mcmahon stadium

[thurmas]

since I live out here in pegcity I was just wondering are there any plans to renovate mcmahon or build a new stadia for the stamps. With BC Place set for a new roof and large scale renos and a new stadium going up in winnipeg soon and even the riders slowly renovating Taylor field what's up in cowtown?

[mersar]

There are/were some renovations planned for McMahon, but beyond that I wouldn't expect to see much happening. The stadium is owned by the University, and with ~$1 billion in other planned capital projects yet to be funded I wouldn't count on seeing anything from that angle. And with the Flames looking to replace the Saddledome in the next decade I doubt there would be much support from government (who also aren't really in support of a new hockey arena either)

[Riise]

Originally Posted by mersar

And with the Flames looking to replace the Saddledome in the next decade I doubt there would be much support from government (who also aren't really in support of a new hockey arena either)

Until things stabilize I don't foresee the City bidding for a large athletic/sporting event, which is probably the only way you'd see any large scale stadia publicly financed.

[skrish]

Originally Posted by Riise

Until things stabilize I don't foresee the City bidding for a large athletic/sporting event, which is probably the only way you'd see any large scale stadia publicly financed.

Isn't Canada bidding for the 2018 World Cup

[Jay in Cowtown]

In the next few years they are ripping out the south endzone building (Stamps dressing room/admin offices) and replacing it with a 2-3 storey building that will connect the east and west stands. It's rumored to have a new Stamps dressing/fitness room, admin offices and corporate suites, the Jumbotron will sit on top of it. I've also heard that they may take out more seats on the east grandstand and add more suites... but who knows, what I do know is that stadium is becoming a fucking embarassment.

by the way... good on Winnipeg if they do build a new stadium, but I'll have to see it to believe it! New CFL Stadiums don't make much economical sense.

[Riise]

Originally Posted by skrish

Isn't Canada bidding for the 2018 World Cup

I don't think they have organized formal bid or even thrown their hat in the ring, but that would be the CSA's amateur hour style. With a few big names already throwing their hat into the ring and serious talk of FIFA dropping the rotation system, Canada's chances would be quite slim and they aren't doing themselves any favours at the moment.

[SHOFEAR]

Originally Posted by Jay in Cowtown

In the next few years they are ripping out the south endzone building (Stamps dressing room/admin offices) and replacing it with a 2-3 storey building that will connect the east and west stands. It's rumored to have a new Stamps dressing/fitness room, admin offices and corporate suites, the Jumbotron will sit on top of it. I've also heard that they may take out more seats on the east grandstand and add more suites... but who knows, what I do know is that stadium is becoming a fucking embarassment.

by the way... good on Winnipeg if they do build a new stadium, but I'll have to see it to believe it! New CFL Stadiums don't make much economical sense.

All good....but what about the concourse...I've been to Mcmahon once and that concourse is a joke. I don't know what to compare it to.

And not being able to walk in a full loop around the stadium on the concourse is a joke.

[Jay in Cowtown]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

All good....but what about the concourse...I've been to Mcmahon once and that concourse is a joke. I don't know what to compare it to.

And not being able to walk in a full loop around the stadium on the concourse is a joke.

I know exactly what you can compare it to... a division three college stadium.

As much as I'm a skyscraper entusiast, I'm probably more so a stadium enthusiast, and I've been to some magnificent NFL stadiums... Reliant, Invesco, Seahawk, U of Phoenix, not to mention some outsanding NCAA ones... U of Texas, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc... whenever I get home and drive by McMahon, my stomach starts turning!

The concourse will fully loop around when the new building connects the east and west grandstands on the south end... but there's nothing in the plans to reno the concourse itself... and the sad thing is, McMahon is probably the fourth best stadium in the CFL!

[frinkprof]

I'd like to see Calgary bid for either the Pan-Am Games or the Commonwealth Games, and build McMahon's replacement as a part of that. As Riise said though, I don't think a major sporting event bid is in the offing until the construction boom slows down, and some major infrastructure projects are competed/well underway at time of bidding. Namely, the ring road, WLRT, SELRT, and 8th Avenue Subway.

For the record, Hamilton, Vancouver, Edmonton, Victoria have hosted the Commonwealth Games (Victoria was last in 1994), and Winnipeg has hosted the Pan-Am Games twice, last in 1999.

[DLLB]

I didn't realize that it was owned by the University (kinda like the kiss of death). I think it is a terrible disgrace for a city of our size. I get the feeling we are stuck with it for a very long time.

Replacing the south end with a 2 or 3 storey structure sounds like another kiss of death to me. It will be like putting lipstick on a pig and sending it to the ball.

I sure hope Winnipeg get their new stadium. It is a very ambitious plan with a lot of retail involved but it looks quite good.

[korzym]

Flames and Stamps should go big and build a 50,000 seater together IMO

[Beltliner]

My $0.02 on the configuration and pricing for a New McMahon Stadium is here.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by Beltliner

My $0.02 on the configuration and pricing for a New McMahon Stadium is here.

Not sure personal seat licenses would really work here, at least not at the prices you have shown.

However, if the new stadium was able to hold concerts, it is possible that the prices would be worthwhile.

[Riise]

Originally Posted by korzym

Flames and Stamps should go big and build a 50,000 seater together IMO

Not to jump on you if you're not, but you're being sarcastic right?

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by Jay in Cowtown

I know exactly what you can compare it to... a division three college stadium.

As much as I'm a skyscraper entusiast, I'm probably more so a stadium enthusiast, and I've been to some magnificent NFL stadiums... Reliant, Invesco, Seahawk, U of Phoenix, not to mention some outsanding NCAA ones... U of Texas, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc... whenever I get home and drive by McMahon, my stomach starts turning!

Yup, McMahon is a joke. If Winnipeg can build a new stadium, then there's no excuse for Calgary.

[Joborule]

If we were to build a new stadium (which I agree that McMahon is a sore-eye and we should look for a new one), what would be the capacity for football games and where would you locate it?

[Jay in Cowtown]

Originally Posted by Joborule

If we were to build a new stadium (which I agree that McMahon is a sore-eye and we should look for a new one), what would be the capacity for football games and where would you locate it?

The most economical sense is to renovate McMahon... larger concession/washrooms, remove all the benches and replace with seats, tear that fucking waste of space Olympic Center out on the north endzone and add more seating, and bulid the south endzone building they have planned with more corporate suites.

Another thought I had was now that harness racing is all but a memory at Stampede Park... renovate the 20 000 seat grandstand they already have down there and build a new 20 000 seat one on the other side. Removable seating on the endzones to allow the chuckwagon track to still be usable. Then you have have the multi-million dollar Stampede plus the Stampeders all in one venue... thus making it economically viable, not to mention the stadium would be downtown!

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by Jay in Cowtown

Another thought I had was now that harness racing is all but a memory at Stampede Park... renovate the 20 000 seat grandstand they already have down there and build a new 20 000 seat one on the other side. Removable seating on the endzones to allow the chuckwagon track to still be usable. Then you have have the multi-million dollar Stampede plus the Stampeders all in one venue... thus making it economically viable, not to mention the stadium would be downtown!

Now that is an idea... From the bottom of the grand stand to the other end of the track you have ~225 meters. The current stadium has a gap of ~84m between the sides.

The current Stampede grandstand structure is 160m long, and with the field only being 140m (end of end zone to end of end zone) might not make for the best viewing experience at the margins. There would be room in the infield for a mirror of the current grandstand, or better stands.

During stampede for rodeo you could have both sides fully open, and for chucks in would interfere with the view, and not sure you would want both sides for the chucks/grandstand show.

That is an intriguing idea...

[mersar]

dp

[mersar]

Originally Posted by Jay in Cowtown

...tear that fucking waste of space Olympic Center out on the north endzone and add more seating, and bulid the south endzone building they have planned with more corporate suites.

Which wouldn't happen without a new building being built on campus since the University has been moving more and more non-academic units down there to the point the office area is running at capacity now (parking services, financial services and at least 2 other units are operating out of there). The Red and White club is also in there, and its a fairly heavily booked facility, which would likely need to be replaced in some form if the OVC was to get removed. It would probably be possible to build seating over the existing building though, seeing as how there is a huge amount of space between the endzone and the building, almost the same width as the first tier of seats.