'recreation' after daylight, well, not of a very family-friendly sort anyway, outside the soccer games. It would be badly underutilized without Swangaard there now, a waste of space.

Quoted from bradster

>>snip<<It must be soooo frusterating for Bobby Lenarduzzi who bleeds soccer, to watch as Montreal and Toronto put up Soccer Specific Stadiums in a couple of years( with a combination of Public and Private funding), yet in Vancouver its well documented that the Caps owner has spent almost 6 years trying to build a facility with his OWN money, and runs into obstacles from those dim wits at City Hall, and the poverty industry in Gastown.I of remember a column that Greg Douglas wrote in the Vancouver Sun after attending the public gearings 2 years ago and being shocked by the ignorance of the people in that hood, Especially when one activist said that Whitecaps soccer would bring in thousands of " soccer hooligans and other undersirables" to the Gastown area!? ! Even though she later admitted of never attending a game at Swangaard , and had "no idea that it was full of families and soccer moms".

Bringing "undesirables" into that area? I've always found that an amazing statement. I often have occasion to go to Gastown and the DTES ( as I have since I was a little boy going to Woodwards, Amy Narvy etc. with my parents long ago, so different an area then) and I can only assume that by "undesirables" this poverty pimp was meaning "people who aren't drug addicted thieves and hookers."
Unbelievable, the whole thing just blows my mind.

well well lo and behold they've been drilling for core samples around the Stadium.

There's a fresh hole drilled, now sealed with cement, in the parking lot close to the BC Lions ticket office on Expo Blvd. The site is surrounded by orange pylons and yellow tape. Crews are checking for the clay level as the water table fluctuates somewhat being so close to sea level.

The other hole drilled is near the East Airlock entrance.

So I guess the work is proceeding. This is a Design Build project much like GM Place was: work goes on as designs are produced and revised.

If they are planning on building a retractable roof for B.C. Place - and I think they should - then when are they planning on announcing it? Would it not have made sense for the Premier to have made the big announcement today in front of thousands of Sun Runners gathered at the post-race party inside B.C. Place? Having to congregate under a drab bubble after finishing a race under brilliant blue skies would have underscored the benefits of an open air stadium.

Maybe they're still doing their due diligence or, perhaps more likely, doing battle with Vancouver City Council. ::)

It's all a big cover up. I bet Mayor Sullivan is holding this up much like he's trying to drive the Whitecaps Stadium into the ground.

Sullivan is going to kill both stadiums if he gets his way.

Pavco will recommend the Retractable Roof to the Provincial Government by the end of the week as per Rick Ball on Team 1040 today 1 pm onwards. Excellent work Rick!

Below is the link. Scroll to 1 pm.

http://www.team1040.ca/podcast/rick_...ow_Apr_21~.mp3

Good news for city stadium watchers: Team 1040 radio reported this afternoon that there is a strong preference in many quarters for a retractable roof in the upcoming BC Place Stadium renovations.

Local officials are looking at a number of German stadia roof models, and the open-hole footprint may resemble that of the Dallas Cowboys' Texas Stadium (ie. the space over the field exposed).

Bottom line: I have a feeling this could turn out to be the inverse of bullfighting arenas, where the cost of and demand for tickets is greatest in the shade.

Look at the picture above and think about the success of lazy afternoons at Nat Bailey. I think Vancouver sports fans will consult meteorological charts to figure out the angle of the sun and try to position themselves into the sections with sunshine.

Province.

For those who can't listen to it:

- two architectural firms in Vancouver working on the design

- the design will be more like Veltins Stadium and Commerzbabnk Arena in Germany

- preferred design is to have posts around the Stadium's perimeter to support the roof; that will allow events to carry on in the Stadium with little inconvenience to the Lions and trade show schedules

'NW reports that no decision has been made yet.

However, new development: they were drilling INSIDE the Stadium also into the Stadium floor, so that indicates drainage is going in.

Cabinet meets Wednesday. Drum roll please...

Quoted from clearskies

It's all a big cover up. I bet Mayor Sullivan is holding this up much like he's trying to drive the Whitecaps Stadium into the ground.

Sullivan is going to kill both stadiums if he gets his way.

You really have no clue what you're talking about. Mayor Sullivan has nothing to do with BC place because it's a Provincial issue, and the Whitecaps stadium is being held up by the Federally regulated Port Authority.

This is wild !

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/c...0-a5ff0f237156

Alarm bells ring on BC Place retractable roof
Probably biggest gamble of 2010 Games racing against clock
Miro Cernetig, Vancouver Sun
Published: Monday, April 28, 2008
Premier Gordon Campbell wants the retractable roof. So does David Podmore, the construction exec in charge of revamping BC Place Stadium for the Olympics. Hard to blame either of them; our stadium's current top looks like an old bedsheet left in the rain too long.

A new roof that can be opened to let that Olympic flame burn bright for 2010 and the sunshine in during a B.C. Lions game when it's not raining, is no doubt a desirable goal. It will add a whole new life, architectural profile and use (baseball or soccer, anyone?) to Vancouver's aging, domed stadium.

But. But. But.

View Larger Image
BC Place Stadium, seen here before damage was repaired, should have a new retractable roof in time for 2010 Games.
Steve Bosch, Vancouver Sun

Email to a friend

Printer friendly
Font:****Putting up that retractable roof over BC Place has got to ring some alarms bells, too.

It is probably the biggest gamble of the 2010 Olympic Games: Get it done right, on time and Podmore gets the gold. Blow it, either through delays or the myriad of engineering complications that come with a $150-million to $200-million re-engineering job, and he's got an Olympic disaster on his hands.

In the international press, we'd go from being depicted as a city preparing a near flawless Games to shades of Athens, where plans for a new structure over an old stadium also created grave concerns within the International Olympic Committee when organizers began running behind schedule.

It could be even worse than that, of course, as Canada has shown. A truly botched job -- always something to consider when deadlines get tight and retrofits that involve old buildings are in play -- and we could be a mini-Montreal, rushing through an Olympic roof that had skyrocketing costs and was a disaster. If you don't think things can go wrong on these big projects, just remember that the cost of the convention centre expansion has now almost doubled, closing in on $1 billion.

So, prudence ought to be the order of the day on this key decision. Any day now, Podmore is expected to deliver his recommendations on BC Place's new roof to the provincial cabinet. At the moment, he's under his own dome of silence. But I'm told the government is expecting he'll come up with a way of doing the retractable roof, putting BC Place into the world's top 10 largest indoor-outdoor stadiums.

But Podmore is a careful guy. First, he knows he's got to make sure BC Place has the structural integrity for the load of a new fixed roof, retractable or not. (Most think it has, given how much concrete is in it). And he's also got to ensure if things do go sideways, there's a face-saving contingency plan.

It turns out he's got a few tricks to ensure that ambitious project wouldn't turn from a dream into a nightmare.

When he first floated the idea of the retractable roof a few months ago to the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee, Podmore suggested to the insiders that a new roof could be built over the existing one. That would ensure BC Place would be operational during the 18 months or more of construction, allowing B.C. Lions games and trade shows to continue. Then, once the new roof was completed, the old air-suspended dome would come down.

Alarm bells ring on BC Place retractable roof
Probably biggest gamble of 2010 Games racing against clock
Miro Cernetig, Vancouver Sun
Published: Monday, April 28, 2008
The benefit of this approach wasn't lost on Olympic organizers. Aside from a revamped stadium that could offer open-air ceremonies for 2010, the Olympic planners also would have a guarantee that any logistical snafus wouldn't turn into an international embarrassment. If construction bogs down, the old roof would still be covering BC Place.

Now a half-complete roof over an ugly old dome isn't quite the image Vancouver or Canada wants to present to billions of TV viewers during the Games. But this, too, could be massaged.

Providing those engineering studies show a new roof is possible -- I'd bet on a yes since, as sport business analyst Tom Mayenknecht told me, German stadium engineers are already in town sussing out how to do the job -- there is nothing stopping Podmore from taking a graduated approach to this. Get the retractable roof plan on track, do the designs, arrange the funding and line up the major contractors. Then, if time proves too short or serious engineering problems are encountered, he could easily order that project be delayed until after the Games. Alternatively, it could be partially completed, leaving a sort of doughnut hole over the field until the Olympics are over.

Email to a friend

Printer friendly
Font:****Falling short would be disappointing, but hardly a fiasco. It could even be argued the local economy could use a major infrastructure project after the Olympics, when the economy is likely to cool down.

So if you're making a bet on the newest addition to the Vancouver skyline, I'm told the smart money is on a retractable roof. If David Podmore goes to the provincial cabinet in the next few days with such a plan, odds are he's going to get an immediate message from Premier Campbell: let the Olympic Games re-roofing begin.

Podmore will have about 600 days to get the job done. He will find himself in the first real race of the 2010 Olympics.

Read Miro Cernetig's blog at http://www.vancouversun.com/blogs

� The Vancouver Sun 2008
previous page 1 2

Quoted from FRED

You really have no clue what you're talking about. Mayor Sullivan has nothing to do with BC place because it's a Provincial issue, and the Whitecaps stadium is being held up by the Federally regulated Port Authority.

This guy "clearskies" has a stadium fixation and has been annoying people on many other websites under various nom de plumes (120 db, towerguy3, firstdown45....)among others.

PavCo to present retractable roof option to cabinet
Vancouver/CKNW(AM 980)

4/29/2008

A plan to build a retractable roof for BC Place will be presented to Premier Gordon Campbell and his cabinet tomorrow by the BC Pavillion Corporation who runs the stadium.

If cabinet approves the project, PavCo will have to start construction immediately since the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games are only 654 days away.

Based on the cost of similar roof refits around the world, the cost of replacement will be at least 250-million dollars.

Construction will have to go around the clock if the new roof is to be completed on time.

Jeff Lee says one thing, now Pavco is backtracking... 13 pages of blanked out material in the Report... Stan Hagen doesn't wanna say anything...

this Government is its own worst enemy

the Stadium is an embarrassment... the roof looks like a soiled bedsheet... get on with it!

Quoted from clearskies

Jeff Lee says one thing, now Pavco is backtracking... 13 pages of blanked out material in the Report... Stan Hagen doesn't wanna say anything...

this Government is its own worst enemy

the Stadium is an embarrassment... the roof looks like a soiled bedsheet... get on with it!

Do you have some kind of weird stadium fetish?

Press Conference at BC Place Stadium Friday.

Anyone able to dig up some details? Might have something to do with the Retractable Roof.

The presser has nothing to do with the BC Lions.

Quoted from FRED

Do you have some kind of weird stadium fetish?

:D :D :D That quote made my day... :D :D :D

Quoted from FRED

Do you have some kind of weird stadium fetish?

Like you wouldn't believe. ::) ::) ::)

courtesy CKNW Breaking News .. 2.05 pm Thursday May 15th

CKNW has learned that a new, retractable roof will be built on BC Place Stadium. The Vancouver Whitecaps will try and land a Major League Soccer franchise to be a tenant in the Stadium, along with the BC Lions. The provincial government will make the announcement tomorrow.

Courtesy CKNW Breaking News�.10:20 am Friday, May 16, 2008

The Premier says there will be a new retractable roof on B.C. Place installed after the Olympics�.

Oh yeah�.

The reporter also announced the new Vancouver Art Gallery will be built on the water side of the stadium to create sort of a, new cultural centre for the city.

Just what does this station think breaking news is?

An announcement about something we all knew about after they "broke" it 24 hours ago�..

Or�..the fact that a controversial proposal to close the Art Gallery we already have and with $80 million in taxpayers money put up a brand spankin new one on the parking lot just east of the Queen E Theatre is now going to be placed on the site of the condemned Plaza of Nations site?

REDDS

The Canadian Press

May 16, 2008 at 1:58 PM EDT

VANCOUVER � Premier Gordon Campbell handed out to sports fans and culture buffs Friday, confirming speculation his government will put a new retractable roof on B.C. Place stadium, but will also build a new art gallery.

The new roof won't be on the stadium in time for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Upgrades to the stadium will occur in two phases, with renovations to the suites, seating, washrooms and concession stands and improvements to the existing roof happening before the Games.

The premier gave no price estimate for renovating B.C. Place, but earlier reports pegged a new retractable roof at $200-million, compared to $20-million to give the stadium a new inflatable roof.

The stadium's air-supported covering collapsed in January, 2007 and has since been repaired.

Mr. Campbell announced the new art gallery will be built near the stadium on False Creek and the Liberal government has already committed $50-million towards its cost.

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.

Print Topic - Archive