Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[Airboy]

TURF at Commonwealth Stadium will be changed twice this year. Putting Grass in for the WC pregames then switching to artificial right after. Was at the stadium this week and the drainage is almost finished. But putting Grass in will need some good weather to be ready for the WC pregames.

As for any major renovations that is on the books but currently shelved. They are upgrading necessary areas like mechanical and structural. But no money for a major over hall.
One interesting fact I learned from the City was that they only need 2 big events a year to break even.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by Airboy

One interesting fact I learned from the City was that they only need 2 big events a year to break even.

If that’s the case, 2026 is going to be a good year for them: soccer, Guns N Roses, AC/DC, Foo Fighters, two nights of Post Malone…

Commonwealth has had a decent amount of big concerts over the past few years that would have otherwise skipped Alberta entirely. Lots of people bemoan putting public dollars into stadiums but I’d say Commonwealth is absolutely worthy of the investment (plus it’s publicly owned so we kind of need to).

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

If that’s the case, 2026 is going to be a good year for them: soccer, Guns N Roses, AC/DC, Foo Fighters, two nights of Post Malone…

Commonwealth has had a decent amount of big concerts over the past few years that would have otherwise skipped Alberta entirely. Lots of people bemoan putting public dollars into stadiums but I’d say Commonwealth is absolutely worthy of the investment (plus it’s publicly owned so we kind of need to).

It may be one of the reasons it has not been downsized. It was paid off years ago.

We were saying though, that if it was covered it would be used a lot more.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Airboy

TURF at Commonwealth Stadium will be changed twice this year. Putting Grass in for the WC pregames then switching to artificial right after. Was at the stadium this week and the drainage is almost finished. But putting Grass in will need some good weather to be ready for the WC pregames.

I was under the impression that turf would be installed over the artificial turf which was to be in place in May.

If the soccer game is June 1 and the opening home game for the Esks is June 20, that only gives them 19 days to rip out the turf and install the artificial turf and have some time to settle.

I'd like to see if there is some confirmation out there if this is what's supposed to happen.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by elly63

I was under the impression that turf would be installed over the artificial turf which was to be in place in May.

If the soccer game is June 1 and the opening home game for the Esks is June 20, that only gives them 19 days to rip out the turf and install the artificial turf and have some time to settle.

I'd like to see if there is some confirmation out there if this is what's supposed to happen.

Don't know the logistics but either way there is a lot to do. But that would make sense. When I was there last week they had a lot to do yet.