Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[northernlights9]

What are the dimensions of the opening ? It covers a football field and a bit more than that, the CFL field is 150 yards long ( 110 yards plus two 20 yard end zones ) so that's 450 feet long, the CFL width is 65 yards so 195 feet plus the sidelines, so within the sidelines that's an area of 88,000 square feet.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by northernlights9

feel free to inquire all you want, this is an open forum and all views are respected

That's a funny (strange) non committal answer.

In other news, I just saw a scam ad that showed an actual CBC personality on a copied CBC webpage. Check out what happens when you click Sign-In (upper right corner) Seriously WTF. I'm only seeing this stuff now that Youtube is trying to kill ad blockers.

[Acajack]

I can assure everyone that the talk about Olympic Stadium is not in any significant way related to the idea of getting a few dates in Montreal for Taylor Swift's latest tour.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I can assure everyone that the talk about Olympic Stadium is not in any significant way related to the idea of getting a few dates in Montreal for Taylor Swift's latest tour.

Tell that to R2D2

[northernlights9]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I can assure everyone that the talk about Olympic Stadium is not in any significant way related to the idea of getting a few dates in Montreal for Taylor Swift's latest tour.

Consider how much Revenue Pavilion Corporation (the Operator of BC Place) earns through Rent and Concession Sales from a Taylor Swift / Ed Sheeran / Beyonce / Rolling Stones concert versus a BC Lions or Vancouver Whitecaps game that draws only 20,000.

Same scenario can be applied here and for that matter to any large venue.

Revenue is magnified many times over for a big event. Even a Grey Cup or Soccer Final makes a difference.

Ed Sheeran drew the largest crowd ever in BC Place, 65,000. Consider all of the events past, present, and future happening at the Stadium.

None of this would have been possible had the BC Government actually carried out with a plan to rip down BC Place after the 2010 Winter Olympics.

They actually had thought of selling the land off for more condo towers. Fortunately cooler heads prevailed over that idiotic plan.

This hypothetical Roof is not being motivated by carrying on with Boat Shows.

You are free to disagree and if you do, I invite you to present an estimate of Revenue cash flow from a Boat Show versus just One Taylor Swift concert.

[Djeffery]

I think the last thing you want to do is start writing down numbers on what a large scale event means for the bottom line of the stadium because you will never have enough of them to justify almost a billion dollars spent on renovating a stadium that cost a billion dollars to build in the first place. Even if you say that Ed Sheeran concert made a profit after expenses of a million dollars for the venue (probably being generous), that's a long way from covering this kind of expense when you are looking at only a possible few of those a year.

You have to play on the hearts of the taxpayers to make something like this happen. Do they want a large stadium so they can get these one off events simply because they are a large world-class city that should have a large stadium even though it will be a money pit, yes or no? US cities spend large dollars on these things because they like being able to call themselves an NFL city. Montreal isn't going to get that cachet from this kind of spend.

[northernlights9]

here is an example of the Economic benefits of having a World class venue to host huge events, imagine how the hotels in Montreal must salivate over this :

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...otel-1.7051655

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by northernlights9

here is an example of the Economic benefits of having a World class venue to host huge events, imagine how the hotels in Montreal must salivate over this :

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...otel-1.7051655

You didn't read the article all that thoroughly, it would appear, since it is about price gouging...

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

You didn't read the article all that thoroughly, it would appear, since it is about price gouging...

Yeah, but Taylor Swift was in it.

[Base]

A big if but would a rebuilt Olympic stadium be a fit for an MLB team? It wouldn't be ideal but it might get it to a level acceptable for the MLB at least?

[thurmas]

Originally Posted by Base

A big if but would a rebuilt Olympic stadium be a fit for an MLB team? It wouldn't be ideal but it might get it to a level acceptable for the MLB at least?

Extremely doubtful with how hard Charlotte and Nashville are pushing for expansion teams and promising brand new ballparks. Big O would probably need another $500 million to $750 mill additional in renovations for interior renos and creating ballpark district in olympic parc which most mlb teams are doing now to generate additional revenue.

[northernlights9]

The easy solution here is just to replace the existing blue roof and hope Swift visits in summer of 2025 as that's the only time the fabric roof won't be an issue. They will have to reinforce the technical ring first, then they can remove the existing roof over the summer and leave the stadium Open air for a Winter Classic outdoor hockey game in November. Then replace with new roof ready for mid 2025. That is the most cost effective and quick way to do this and will garner the least amount of public opposition as cost is reduced. It appeases Swift fans who lost out on this round of shows and gives hope for a 2025 show, and appeases the hockey base who want to see an outdoor hockey game. It is also easier to get this way approved by Cabinet as its cost effective.
Only drawback is the Stadium's usage will be restricted to 7 to 8 months per year however its been that way since the 90s. Agree or disagree ?

[MalcolmTucker]

If they're going to drop $750 million bucks into it, I'd want a study of what can be accomplished by increasing investment by $100, $250, and $500 million for interior renovations and or a totally new roof. Modern, reposition able seats for one, a modern concourse for another. Stretch for a removable natural grass field, a roof that is good not just a compromise like it has been.

Turn it into a facility that is useful for the next 50 years, not one that Montrealers are just waiting to fail enough that it will be worth it to take down.

[thurmas]

I am of the opinion of doing what's most practical. Long term a fancied up Big O in my opinion will have the same problems its always has once the new car smell comes off after 4 or 5 years from a major reno. I suggest have a roof and technical ring replacement as they seem to truly be major safety issues now. Replace the 50 year old seats. Hopefully this can be done for 500 to 600 million. Afterwards due to the stadiums immense size keep it only for major concerts boat shows cfl playoffs or major cf montreal games and continue to break even on the facility as its budget hovers around 20 million a year. If there is 100 or 200 million extra available use it to renovate molson or saputo or both. Maybe alouettes can move to saputo and help pay for extending the grandstand to fit cfl as both teams only need around 22-23k seats if that most nights. Alouettes and cf need more suites and party decks. Moving into something as immense as the big o in my opinion is something they would really struggle with in terms of trying to have an intimate feel for the size their fan bases are.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by northernlights9

....Agree or disagree ?

There's always the third (and arguably much, much cheaper) option where we just buy you and other fans a plane ticket to a city where Swift does have a scheduled concert.

[northernlights99]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

If they're going to drop $750 million bucks into it, I'd want a study of what can be accomplished by increasing investment by $100, $250, and $500 million for interior renovations and or a totally new roof. Modern, reposition able seats for one, a modern concourse for another. Stretch for a removable natural grass field, a roof that is good not just a compromise like it has been.

Turn it into a facility that is useful for the next 50 years, not one that Montrealers are just waiting to fail enough that it will be worth it to take down.

How many more studies do we need ? They have been studying this for years. The time to act is now. Enough with the studies. They already said they were going to replace the roof by 2022. I've given up on a metal roof that keeps the stadium open year round. Just build a new blue roof. Believe me, Taylor Swift is a pie in the face for the government and for the city, a colossal embarrassment. They will make sure she can perform in the Stadium as soon as possible and the way to do that is fast track completion.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by northernlights99

How many more studies do we need ? They have been studying this for years. The time to act is now. Enough with the studies. They already said they were going to replace the roof by 2022. I've given up on a metal roof that keeps the stadium open year round. Just build a new blue roof. Believe me, Taylor Swift is a pie in the face for the government and for the city, a colossal embarrassment. They will make sure she can perform in the Stadium as soon as possible and the way to do that is fast track completion.

Jesus fucking Christ. It's not like Taylor Swift is retiring after this tour, she's in her early 30's. Enough with this obsession with her and thinking Montreal needs to fast track some band aid fix to get her to perform there. Her and anyone else worthwhile seeing in a stadium tour will still be around when they get this place done.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

....Her and anyone else worthwhile seeing in a stadium tour will still be around when they get this place done.

Yes, after all, if she pulls a Mick Jagger and is still performing in her 80s, we can revive this thread to discuss a new roof for the stadium that will eventually have replaced the Big O...

[king10]

This poster obsessed with Taylor swift is starting to weird me out.

They arent going to fast track a multi billion dollar decades long problem that nobody has been able to solve so Taylor Swift can perform. It’s comical.

Here is an idea. If she and her fans want to perform so bad in montreal, they can put an $8,000 surcharge on the 65,000 tickets sold to help pay off the debt on a $500M roof. Im sure northern lights is in for at least 100 tickets for a cool $800k right?

EDIT: I see there are “two” northern lights posters. Hit em up for 200 tickets then.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by king10

This poster obsessed with Taylor swift is starting to weird me out.

EDIT: I see there are “two” northern lights posters.

This account(s) was sus from the first post. Posts look and are posted more like a bot than a person. Or perhaps a person using a ChatGPT like device to accumulate info to make the point of which they have no clue or context. Whatever it is, your spider sense should be tingling and ready to see more in the future.