Stadiums and Arenas of Canada part 2 - Page 80

Oilkountry · #**1581** Posted **Jun 12, 2015, 3:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berklon

^ That would still be a total waste of money.
Why would Montreal need a 37,000 seat stadium... or a new stadium in general? The Al's and Impact are settled and don't need more than 20,000 seats anyway. And renovating/building a new stadium isn't worth it just to be able to host the Grey Cup every 5 years or so.

If Montreal were to get a new stadium, it would be for a MLB team... and that's still idle chit-chat right now.

Nope. The Big O is getting renovated, that's already been established. It's a matter of when and how much but I can tell you It's gonna be at least on par with BC place but most likely more. I'm Just saying If they are going to sink a half billion or more into the place they might as well make it a more friendly configuration. You guys are asking what Montreal needs a 40k seat stadium for?.....I'm asking what they need a 60k seat stadium for? How often do they Host events where it brings in 40,000+? Very Rarely! 1-2 times a year. They would be better off to literally gut the stands and Start over You have this massive space I'm sure they could design it to convert for the CFL or MLS playoffs/ Grey cups and also have retractable seat for floor space. They could easily have the best Stadium in Canada. wider concourse that's for sure And i'm sure the als would move back there in a heart beat if it was a stadium on par with the rest of Canada and offered a CFL specific setting. It doesn't matter if you throw a billion dollars at that stadium in its current seating configuration you will never bring that place back to life Its way to big, The seats are way to far back. This way They would basically be starting with a blank canvas so even if they wanted to keep the big seat stadium they could design it to have a 40k capacity for everyday use and exapnde to 55-60k with less work then putting up scaffolding. nothing's impossible these days with modern engineering. They just need to do it right that's all.

tomthumb2 · #**1582** Posted **Jun 12, 2015, 3:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oilkountry

Nope. The Big O is getting renovated, that's already been established. It's a matter of when and how much but I can tell you It's gonna be at least on par with BC place but most likely more. I'm Just saying If they are going to sink a half billion or more into the place they might as well make it a more friendly configuration. You guys are asking what Montreal needs a 40k seat stadium for?.....I'm asking what they need a 60k seat stadium for? How often do they Host events where it brings in 40,000+? Very Rarely! 1-2 times a year. They would be better off to literally gut the stands and Start over You have this massive space I'm sure they could design it to convert for the CFL or MLS playoffs/ Grey cups and also have retractable seat for floor space. They could easily have the best Stadium in Canada. wider concourse that's for sure And i'm sure the als would move back there in a heart beat if it was a stadium on par with the rest of Canada and offered a CFL specific setting. It doesn't matter if you throw a billion dollars at that stadium in its current seating configuration you will never bring that place back to life Its way to big, The seats are way to far back.

When did this happen? Is it official? Hope you're right because if they cant demolish it then best to fix it up but I'm not sure for what. Even with 40k seats, it'll be half empty for the Als. Always thought it might not be so bad if the roof was translucent so it wasn't always so dark and grim in there.

Man 40 years later and the place is still a pain in the ass for Montrealers!

Oilkountry · #**1583** Posted **Jun 12, 2015, 3:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomthumb2

When did this happen? Is it official? Hope you're right because if they cant demolish it then best to fix it up but I'm not sure for what. Even with 40k seats, it'll be half empty for the Als. Always thought it might not be so bad if the roof was translucent so it wasn't always so dark and grim in there.

Man 40 years later and the place is still a pain in the ass for Montrealers!

It's been said many times they Cant demolish it they have to renovate it. So It's either they let it rot some more or they renovate. Nothing is official its just quite clear That eventually the place is gonna get Renovated

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berklon

That's a nice little ballpark.

Love that there's a river on one side of it, and downtown buildings in the backdrop behind it. Sometimes the location and surrounds is just as important as the stadium itself. That just reminds me of the mistake of Tim Hortons Field.

I really love that park they recently just added a party deck to the one side of the Stadium.

esquire · #**1584** Posted **Jun 12, 2015, 3:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oilkountry

They could easily have the best Stadium in Canada. wider concourse that's for sure

How much bigger could they get? The Big O has probably the most generously-sized concourses out of any major venue in Canada!

Oilkountry · #**1585** Posted **Jun 12, 2015, 3:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

How much bigger could they get? The Big O has probably the most generously-sized concourses out of any major venue in Canada!

You know what, you might be right ive never been their so I cant comment.

esquire · #**1586** Posted **Jun 12, 2015, 4:00 PM**

^ It is probably the only venue I've been to in Canada where it feels like they didn't cheap out on the concourse size. Huge. Even with 70,000 people in there I'm guessing you could move around easily. Although that said, the lower deck concourses at old Winnipeg Stadium were in a league of their own too... just massive, partly due to a frankenstadium design.

Nicko999 · #**1587** Posted **Jun 12, 2015, 4:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

^ It is probably the only venue I've been to in Canada where it feels like they didn't cheap out on the concourse size. Huge. Even with 70,000 people in there I'm guessing you could move around easily. Although that said, the lower deck concourses at old Winnipeg Stadium were in a league of their own too... just massive, partly due to a frankenstadium design.

People don't realize how massive the stadium is. If you take out the ugly baseball scoreboard and remove the field track, it can easily hold 80,000+.

The opening and closing ceremonies of the 1976 Olympics saw 76,433 in attendance (and that was with the track).

The all-time record is Pink Floyd's concert on July 6, 1977 where 78,322 where in attendance.
http://parcolympique.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/A_assistances_stade.pdf

No doubt in my mind, if Canada were to host the World Cup, the stadium will be renovated to maximum capacity.

esquire · #**1588** Posted **Jun 12, 2015, 4:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ButterMcFattyPants

SI's Tim Newcomb wrote about the VideoTron Centre:
http://www.si.com/nhl/2015/06/12/quebec-city-new-centre-videotron-arena-designed-with-nhl-in-mind

Quote:

“In Canada they are more about the game than the surrounding events and experiences. They were very adamant they wanted it as steep and tight as it could possibly get.”

Goddamn right.

esquire · #**1589** Posted **Jun 13, 2015, 1:30 AM**

Shell Place ready for action in Fort McMurray:

Source: rodpedersen.com

itom 987 · #**1590** Posted **Jun 13, 2015, 1:41 AM**

If Moncton can FIFA, then so can Ft. McMurray.

blueandgoldguy · #**1591** Posted **Jun 13, 2015, 2:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicko999

People don't realize how massive the stadium is. If you take out the ugly baseball scoreboard and remove the field track, it can easily hold 80,000+.

The opening and closing ceremonies of the 1976 Olympics saw 76,433 in attendance (and that was with the track).

The all-time record is Pink Floyd's concert on July 6, 1977 where 78,322 where in attendance.
http://parcolympique.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/A_assistances_stade.pdf

No doubt in my mind, if Canada were to host the World Cup, the stadium will be renovated to maximum capacity.

Don't forget they have the 500 seat aquatic centre in there as well and a huge lobby with several displays of the 1976 Olympics.

blueandgoldguy · #**1592** Posted **Jun 13, 2015, 2:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Shell Place ready for action in Fort McMurray:

Source: rodpedersen.com

I looked at ticket sales for the regular season game between the Argos and the Eskies. There can't be more than a couple thousand seats sold. Doesn't help when you are trying to sell seats at or near the endzone for $100. Promoters are really over-estimating how much people will spend on mediocre views of the field. They are probably over-estimating how many people will actually drive 4-plus hours from Edmonton to check out the game too.

Villaggio · #**1593** Posted **Jun 13, 2015, 11:36 AM**

esquire · #**1594** Posted **Jun 13, 2015, 2:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

I looked at ticket sales for the regular season game between the Argos and the Eskies. There can't be more than a couple thousand seats sold. Doesn't help when you are trying to sell seats at or near the endzone for $100. Promoters are really over-estimating how much people will spend on mediocre views of the field. They are probably over-estimating how many people will actually drive 4-plus hours from Edmonton to check out the game too.

Is it just me or does it seem like preseason games are becoming a tougher sell across the board these days? When sports tickets (even for CFL) are as expensive as they are, the thought of shelling out huge dollars for a game that doesn't count in the standings is a bit off putting.

Even in the years before the NHL came back to Winnipeg, the preseason games that sunbelt teams would stage here wouldn't sell out despite the fact that Winnipeg fans were supposedly "NHL starved" and had something to prove to the league...

Honestly, I think the Argos had the right idea a few years ago when they packed the Skydome with schoolkids for the preseason game. Might as well just try and get as many bodies into the place as you can even if that means papering the house.