BC Place: Stadium Refurbishment | Completed [Archive] - Page 22

Metro-One

Aug 23, 2010, 10:56 PM

I really hope that this development has 1 or 2 large LED screens, given the fact that it is a major stadium and a casino / entertainment complex.

Currently BC place has 2 screens outside. I hope their plan is not to take these down and replace them with nothing.

(The GM place screens are among the worst I have ever seen for a stadium, simply 2 scrollers one would find at a local movie theatre)

PS - Nice render and good find!

officedweller

Aug 23, 2010, 11:12 PM

martinishaker

Aug 23, 2010, 11:35 PM

Looks similar to Polands National Stadium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SN_makieta.jpg

Metro-One

Aug 24, 2010, 1:00 AM

The problem, of course, is that the parcel between the Casino and the bridge is slated for Concord's "Colours" condo tower(s) and across Pacific Blvd there's already the Cooper's neighbourhood.

The only place that I could see any large LED billboards would be:
- on the revamped Terry Fox Plaza - at the foot of Robson Street; and/or
- on the Georgia Steps - once they get built (I could see the existing billboard on the GM Place side of BC Place remaining in place for some time until that side is redeveloped).

But that is the problem with Vancouver, there should not be an "until it gets redeveloped" situation.

If we want a true entertainment zone in this area, then people who buy into such developments should realize that there are already LED screens there, and that is something they will have to live with moving so close to a large venue / entertainment zone. (also they should understand that as the city / metro get larger that the entertainment zone may also grow, resulting in more bars / clubs / venues / lights / signs, etc...)

Mix use can work, as along as those moving to such areas realize that there are some inconveniences that come with living in a city. Similarly those who chose to live out in the burbs have to live with the inconveniences of living in a more rural setting. All areas have trade offs. One can not have it both ways.

How often on this forum do I hear people complaining saying that many areas in Surrey and the Valley do not deserve skytrain / true rapid transit until they densify more, which I agree with. But your point of telling those suburbanites that they can not have the rapid transit luxury of a dense urban setting it mute if you feel that your downtown condo near / at the city core and entertainment districts should be quiet and dark at night.

idunno

Aug 24, 2010, 2:13 AM

Looks similar to Polands National Stadium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SN_makieta.jpg

That is insanely similar to BC Place!

And does anyone else think that recent render of the casino portion is slightly better looking than the last? I wonder how much they will tweak it :rolleyes:

Yume-sama

Aug 24, 2010, 2:34 AM

The new render is a lot better than I had seen before. Can't wait till it actually does start to look like that~

AgentWill

Aug 24, 2010, 6:18 PM

Gerkan, Marg and Partner are the architects for both BC Place and Warsaw. Hence the similarities.

They seem to specialize in those types of roofs.

http://gmp-architekten.de/index.php?id=4&L=1&tx_mimpdb_pi1[showUid]=872&tx_mimpdb_pi1[typological]=1&tx_mimpdb_pi1[filter_typology]=9&cHash=b2c3e8b7adffbe00b35eea12ed9dde24

officedweller

Aug 24, 2010, 7:41 PM

Thanks for the info.

metroXpress

Aug 24, 2010, 8:45 PM

Here's a pic of the National Stadium u/c...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BudowaStadionuNarodowego_20100815.jpg

jlousa

Aug 26, 2010, 4:22 AM

WarrenC12

Aug 26, 2010, 4:40 AM

In this weeks BIV Bob Mackin(sp) mentions that it's possible that the Lions/whitecaps will have to play all of next year at Empire Stadium and BC Place might not be ready until the Grey Cup game and even then it might not be 100% completed. He also mentions a strong desire from Pavco for the new stadium to host a NHL heritiage classic game in 2013.

No idea on how accurate that assessment is as they certainly appear to be on schedule so far but it certainly is still earlier in the game.

Last I heard the Lions may have the opportunity to move in early but the roof would not be able to close. Not that it makes a difference for them, especially playing at Empire.

I think they will push one way or the other depending on how things are going. So far Empire is a hit, I hope it holds up.

SpongeG

Aug 26, 2010, 5:56 AM

i don't know if this goes here but i was watching the global news and they said the public is loving LOVING empire stadium and wish it could stay for concerts and whatever

i guess people are loving that they can drive to it so easily?

Zassk

Aug 26, 2010, 6:54 AM

No reason we can't have an open-air stadium there, but the current temporary thing is not it. And it's been a hit through our 3 sunny months of the year, but let's see what people think in the other 9 months.

SpongeG

Aug 26, 2010, 7:07 AM

yes but do you think they love it cause its car accessible? being so close to hwy #1?

they don't have to catch the scary train to go to a concert or an event

WarrenC12

Aug 26, 2010, 1:24 PM

yes but do you think they love it cause its car accessible? being so close to hwy #1?

they don't have to catch the scary train to go to a concert or an event

I'm not sure. I'm a Lions season ticket holder, and I think Empire is awesome... considering it's a temporary home, it's a great venue. However, we are seeing it in the prime time of summer. But it's not the same as BC Place. Empire would be great for some concerts, the Whitecaps, etc.

Nothing beats a real stadium for big time events with 50,000+ people.

Transit and parking are a complete nightmare at Empire... no comparison with BC Place. That's our biggest problem with the games there this year. That, and the fact that I can walk to BC Place in 5 mins. :rolleyes:

dtrain

Aug 26, 2010, 2:46 PM

go_leafs_go02

Aug 26, 2010, 3:22 PM

I've been told by the Lions that they're looking into configuring the seating plan at the 'new' BC Place Stadium to something more intimate, something like what the Whitecaps are doing. I think this is the key to making BC Place a hot ticket for sports - personally, I'm tired of looking at 20,000+ empty seats when I go to a game there.
The only possibility for a smaller outdoor stadium would be the Whitecaps funding it, and they're signing a 15 year lease at BC Place.

Can't the new roof lower and cover up the upper level?

That's what the original plans showed, a retractable canvas roof, that could also be lowered to make the place more intimate.

dtrain

Aug 26, 2010, 3:33 PM

I'm not sure how the new roof moves, but regardless, Lions would need more seating than lower bowl (29,000), so a hybrid configuration would need to be designed, I'm guessing a configuration of 35,000-40,000 seats.

WarrenC12

Aug 26, 2010, 5:34 PM

I've been told by the Lions that they're looking into configuring the seating plan at the 'new' BC Place Stadium to something more intimate, something like what the Whitecaps are doing. I think this is the key to making BC Place a hot ticket for sports - personally, I'm tired of looking at 20,000+ empty seats when I go to a game there.
The only possibility for a smaller outdoor stadium would be the Whitecaps funding it, and they're signing a 15 year lease at BC Place.

A better solution would be a top notch team that can attract 40k+ per game.

I was down in at Qwest Field in Seattle last week, nearly full pre-season Seahawks game, it was awesome. Ditto Grey Cups in Vancouver.

Incidentally the Sounders play there too, I think they close the top area.

204

Aug 26, 2010, 6:12 PM

I still think HSBC Place would be the best name.

I prefer BC place to Hong Kong Shanghai Bank of China Place.

djmk

Aug 26, 2010, 6:37 PM

I'm not sure. I'm a Lions season ticket holder, and I think Empire is awesome... considering it's a temporary home, it's a great venue. However, we are seeing it in the prime time of summer. But it's not the same as BC Place. Empire would be great for some concerts, the Whitecaps, etc.

Nothing beats a real stadium for big time events with 50,000+ people.

Transit and parking are a complete nightmare at Empire... no comparison with BC Place. That's our biggest problem with the games there this year. That, and the fact that I can walk to BC Place in 5 mins. :rolleyes:

i love how tempire turns into a huge beer garden outside. I'm not a big fan of the seats. my ass hurts after a quater (still better than swangaurd!!)

GeeCee

Aug 26, 2010, 6:40 PM

Can't the new roof lower and cover up the upper level?

That's what the original plans showed, a retractable canvas roof, that could also be lowered to make the place more intimate.

No, the roof doesn't lower, but there is a plan to cover the upper tier of seats when unused.

Vancity

Aug 26, 2010, 6:44 PM

No, the roof doesn't lower, but there is a plan to cover the upper tier of seats when unused.

I am really interested to see how that's going to look like.

Can't really imagine it done well.

wrenegade

Aug 26, 2010, 6:52 PM

Isn't there a rendering of the inside set up for a Whitecaps game somewhere?

Wait, here's one:

http://media.canada.com/bdbffb02-dc75-420e-8b09-c7871e3d0f7a/0611placesoc.jpg

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/sports/story.html?id=03f9ead2-bf91-4c78-a488-79187fddca6a

GeeCee

Aug 26, 2010, 7:14 PM

Yeah, that article refers to a flexible draping system.. the roof doesn't exactly lower down to cover up the seats. :P

go_leafs_go02

Aug 26, 2010, 7:49 PM

Yeah, that article refers to a flexible draping system.. the roof doesn't exactly lower down to cover up the seats. :P

fair enough - but that photo was what I was referring to.

go_leafs_go02

Aug 26, 2010, 8:29 PM

Was driving in towards Downtown Vancouver this AM. Shot a photo from Dunsmuir Viaduct

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v127/go_leafs_go02/IMG_6945.jpg

hollywoodnorth

Aug 28, 2010, 4:53 PM

mast #7 is now up

LeftCoaster

Aug 29, 2010, 5:43 AM

I prefer BC place to Hong Kong Shanghai Bank of China Place.

HSBC doesn't stand for Hong Kong Shanghai Bank of China...

And we might as well learn to live with the stadium not being called BC Place, cause its getting a corporate sponsor like it or not.

Yume-sama

Aug 29, 2010, 6:04 AM

HSBC doesn't stand for Hong Kong Shanghai Bank of China...

It originally almost did, "The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation" was its name.

HSBC would be a suitable sponsor for BC Place, assuming Telus doesn't pay up. HSBC has a major private banking firm in Vancouver, and is recognized World wide.

SpongeG

Aug 29, 2010, 6:10 AM

plus it has BC in its name :)

LeftCoaster

Aug 29, 2010, 7:55 AM

Yes HSBC would be a great sponsor for BC place. I'm not going to speculate on whether or not it will happen, I just wanted to correct a common misconception.

HSBC is not the Hongkong Shanghai bank of China... its not even a Chinese bank.

mr.x

Aug 29, 2010, 9:02 AM

It WAS (and therefore IT IS) the Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation even though its headquarters was moved from London to Hong Kong in 1992....And I'm guessing it also may have had to do with the fears of an communist crackdown on Hong Kong upon Chinese reunification in 1997.

"The HSBC move to beef up its presence in emerging markets has been telegraphed for a while. Three years ago, the giant bank, which was founded in Hong Kong and Shanghai in 1865, said it was returning to an emerging markets strategy where 60% of the group's pretax profits over time would come from these markets...But Geoghegan will move in February to Hong Kong which served as the bank¹s headquarters until 1992 when it was forced to move to London as a condition of completing the acquisition of Midland Bank. "

http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/25/hsbc-hong-kong-markets-equities-ceo.html

SpongeG

Aug 29, 2010, 10:00 AM

it was started by the british though

SpikePhanta

Aug 29, 2010, 4:37 PM

A friend of mine worked for HSBC in toronto, and when people asked "where do you work", He would say HSBC but surprisingly many people don't even know about them!
Anyways I wouldn't mind HSBC naming sponsor but it doesnt seem like they'll get the rights.
And if Telus gets it Vancouver will be the city with the communication stadiums! :D

LeftCoaster

Aug 29, 2010, 4:41 PM

Yeah it was a bank founded by the British to facilitate commerce between China and Britain. Not a Chinese bank, but clearly it is one of their most important markets and still is home to a ton of their operations.

Anyway this has gotten quite off topic. HSBC would be a great sponsor of the dome... time will tell if they have any interest in it though.

hollywoodnorth

Aug 29, 2010, 8:03 PM

I have a feeling it will be TELUS and that would be great for BC.

Chikinlittle

Aug 29, 2010, 8:09 PM

I have a feeling it will be TELUS and that would be great for BC.

How would that be great for BC?

Yume-sama

Aug 29, 2010, 8:16 PM

Anyway this has gotten quite off topic. HSBC would be a great sponsor of the dome... time will tell if they have any interest in it though.

I bet they don't. But it would be nice to have a major bank sponsor in Vancouver :P

Or Rogers can name it Rogers Field and have a monopoly. :haha:

raggedy13

Aug 29, 2010, 8:30 PM

Here's a stadium shot by hslavid at flickr.com taken yesterday showing 7 masts up.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4938994486_fae4fc0cc7_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gastoncat/4938994486/in/photostream/

GeeCee

Aug 29, 2010, 10:30 PM

Awesome picture!

metroXpress

Aug 30, 2010, 7:53 PM

Drove by the other day:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jUc6REKQAPM/THwJmtYkWOI/AAAAAAAAAGs/FjwHw7pwlTc/s800/DSC02779.JPG

twoNeurons

Aug 30, 2010, 8:26 PM

Telus Place
Telus Stadium
Telus Pitch
Telus Field
Telus Grounds

Smooth

Aug 30, 2010, 8:40 PM

hollywoodnorth

Aug 30, 2010, 11:04 PM

Telus Field @ BC Place will be the name I think ;)

Achengz

Aug 31, 2010, 5:11 AM

Will the stadium renovation increase the overall seat capacity?

SpikePhanta

Aug 31, 2010, 5:15 AM

Will the stadium renovation increase the overall seat capacity?

I think it might lower it a little...

But im not sure...

Yume-sama

Aug 31, 2010, 5:17 AM

With Bell being the Whitecaps main sponsor, I'm not sure that they'd be too happy if Telus got the naming rights to the stadium.

Doesn't one of Yahoo's main owner have a share in the Whitecaps? Yahoo! stadium anyone?

I don't think Yahoo! has the market share on this side of the ocean to justify a stadium sponsorship. Really only Asia seems to know they still exist.

The Yahoo! team stayed in my building during the Olympics, and seemed to be quite impressed with Vancouver, though :D

Will the stadium renovation increase the overall seat capacity?

Technically, I think it will be decreased slightly. But that's probably OK. There's only ever about 1/2 - 1/3 capacity there :P

racc

Aug 31, 2010, 5:35 AM

Telus Field @ BC Place will be the name I think ;)
Or they could change their name back to BC Tel so it would be BC Tel Place:)

invisibleairwaves

Aug 31, 2010, 6:25 AM

*sigh* I'm as much a fan of the free market as the next libertarian-leaning individualist, but...do we really have to cover everything with the names of narcissistic corporate giants? GM Place/Rogers Arena is one thing, but this stadium was built, operated, and renovated with public money and belongs to the province of British Columbia, and by extension, its citizens. What's next, selling the naming rights to Jack Poole Plaza? Stanley Park? Victory Square?

And having Telus Place/Field/whatever right next to an arena owned by Rogers is just damned tacky.

Pinion

Aug 31, 2010, 3:21 PM

You either believe in an unrestricted free market or you don't.

Read Jennifer Government. Great book. It takes place in the near future where people have corporate sponsored elementary schools and take on the last name of their employer (e.g. John Nike).

twoNeurons

Aug 31, 2010, 3:56 PM

You either believe in an unrestricted [greed] market or you don't.

This is true.

Read Jennifer Government. Great book. It takes place in the near future where people have corporate sponsored elementary schools and take on the last name of their employer (e.g. John Nike).
Hmmm... how long before people start naming their kids Donald, and then getting a job working for Trump...

Or what about names like "Ron" [McDonald], Tim [Horton], Alexander [Bell]...

TwoFace

Aug 31, 2010, 6:04 PM

I’m not a big fan of slapping a corporate sticker on everything either.
For me it first started to upset me with re-naming Candlestick park to 3-Comm (being a 49er fan at that time).

These days everything has a Corp name.
The other way of looking at it is, since it’s a publicly funded stadium, why don’t we try and get some money from it by going for a "high bidder" on the naming rights, either that or our taxes and other service costs will just keep going up.

dreambrother808

Aug 31, 2010, 6:17 PM

So being named after a British as opposed to Chinese bank allays certain fears? :haha:

Overground

Aug 31, 2010, 6:29 PM

I'm kind of torn on it. I'd have more of an issue if we still had Empire and they put a sponsor's name on it. The sponsor brings in needed money to improve facilities so if that helps getting new seats than I'm all for it.

On the other hand certain names can cheapen the stadium. Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Denver anyone? Either way, I'll be extremely happy if they don't use "Place" in the name any more. However they will probably still use it.

Terasen, Scotiabank, Nissan, Rona, are premier Lions' sponsors. BMO and Shaw are sponsors of the current Div 2 Caps with Bell being the shirt sponsor for the MLS Caps. Who knows what sponsors will be around by Spring and if that could influence stadium sponsorship.

Zassk

Aug 31, 2010, 6:47 PM

this stadium was built, operated, and renovated with public money and belongs to the province of British Columbia, and by extension, its citizens.

And as one of those tax payers, I would prefer to reduce the tax burden by $20 million/decade (or whatever) by letting a private company pay for naming rights.

Look at it this way: if Telus was willing to cover $100 million of the Evergreen Line's cost, in exchange for having Telus logos on every SkyTrain car, would you be upset by that? What if the offer was $250 million in exchange for calling the Evergreen Line the Telus Line? It would be worth considering, wouldn't it?

jsbertram

Aug 31, 2010, 7:46 PM

I heard that McDonalds has created a Health Sciences curriculum for elementary schools that they have been flogging to school boards around the US.

It was full of pro-McD articles and 'study guides' using McD foods, and had the corporate branding all over the course material. So far, it has been rejected by every school board they've approached, but its only a matter of time before the school budgets are so compromised that corporate branding & support of school classes becomes the norm.

TwoFace

Aug 31, 2010, 7:54 PM

It was full of pro-McD articles and 'study guides' using McD foods, and had the corporate branding all over the course material. So far, it has been rejected by every school board they've approached, but its only a matter of time before the school budgets are so compromised that corporate branding & support of school classes becomes the norm.

Now that is scary.

TwoFace

Aug 31, 2010, 7:57 PM

What if the offer was $250 million in exchange for calling the Evergreen Line the Telus Line? It would be worth considering, wouldn't it?

Sign me up.
I wouldn’t mind them calling the Olympic Village = Telus Village for a couple of hundred Million either.

Smooth

Aug 31, 2010, 8:16 PM

Sign me up.
I wouldn’t mind them calling the Olympic Village = Telus Village for a couple of hundred Million either.

Telusville?

jsbertram

Aug 31, 2010, 8:17 PM

I heard there was quite an uproar in Philadelphia when one of their subway stations was renamed from "Pattison Avenue" to "AT&T Station". Metro Transit got $3 million/year and City got $2 million/year for this deal, but nobody uses the new name.

Not a surprise since its near "Lincoln Financial Field" (Football), "Wachovia Centre" (former site of Veterans Stadium), "Wachovia Spectrum" (formerly just 'the Spectrum' for hockey), and "Citizens Bank Park" (Baseball)

No doubt some corporation is trying to figure out how to rename the nearby Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park without causing too much of a citizens revolt.

In NYC, their metro transit has sold the rights to Barclays Bank to rename the subway stops at Atlantic Avenue, Pacific Street and Flatbush Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn. Not a surprise, since Barclays Bank also has their name on the new sports arena that will be built at this same intersection over these subway stations.

jsbertram

Aug 31, 2010, 8:24 PM

Before we set out hair on fire, lets not forget that 'corporate branding' has been around for decades.

Did it start with Wrigley Field?
The Wrigley family that made the chewing gum bought the baseball team & ballpark in the 20s, but only renamed the ballpark.

Smooth

Aug 31, 2010, 8:50 PM

When the Grizzlies were moved to FedEx Forum I heard the owner was trying to change the team name to the Express.

I guess that isn't that different from the New York Red Bulls in the MLS.

twoNeurons

Aug 31, 2010, 10:30 PM

Welcome to "The MGM Grand Canyon"

hollywoodnorth

Aug 31, 2010, 10:31 PM

mast #8 is up! they are making good progress by my watch ;)

mrjauk

Sep 1, 2010, 11:17 PM

New seating capacity will be 55,000. 4,500 seats in the top 5 rows of the upper deck (otherwise known as the "Nosebleeds") have been removed to make way for steel reinforcement pillars to keep the rim from collapsing under the weight of the new roof.

There used to be 69 rows of seating, now 64. Compare that to 83 rows of seating at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium with a 60,000 capacity but no end zones

After having viewed a picture of the first mast, I suspected that some seating would be compromised as a result of the pillars. What is your source for the exact number?

jlousa

Sep 2, 2010, 1:09 AM

Towerguy 3 banned again.

EastVanMark

Sep 2, 2010, 8:55 PM

After having viewed a picture of the first mast, I suspected that some seating would be compromised as a result of the pillars. What is your source for the exact number?

For what its worth, David Podmore confirmed as much on the radio about 2 weeks ago.

hollywoodnorth

Sep 3, 2010, 1:12 AM

mast #9 is now up!

eduardo88

Sep 4, 2010, 11:30 PM

pictures please!!

hollywoodnorth

Sep 5, 2010, 12:38 AM

pictures please!!

are the 2 x live webcam's on the projects site not enough?

eduardo88

Sep 5, 2010, 12:55 PM

are the 2 x live webcam's on the projects site not enough?

Of course not!

jsbertram

Sep 5, 2010, 6:48 PM

are the 2 x live webcam's on the projects site not enough?

Lets see..

The interior webcam shows the base and the top of the temporary scaffolding for the hub (and the lower bit of the hub), and perhaps 1/3 of the masts (or rather, those that aren't hidden behind the ironwork of the temporary scaffolding), a few of the jigs, and the cranes moving around, and sometimes the loads (if they're in the camera frame).

The Exterior is a wide panoramic view of Downtown from Cambie Bridge to GM Place, with a terrific view of Science World and across False Creek a nice view of the Casino. After doing a 375% zoom, now you can see BC Place, but because this is a digital zoom you also get pixilation that kills any real details.

MR. PODMORE:

Please instruct your staff to put other webcams on the roofs of some tall buildings nearer BC place -like the TV Towers, the Spectrum, the MAX.

Why not add one to the crane that is on the hub, since this crane will have an almost unobstructed view of everything, and can provide a birds-eye 360-degree view (as the crane is rotates) of the entire site.

dreambrother808

Sep 6, 2010, 12:21 AM

I'd never noticed the silver cladding being put up around the rim before, nor the reinforcing of the concrete buttresses underneath each mast.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4961579265_40993dd542_b.jpg

Taken with my cellphone.

eduardo88

Sep 6, 2010, 9:09 PM

Great picture, thanks!

This thing is really coming along so quickly, I hope they don't slow down once Vancouver gets back to rain.

Pinion

Sep 7, 2010, 4:13 AM

It's a lot more top-heavy than I was expecting. The masts look taller than the rest of the stadium.

GeeCee

Sep 7, 2010, 4:25 AM

Ah, so the orange tapes cover up the buttresses.. didn't realize that before. I thought they were something to do with replacing the windows!

dreambrother808

Sep 7, 2010, 5:24 AM

Yeah, the orange tarp-covered buttresses are the ones that await "fortification".

SFUVancouver

Sep 9, 2010, 8:08 AM

http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/7004/bcplaceseptember82010p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, September 8th, 2010.

eduardo88

Sep 9, 2010, 8:45 PM

Wow those masts look tall!

g35

Sep 9, 2010, 9:39 PM

#10 is up...that one took a little longer than usual.

WarrenC12

Sep 9, 2010, 10:03 PM

#10 is up...that one took a little longer than usual.

No kidding. Although they were installing those horizontal "connectors" for each pair up so far. I would think the speed should pick up now.

PaperTiger

Sep 9, 2010, 11:19 PM

Wow those masts look tall!

I know, right? They look even taller in person, and the hub at the centre is almost as high! This thing is huge.

Spork

Sep 10, 2010, 1:28 AM

Does anybody know how high the peak of each of those masts is?

jlousa

Sep 10, 2010, 3:27 AM

Just came back from the home and interior show, BC Place had a booth there so I decided to ask some questions. Disclaimer I do not know how valid any of this info is, the guy claimed it was all accurate but I think it should still be taken with a grain of salt.

1) the exterior glass will not be replaced, with the exception of currently damaged panels. (Guess we need to pray for a major hail storm soon). The remaining panels will only cleaned.

2) The seats will all be replaced with slightly wider and padded seats everywhere. The new wider seats will result in a change to the existing configuration and will leave the stadium with a 55K capacity. ( think the previous rumours had only club seats being replaced so there could be confusion from the representative here as well, but lets hope he's right)

Prometheus

Sep 10, 2010, 3:59 AM

The seats will all be replaced with slightly wider and padded seats everywhere. The new wider seats will result in a change to the existing configuration and will leave the stadium with a 55K capacity. (I think the previous rumours had only club seats being replaced so there could be confusion from the representative here as well, but lets hope he's right)

I do not think they were rumours. I believe someone here wrote to management and received a reply which stated that only about 5,000 seats were to be replaced. I believe the e-mail reply was posted a few pages back in this thread.

GeeCee

Sep 10, 2010, 4:15 AM

Here's the email in question:

Hi Curtis, thank you for your interest in BC Place.

Up to 5000 seats in the lower seating level (known as Level 2) will be replaced. The replacement seats will be a combination of new retractable seats, and new, premium club seating. These club seats will be high-quality and padded for your comfort. The overall seating capacity will remain the same.

The exterior glass is currently under review, and a decision on this part of the stadium will be made in the coming months.

Thank you again for your interest, on behalf of the team at BC Place.

Duncan Blomfield

Marketing and Communications Manager

BC Place

This email was dated July 5th, 2010.

jlousa

Sep 10, 2010, 4:54 AM

There you go, the above email also goes along with the brochure and trading cards I received, they specifically mention new club seats as well as everything else we know they are doing but they didn't mention anything about all the seats.
I had a feeling he didn't know what he was talking about, no orange vest though just a bright green shirt.

eduardo88

Sep 10, 2010, 3:25 PM

I know, right? They look even taller in person, and the hub at the centre is almost as high! This thing is huge.

The hub thing in the middle will end up being lower right? because if it's at that height this thing will be so tall!

Zassk

Sep 10, 2010, 4:19 PM

eduardo88

Sep 10, 2010, 6:45 PM

Wow that's high! I was expecting the hub to be at the height of the cross-beams with the roof a tiny bit lower

nobase2010

Sep 10, 2010, 10:08 PM

tK-iyO_pn1U

PaperTiger

Sep 10, 2010, 11:08 PM

From the diagrams, it seems that the hub will remain at that height, but the actual roof will hang far below it. The fabric roof will be at the height of those cross-beams connecting the masts together.
The roof rises as it moves toward the centre. It is at the level of the crossbeams around the perimeter and then it seems very close to the height of the hub at the centre. form looking at the models I think there will be a bit more deflection in the top cables once the weight of the roof is added, so maybe not quite so high in the centre.

Yume-sama

Sep 11, 2010, 12:17 AM

Some pics from my balcony with a 300mm lens.

It makes me sad I won't be able to see it through to completion, as I put my apartment up for sale yesterday~

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/4977713017_f57369ed91_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/syume/4977713017/in/photostream/

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4977717965_b95ef6cd80_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/syume/4977717965/in/photostream/

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4977719909_c26d6e9650_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/syume/4977719909/in/photostream/

dleung

Sep 11, 2010, 12:29 AM

It's a lot more top-heavy than I was expecting. The masts look taller than the rest of the stadium.

Keep in mind that 1/3 of the masts' height are beneath the level of the new roof, which is slightly higher than the horizontal cross bracing.

I just can't believe that with half a billion dollars we still can't replace those dirty windows... just waiting for the day when they redevelop the corner parcels so that no one will ever see the bottom half of the stadium, lol.