Stadiums and Arenas of Canada part 2

[esquire]

Originally Posted by osmo

The QC stadium project is the only high grade stadium project Canada has scene since SkyDome.

Ummmmmm no

[SHOFEAR]

My understanding is the architect had originally designed the lounge to feature walls plastered with photo's of Riders grey cup victories. When they found out just how few there were and how many blank walls there would be, they had to go with plan B of using old bleachers.

[king10]

I wouldn't call the material used on skydome as high grade. Its essentially all concrete.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

My understanding is the architect had originally designed the lounge to feature walls plastered with photo's of Riders grey cup victories. When they found out just how few there were and how many blank walls there would be, they had to go with plan B of using old bleachers.

Haha, I was going to make that joke but I didn't want to be accused of being needlessly provocative. Thanks for stepping up

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by osmo

The QC stadium project is the only high grade stadium project Canada has scene since SkyDome. Already, not even half done, it is already the best facility in the country. The fact they are using such high quality materials says a lot about the end game for the project. This is what typical stadium builds during the boom in the USA mirrored, Canada has not seen such in decades.

Regarding stadiums (as opposed to arenas), most of the larger facilities in the country are primarily for the CFL.

In Canada until fairly recently we had a very long dry spell where it was virtually impossible to get any new CFL facilities built, let alone really nice ones.

I was wondering if that's because people thought the CFL might not be around for long and they'd be left with white elephant stadiums.

The fact that we're willing to spend (and sometimes splurge) on new CFL stadiums might indicate that most people are now convinced the league has a future.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Regarding stadiums (as opposed to arenas), most of the larger facilities in the country are primarily for the CFL.

In Canada until fairly recently we had a very long dry spell where it was virtually impossible to get any new CFL facilities built, let alone really nice ones.

I was wondering if that's because people thought the CFL might not be around for long and they'd be left with white elephant stadiums.

The fact that we're willing to spend (and sometimes splurge) on new CFL stadiums might indicate that most people are now convinced the league has a future.

According to insider reports, the league came very, very close to collapsing a couple of times around 1997-1998. It was a variety of desperate measures that kept the CFL afloat, including a loan from the NFL. The loan wasn't even for that much, it was literally like a $3 or $4 million loan, but it was instrumental in keeping the league's demise at bay.

So on that basis no one would have been thinking of building a CFL-specific venue at that point even though several were already in serious need of it. But it is interesting to consider what would happen in a doomsday scenario where the league went under. With the great venues and high fan support in Western Canada, it's hard to imagine that there wouldn't be some kind of successor league, even if it was some sort of Canada-US NFL developmental league or some such. I can't imagine that stadiums here (i.e. out west) would remain vacant for long.

[HomerSPC]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

My understanding is the architect had originally designed the lounge to feature walls plastered with photo's of Riders grey cup victories. When they found out just how few there were and how many blank walls there would be, they had to go with plan B of using old bleachers.

I laughed.

[king10]

Originally Posted by esquire

According to insider reports, the league came very, very close to collapsing a couple of times around 1997-1998. It was a variety of desperate measures that kept the CFL afloat, including a loan from the NFL. The loan wasn't even for that much, it was literally like a $3 or $4 million loan, but it was instrumental in keeping the league's demise at bay.

So on that basis no one would have been thinking of building a CFL-specific venue at that point even though several were already in serious need of it. But it is interesting to consider what would happen in a doomsday scenario where the league went under. With the great venues and high fan support in Western Canada, it's hard to imagine that there wouldn't be some kind of successor league, even if it was some sort of Canada-US NFL developmental league or some such. I can't imagine that stadiums here (i.e. out west) would remain vacant for long.

To add to that. During the 1996 grey cup game the league never had enough cash on hand (or in its bank account) to award to the participants and winners of the grey cup their bonues.

They went to Tim Hortons and got them to front the money as a cash advance lol.

Tough times indeed.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by king10

To add to that. During the 1996 grey cup game the league never had enough cash on hand (or in its bank account) to award to the participants and winners of the grey cup their bonues.

They went to Tim Hortons and got them to front the money as a cash advance lol.

Tough times indeed.

I remember there was a palpable concern overriding the Grey Cup festivities in both 1996 and 1997 that each could have been the last Grey Cup game ever played. Part of the reason I went to the 1997 Grey Cup in Edmonton was just in case there wouldn't be another one!

It's amazing how close the CFL came to collapsing in that period. Even by 2000 things were still kind of precarious in some markets, but there was a sense that the league had turned a corner. Incidentally, I'm looking forward to reading Frank Cosentino's history of the league which picks up where his last book left off, right around the 1995 season.

[savevp]

http://www.stadiumjourney.com/news/06-18-2015/1120/upgraded-scoreboards-in-toronto-again

From Stadium Journey, Air Canada Centre and Ricoh Coliseum will be gettin updated scoreboards. I reckon ACC will be getting one of the big boxy jumbotrons that have been spreading in the States,

Not a fan personally but I guess it makes sense.

[SHOFEAR]

The best thing that ever happened to the CFL was TSN picking up the non CBC broadcast games and then eventually becoming the sole broadcaster.

It makes you wonder how much further ahead the league would have been if TSN had gotten involved earlier and pushed CBC out.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Ugh. Are they really going to keep that multi-colored crap? That was one of the worst parts of Mosaic.

I know it's a comp, but the interior here looks like a small-town community rink concourse

Well, I think hat it would be nice to preserve and integrate [in a small way] some of the history of the old Taylor Field/Mosaic Stadium. After all, the Riders possess a 105-year-long history. Don't knock this project until you see the final article. I'm damn sure that entire football community in Canada will be extremey impressed with this facility.

[king10]

Originally Posted by savevp

http://www.stadiumjourney.com/news/06-18-2015/1120/upgraded-scoreboards-in-toronto-again

From Stadium Journey, Air Canada Centre and Ricoh Coliseum will be gettin updated scoreboards. I reckon ACC will be getting one of the big boxy jumbotrons that have been spreading in the States,

Not a fan personally but I guess it makes sense.

Pretty sure the old ACC scoreboard will be moving to Ricoh(which will be an update to what they currently have).

Im also not a fan of those rectangular massive boards. I like the one they put in Quebec City. We'll see what route the ACC goes.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Regarding stadiums (as opposed to arenas), most of the larger facilities in the country are primarily for the CFL.

In Canada until fairly recently we had a very long dry spell where it was virtually impossible to get any new CFL facilities built, let alone really nice ones.

I was wondering if that's because people thought the CFL might not be around for long and they'd be left with white elephant stadiums.

The fact that we're willing to spend (and sometimes splurge) on new CFL stadiums might indicate that most people are now convinced the league has a future.

I think that had something to do with it, especially where corporate money is concerned. Team owners were scraping by or losing money and it just didn't make sense to invest in stadiums.

Also, in Ontario at least, there has been a lot of opposition to spending public money on stadiums and arenas over the past couple of decades. When public funding has been provided, it's generally been because of some large sporting event (for BMO Field it was the U-20 World Cup, and the Pan Ams for THF). And the amount has not been enough to construct more than a fairly basic facility.

We're seeing more private funding in Ontario where there's a business case for it, but aside from a few earlier examples like the ACC, it hadn't happened on a large scale until TD Place and now the BMO Field expansion/upgrade. Perhaps a stable and profitable CFL and new soccer teams will provide a stronger case for more private financing in the near future.

[Horus]

Originally Posted by king10

Pretty sure the old ACC scoreboard will be moving to Ricoh(which will be an update to what they currently have).

I believe that is the case - the old ACC scoreboard will move to Ricoh. I don't know if this means that the Raptors D-league team will also be playing out of Ricoh next season? It was speculated that they will play out of the GTA somewhere.

[savevp]

Hmmm, I doubt it but maybe there is a small chance the Raptors D-League programme will be based out of the new training facility being built at the Exhibition grounds. Ricoh would definitely seem like a sensible option if not one of the OHL facilities nearby.

[Migs]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

My understanding is the architect had originally designed the lounge to feature walls plastered with photo's of Riders grey cup victories. When they found out just how few there were and how many blank walls there would be, they had to go with plan B of using old bleachers.

....or maybe we could use Eskimos green to use as our seat colours, ahh no wait, Eskimos used that idea first by using Riders green on their new seating. They want a piece of the $$$.

[The Fisher Account]

Like I said, I know it's a comp, but come on.. you can' tell me that there are no better ways to pay tribute to a stadium besides trying to replicate and pay homage to this OBVIOUS eyesore:



You can't honestly tell me that anyone in 2015 thinks this is something worth preserving..

[HomeInMyShoes]

^I believe that indicates that Taylor Field was never really anything special as a structure. It isn't. It was the fans that willed the Riders to survive during the bad through lotteries and that has made Taylor Field something special. Preserving the seats the fans sat in is about the only thing you could have done to pay homage to the old playing field in my opinion.

[Dalreg]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Like I said, I know it's a comp, but come on.. you can' tell me that there are no better ways to pay tribute to a stadium besides trying to replicate and pay homage to this OBVIOUS eyesore:



You can't honestly tell me that anyone in 2015 thinks this is something worth preserving..

Every Rider fan who ever sat on one of those bleachers would love to preserve them somehow.

I'm hoping that the Riders sell them off when Mosaic is demolished. I will line up to buy some.