CKNW - BC Place stadium roof collapsed

[TheLionKing]

The only logical solution is to demolish BC Place and sell the land for 500 million and use the half of the proceeds to build a new stadium in Burnaby somewhere close to skytrain. The remaining proceeds can be used to recoup any debt paid on the stadium.

So where do the Lions play in the mean time? You don't build a stadium overnight. Sounds easy on paper, but it's not, really.

[120dB]

Stan Hagen said that a retractable roof is NOT an option; the building is structurally not designed for it. I also heard an engineer say the same thing.

Retractable roof is a no go folks. Either you keep the dome or tear it down and build another stadium, or mabey we won't even have a Stadium.

If David Braley is going to make a serious offer to Pavco, he better do it soon cause developers have already spoken to Stan Hagen.

Of course, we don't know what sorts of financial offers developers have made to the Government; the Minister will probably like to examine all offers first as the government's not gonna give the land away for free

[smphantom]

That's what I meant - replace BC Place with a retractable roof stadium whenever the time is appropriate.

[MacNews]

That's what I meant - replace BC Place with a retractable roof stadium whenever the time is appropriate.

It's what Seattle did if I'm not mistaken. But the question is where do play in the interim, how about the Whitecaps stadium that's being crushes under tonnes of red-tape?

[KnowItAll]

Could they not build temp seating at UBC, or SFU, or Swanguard, or..??

[MacNews]

Could they not build temp seating at UBC, or SFU, or Swanguard, or..??

If you mean 20-30K of temporary seating...sure. Problem is it's not feasible to put such a large number of bleachers in.

[KnowItAll]

Could they not build temp seating at UBC, or SFU, or Swanguard, or..??

If you mean 20-30K of temporary seating...sure. Problem is it's not feasible to put such a large number of bleachers in.

sell, I do not know UBC or SFU, but at swanguard, they could tear down the fence, and maybe a few trees and put in field length seating on one the east side. Maybe they could even swing it around one or both endzones.

[MacNews]

I do not know UBC or SFU, but at swanguard, they could tear down the fence, and maybe a few trees and put in field length seating on one the east side. Maybe they could even swing it around one or both endzones.

If the Whitecaps build that new stadium, IF, then there would be no point in renovating Swanguard. The Lions wouldn't play there because again there is not enough seating for even the ST holders.

The only thing I can see is BC Place staying where it is, or the Lions playing at the potential Whitecaps stadium.

[120dB]

Now are they sure when they reinflate it that another panel won't pop? What happens if the roof blows again when they reinflate it?

Look at this time lapse of the roof. It shows the roof sagging as the air leaks out, then fans are turned on and the roof expands way beyond its limit, then blows out. Look for the roof expanding to a large size before it collapses. Can you see it?

http://www.23degrees.net/webcam/bc_plac ... lapse.html

[MacNews]

Wow, where'd you find that 120?

[Soundy]

That time-lapse clip was on the news the day after it happened.

But it's already been covered: two different employees tried to increase the air pressure at the same time, which is why it over-inflated and blew out the panel. It's not something that's likely to be a problem on a repeated basis.

[David]

The only thing I can see is BC Place staying where it is, or the Lions playing at the potential Whitecaps stadium.

What I think most people would like to see? BC Place to remain where it is, a patched roof for now, and a possible retractable roof for the 2010 Games.

What I think developers would like to see? BC Place torn down post-2010 and the land used for condominums/mixed commercial/retail.

What I'd like to see? B.C. Place sold after 2010 and an (expandable) 38,000 seat stadium built from some of the proceeds of the sale on the parcel of land behind the Pacific Central train station and Terminal Avenue. It's spitting distance from downtown, Hwy 1 accessible, on the Sky Train line (Main/Science World) and could revitalize the neighbourhood.

I would be fine with the first choice provided A) a retractable roof could be installed over BC Place in the first place (and I don't think it can, at least not without making prohibitively expensive structural changes to the stadium), and B) some of the permanent seats were removed to make it retractable.

What I think will happen? David Braley will either purchase or manage BC Place, they will eventually install a permanent roof like the one we have, and we'll carry on like nothing ever happened.

DH 8)

[TheLionKing]

Could they not build temp seating at UBC, or SFU, or Swanguard, or..??

Does Swanguard have a CFL field ?

[KnowItAll]

Could they not build temp seating at UBC, or SFU, or Swanguard, or..??

Does Swanguard have a CFL field ?

I am sure it is wide enough, but not sure if it is long enough, specially for proper endzones. I forgot that it has a track around it to hamper field expansion. At least I think it still has a track around it. Been about 35 yrs since I last was in it. Ah well, it was just a thought.

[Soundy]

You can basically count ANY sort of "solid" roof, retractable or not, out of the picture. As you say, IF the structural upgrades could be made to support that (which I don't think is even feasible/possible anyway), it would be prohibitively expensive.

As for selling it and replacing it with another facility... the problem is that you have to COMPLETE a replacement facility, BEFORE you can take the current one out of service. You're looking at probably at least two to three years to actually construct a new building, and that's AFTER a site has been found and purchased, the design completed (you're talking probably several months right there), all the red tape dealt with (look at what Kerfoot is going through trying to get a soccer stadium built)... if you expect any kind of public money to be involved, you can at least double the level of red tape involved...

Essentially, if they started the process today, you would MAYBE see a new facility ready for about 2012, which is how far ahead BC Place has event bookings right now anyway... only after that could the task begin of removing the old stadium, which would be no small task in itself. And if you want it done in any kind of timely fashion, you'd need someone to put up the capital for it NOW, with only the promise of reimbursement once it's all said and done and the land sold, 5-6 years down the road.

Simple, no?