Stadiums and Arenas of Canada part 2 - Page 210

bkd · #**4181** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 3:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

An inside look at Rogers Place.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/rogers-place-to-change-edmontons-landscape-forever/

One thing everybody can agree on, Edmonton is going to have the nicest arena on the continent upon the completion of this beauty.

And Commonwealth is still one of the CFL's best stadium. For all the hoopla about Winnipeg and Sask's new stadia, it seems that the Esks locker-room is still the gold standard in the league which is on par with top tier NFL organizations.

esquire · #**4182** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 3:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkd

One thing everybody can agree on, Edmonton is going to have the nicest arena on the continent upon the completion of this beauty.

And Commonwealth is still one of the CFL's best.

Yeah, I think it's certainly looking that way re: Rogers Place.

And as for Commonwealth, it's really amazing how well it has aged. Like its American cousin Arrowhead Stadium to which it bears a strong design similarity (obvious to anyone except those in Saskatchewan

) , it is going to turn 40 while still going strong.

I have to give it up for Edmonton's pro facilities... they really are beauties.

Migs · #**4183** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 4:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Yeah, I think it's certainly looking that way re: Rogers Place.

And as for Commonwealth, it's really amazing how well it has aged. Like its American cousin Arrowhead Stadium to which it bears a strong design similarity (obvious to anyone except those in Saskatchewan

) , it is going to turn 40 while still going strong.

I have to give it up for Edmonton's pro facilities... they really are beauties.

Strong design similarity? Arrowhead Stadium holds over 20,000 more people than Commonwealth, has 3 levels of seating compared to commonwealth's 2 levels, & has a full surround upper, middle, lower bowl whereas Commonwealth only has lower bowl surround. But they do both have football fields in the middle so they do have that in common.

Migs · #**4184** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 4:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkd

One thing everybody can agree on, Edmonton is going to have the nicest arena on the continent upon the completion of this beauty.

And Commonwealth is still one of the CFL's best stadium. For all the hoopla about Winnipeg and Sask's new stadia, it seems that the Esks locker-room is still the gold standard in the league which is on par with top tier NFL organizations.

Commonwealth is a great stadium. I'd prefer if they tarped off portions of the upper bowl like they do in BC to give it a better atmosphere.

Acajack · #**4185** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 4:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Migs

Strong design similarity? Arrowhead Stadium holds over 20,000 more people than Commonwealth, has 3 levels of seating compared to commonwealth's 2 levels, & has a full surround upper, middle, lower bowl whereas Commonwealth only has sideline upper bowl. But they do both have football fields in the middle so they do have that in common.

Well, like Esquire I can also see the similarities between Arrowhead and Commonwealth.

Commonwealth is one of Canada's most handsome stadiums.

esquire · #**4186** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 4:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Well, like Esquire I can also see the similarities between Arrowhead and Commonwealth.

Commonwealth is one of Canada's most handsome stadiums.

I'm sure if I looked hard enough around here I'd find a thread where Migs argues that the WTC Twin Towers were not actually twins because one was 6 feet taller than the other.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Migs

Commonwealth is a great stadium. I'd prefer if they tarped off portions of the upper bowl like they do in BC to give it a better atmosphere.

I'm pretty sure they've tarped off the corners of the upper deck end zones for a few years, or at least that's how it looks on TV. That's in addition to the end zone tarps which have been there for about 20 years now. Unlike in the domed stadiums, somehow atmosphere at Commonwealth hasn't really suffered despite the fact that it has typically been between half to two thirds full for most games played since the Eskimos dynasty heyday ended in the early 80s.

Migs · #**4187** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 4:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Well, like Esquire I can also see the similarities between Arrowhead and Commonwealth.

Commonwealth is one of Canada's most handsome stadiums.

What similarities?

Agreed Commonwealth is a nice stadium!

esquire · #**4188** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 4:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Migs

What similarities?

Agreed Commonwealth is a nice stadium!

Arrowhead is basically a super-sized version of Commonwealth. Both stadiums have been modified over the years in ways that have taken them in different directions (both have had concourse additions in different architectural styles, and Arrowhead added more press boxes and skyboxes at the top), but the original 1970s as built versions are remarkably similar.

If you were to remove the upper deck end zone seating from Arrowhead, you would basically be left with a very close parallel to Commonwealth.

Here's Arrowhead

The original version of Commonwealth... it even had the same colour seats as Arrowhead... red and orange

The exterior (excluding recent additions) is the same stripped down 1970s style of bare concrete.

Obviously the middle deck at Arrowhead is a big difference between the two, but other than that they are very similar. The differences are more in size (KC being the bigger of the two) than style.

king10 · #**4189** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 5:13 PM**

the two definitely look similar

esquire · #**4190** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 5:28 PM**

Commonwealth Stadium also has another American cousin... Rice Stadium in Houston, TX. The resemblance isn't quite as close as with Arrowhead (Rice is much older), but the two have very similar seating layouts, with the main difference being that Rice has a full bowl while Commonwealth doesn't have seats all the way around the south end zone.

On the outside they are also are much different, with Rice having more 1950s brick compared to Commonwealth's 1970s concrete. Rice also has somewhat more old-fashioned touches like bench seating as opposed to Commonwealth's individual seats, but the seating bowls are very close. Being inside Rice Stadium felt a lot like being inside Commonwealth.

SHOFEAR · #**4191** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 9:27 PM**

Holy shit. That outside shot of Arrowhead is remarkably similar.

esquire · #**4192** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 9:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

Holy shit. That outside shot of Arrowhead is remarkably similar.

Given that Arrowhead opened in 1972 and Commonwealth opened in 1978, I wonder if some of the same designers were involved? The overall design similarities, right down to the seat colours, are just uncanny.

It's interesting that Arrowhead is still going strong in the NFL where so many 1970s vintage stadiums have already been replaced. Commonwealth is still well regarded today. Whether or not the two facilities are connected in any way, their track record really speaks to the excellent design that went into both.

HomerSPC · #**4193** Posted **Dec 23, 2015, 9:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Given that Arrowhead opened in 1972 and Commonwealth opened in 1978, I wonder if some of the same designers were involved? The overall design similarities, right down to the seat colours, are just uncanny.

It's interesting that Arrowhead is still going strong in the NFL where so many 1970s vintage stadiums have already been replaced. Commonwealth is still well regarded today. Whether or not the two facilities are connected in any way, their track record really speaks to the excellent design that went into both.

The difference with most stadiums and Commonwealth/Arrowhead is just their rather simplicity. They're easy to modify and change because their seating arrangements are so simple and there is no unnecessary structure to deal with when make changes.

And both are still beautiful stadiums.

Migs · #**4194** Posted **Dec 24, 2015, 2:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomerSPC

The difference with most stadiums and Commonwealth/Arrowhead is just their rather simplicity. They're easy to modify and change because their seating arrangements are so simple and there is no unnecessary structure to deal with when make changes.

And both are still beautiful stadiums.

Good points made by all.

Berklon · #**4195** Posted **Dec 24, 2015, 2:56 PM**

It was posted in the Hamilton forum, I figured others here needed a good laugh:

No finished stadium for Christmas

Quote:

Work on Hamilton's never-quite-complete stadium will not wrap up in time for Christmas.

In fact, last-minute fixes could continue until May.

We're getting close!!!

esquire · #**4196** Posted **Dec 24, 2015, 2:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berklon

It was posted in the Hamilton forum, I figured others here needed a good laugh:

No finished stadium for Christmas

We're getting close!!!

In fairness, it's really about fixing various deficiencies and other issues that became evident during construction... part of the normal building process. The headline makes it seem like there are still cranes on the site building the actual stadium.