More details on the move to Empire

[Big Time]

Has it been confirmed there will be a video replay screen? I haven't read that anywhere.

[Blue In BC]

Geez. It's going to cost $14M for this stadium. Although this is part of the budget for BCP, it's still a lot of money.

The seating capacity is only 27,500 so that will hurt the revenue stream as well. Not sure how many of those seats are in the end zone.

[bclions16]

Once the stadium is 'up', you will realize why it is temporary.

It has no roof (So, not covered), and you will be sitting in cheap temporary seats. You know, those brutally hard seats that are plastic but feel more like iron.

The concessions and washrooms will be basic, but the paint will be nice and fresh.

I'm not trying to be negative, but once a building is finished construction, it never looks 1/10th as good as the 'artist's rendering'.

Good points. Additionally, this temporary stadium isn't really much of a "building" as substantial portion will basically be sheathed scaffolding.

The Lions and partners have taken an unfortunate situation and really made something good out of it.

[WestCoastJoe]

David Podmore, chair of the BC Pavilion Corporation which owns BC Place, told a news conference hosted on the Empire Stadium site it will cost $14.4 million to build the temporary facility, then remove it. The cost is included in the budget for BC Place.

http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?pi ... =224292027

Anyone have information on the composition of the stands?

Steel and concrete seem evident. I guess concrete can go in and be torn down quickly enough. I can't help picturing some rickety stands such as in high school gyms (steel and wood) with nothing underneath your seating except the grass down below.

I find the price of $14 million to be very low for a solid and safe 27,000 seat facility.

For that price it hardly matters if it is permanent. However, I would love to see a permanent stadium on that site for high school and college football and other sports.

[bclions16]

Steel and concrete seem evident. .

Not much concrete, expect perhaps for some key structural points. Lots of steel in those temporary stands though. The stands should be pretty much like the temporary ones commonly used at Grey Cups, but since they are hosting 10 or 11 games rather then one, it will get nicer finishing touches and aesthetics hiding much of what is essentially scaffolding.

I think it's a reasonable approach. A "stadium" built this way simply cannot be left, it won't stand the wear, tear and elements long-term. I do wish they could have built the temporary seating around a permanent 5,000 seats with washrooms and lockers etc. That said, time is of the essence because honoring a lease is what's at issue, and this initiative can't really afford the input of all possible stakeholders.

[Canuck_4_Life]

The grandstands going up at Cypress for the freestyle events will be moved to Empire, so if anyone has Olympic tickets for freestyle skiing/snowboarding will get a sneek peak at what they may be sitting on at Empire.

[Hambone]

The temporary stadium structures as will be used for Empire have come along ways in the past 15 years. I sat in the south endzone temps at the 1995 Grey Cup in Regina. They were more like the scaffolding and sheathing someone alluded too. The seats were planks, not unlike the old Empire "seats". But more recent structures I've been in are much more modern. My most recent experience in such structures was at the Molson Indy in Edmonton 2 years ago and in the 2 sections that the Riders have added permanently to Mosaic Stadium. Underneath it still all looks like scaffolding but on top they have been polished aluminum benches or in the case of Empire it would appear individual seats with backrests for a good portion. With the structure being in place for a full calendar year they will no doubt spend a bit of extra money to put "walls to the backs of the structures to give it a concourse effect and to hide the scaffolding look. The cost may seem high but one can bet the temporary facility will be open for whatever business Pavco and perhaps the PNE can drum up in addition to the Lions and Whitecaps.

[Rammer]

Since the facility is going to use the Lions artificial turf, I doubt that the Whitecaps are going to be tenants at "Tempire".

[Canuck_4_Life]

The Whitecaps are at Swangard for 2010 and it sounds as though they'll be moving into Empire to start the 2011 MLS season, presuming construction estimates are correct.

[Robbie]

The Whitecaps are at Swangard for 2010 and it sounds as though they'll be moving into Empire to start the 2011 MLS season, presuming construction estimates are correct.

Then there's no need to show both soccer and football lines on the same field.

[SammyGreene]

The Whitecaps are at Swangard for 2010 and it sounds as though they'll be moving into Empire to start the 2011 MLS season, presuming construction estimates are correct.

Then there's no need to show both soccer and football lines on the same field.

That photo sure brings back memories. That tartan turf was just horrendous. I tore up my right ankle playing a soccer game there in 1980 when by boot basically got locked into the turf and my foot kept moving forward.

Many don't realize B.C. high school football kept using Empire for its playoffs right up until 1990. I recall seeing Mitch Berger quarterbacking the North Delta Huskies there in his Grade 12 year (1989). There was pigeon crap everywhere in the stands and the turf was covered with a layer of slime from basically never being maintained.

The football playoffs eventually moved to BC Place when they no longer could get insurance because the stadium/field was in such poor shape.

[WestCoastJoe]

Since the facility is going to use the Lions artificial turf, I doubt that the Whitecaps are going to be tenants at "Tempire".

Ha ha.

"Tempire."

Working overtime as a poet and writer?

It's good.

Tempire Stadium. Got a ring to it.

[Lionheart]

Haha got into the Christmas Schnapps early? Everyone has been calling it that for about 3 months now.