Stadiums and Arenas of Canada part 2 - Page 280

king10 · #**5581** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 2:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

Re Skydome

If I'm Shapiro, I, very quietly, put the grass debate to bed. It seems like a potential money pit and the grass infield really helps from an aesthetic stand point. Apply that part of the budget to more attainable upgrades to the dome...

I think you mean dirt infield.

king10 · #**5582** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 2:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by elly63

Haven't they done that or are they still pretending?

pretty sure grass is still being looked at. maybe not as feverishly as a year or two ago though.

blueandgoldguy · #**5583** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 4:19 AM**

Some poster/s erroneously called new Mosaic the cathedral of football awhile back. Not to take anything away from the building - it should be the nicest outdoor venue in Canada - but when I think of a cathedral of <insert sport here> I usually think of an older venue that has been reasonably well-maintained with lots of (winning) history and historic figures in its past.

With the re-purposing of the old Montreal Forum and Maple Leaf Gardens, Northlands Coliseum (yep, i will call it that here) was the last cathedral of hockey left in Canada...even with all the horrible Oiler teams in the last decade or so.

It was considered a state-of-the-art building and the finest in Western Canada, and possibly all of Canada when it opened in the mid-70s. It housed the greatest player the game has ever seen for a full decade and one of the greatest dynasties the NHL has ever seen. Several Hall of Famers played there, several Stanley Cup finals happened within its confines and some of the most memorable moments in league history occurred there. Great atmosphere with nary a bad seat in the house.

With all due respect to the other current NHL rinks in Canada, none holds a candle to history and aura of Northlands. Despite all the flaws that became more apparent with each passing season, it shall be missed.

Migs · #**5584** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 3:52 PM**

New seats going in at new Mosaic Stadium

@yqrstadium

Black Star · #**5585** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 4:01 PM**

Won't be long now. Watermelon heads we be out in droves

Oilkountry · #**5586** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 4:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Star

Now that was a great closing for Rexall. Classic.

emotional that's forsure. It was such a great building I'm so glad they are re purposing it vs demolition. What a waste that would be. Reading about the construction of that building was fascinating. The roof was built to withstand more weight than most arenas today. One thing i found interesting was when they were removing the roof support in construction, the roof was supposed to drop 15 inches in the centre. But it didn't budge a inch. And when they hoisted the centre hung for the first time ...dropped the 15 inches

farewell rex!

esquire · #**5587** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 4:11 PM**

^ Thanks for posting those... there seem to be very very few historical photos of Edmonton's sports facilities floating around online, whether of Commonwealth, Rexall or their predecessors. Seeing those is a rare treat.

Is it true that Rexall was more or less built off the blueprints for the Pacific Coliseum?

I love Rexall, I think it's a great building. From a fan standpoint it delivered in every way. It's still a top notch venue. It's kind of sad that the only reason it has to be replaced is because it doesn't have enough of the features designed to part the expense account crowd from their dollars, but alas.

Oilkountry · #**5588** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 5:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Thanks for posting those... there seem to be very very few historical photos of Edmonton's sports facilities floating around online, whether of Commonwealth, Rexall or their predecessors. Seeing those is a rare treat.

Is it true that Rexall was more or less built off the blueprints for the Pacific Coliseum?

I love Rexall, I think it's a great building. From a fan standpoint it delivered in every way. It's still a top notch venue. It's kind of sad that the only reason it has to be replaced is because it doesn't have enough of the features designed to part the expense account crowd from their dollars, but alas.

I agree. Both rexall and the Saddledome have decades of use left in them. Rexall has been showings it's age with leaks the last few seasons but could definitely serve another 42 years. As for the dome there is legit concerns with the roof design and missing out on shows but from a hockey standpoint again, this building could carry the flames well beyond 2050s. What people forget sometimes is that these are concrete buildings. The structures themselves will never go anywhere as long as they are maintained spending half a billion dollars to gain a 3-4 million a season in Premium gate revenue just seems like bad business to me, Hence why they hit the city up so hard.

As for rexal being designed after pacific I can only imagine this is accurate. Rexall looks like a more modern pacific coliseum. it was one of the first buildings I can think of that had an open concourse. either than that the 2 didn't have much differences in the original design

Coldrsx · #**5589** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 5:52 PM**

Rexall was indeed modelled after the Pacific Coli.

Black Star · #**5590** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 6:00 PM**

I think my best concert memories are of Van Halen 1984 and most Ozzy concerts

And thanks for posting those Oilcountry

esquire · #**5591** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 6:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oilkountry

The structures themselves will never go anywhere as long as they are maintained spending half a billion dollars to gain a 3-4 million a season in Premium gate revenue just seems like bad business to me, Hence why they hit the city up so hard.

I'm sure it adds up to more than that, but yes, if NHL teams had to pay for 100% of their own venues we'd be seeing a lot more 60s and 70s buildings still around. Their model works when you get someone else to pay for the replacement rinks.

mistercorporate · #**5592** Posted **Apr 8, 2016, 7:17 PM**

Drone footage of new BMO Field:

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/04/08...ge-shows-final-stages-renovation-project

Oilkountry · #**5593** Posted **Apr 9, 2016, 1:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

Drone footage of new BMO Field:

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/04/08...ge-shows-final-stages-renovation-project

Shaping up to be something special for both tenants. I anticipate MLSE will be designing something more permanent for the north end for next off season.

They have a solid 45 feet or so of building space between the end of the CFL endzone and where the current fence line is to build something and thats pretty significant. I picture a narrow buiding about 25 feet high with either 7-8 rows of seating on the very top or a balcony setting with an open course underneath and retractable seating below that for TFC games. Might be just me but i have faith in MLSE on this one

Somthing along the lines of this but obviously the bottom section would be retractable. Also in between the 2 levels (the grey part) be an open concourse to access the lower seating from concourse level with stairs going up to the permanent level and enough concessions and bathrooms to service the north end patrons

Oilkountry · #**5594** Posted **Apr 9, 2016, 8:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

I'm sure it adds up to more than that, but yes, if NHL teams had to pay for 100% of their own venues we'd be seeing a lot more 60s and 70s buildings still around. Their model works when you get someone else to pay for the replacement rinks.

Yeah you're absolutely right in Albertas case this is alot more than 3-4M more specifically in Edmonton this is probably close to a 15M jump from rexall to rogers but generally premium seats aren't fetching 15k per season a peice. In winnipeg for example loge seats are 6300ish a peice so at 279 this is what 1.6M or so? But in Calgarys case it's a bit different. You're going from 19k to 19k, few more suites and adding premium seats. How much more money is the building going to generate than the saddledome realistically? Even if you profit 8M more a season that's a long ROI on a 200M private investment

esquire · #**5595** Posted **Apr 9, 2016, 2:10 PM**

^ I haven't run the numbers but looking at the price map for Rogers Place it seems that the Oilers will be raking in far more in gate receipts than at Rexall. They've shrewdly made what have typically been the cheap seats (upper level ends) some of the priciest seats in the league. I'd imagine there will be a substantial revenue increase for the team.

Bluenote · #**5596** Posted **Apr 9, 2016, 3:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oilkountry

I agree. Both rexall and the Saddledome have decades of use left in them. Rexall has been showings it's age with leaks the last few seasons but could definitely serve another 42 years. As for the dome there is legit concerns with the roof design and missing out on shows but from a hockey standpoint again, this building could carry the flames well beyond 2050s. What people forget sometimes is that these are concrete buildings. The structures themselves will never go anywhere as long as they are maintained spending half a billion dollars to gain a 3-4 million a season in Premium gate revenue just seems like bad business to me, Hence why they hit the city up so hard.

As for rexal being designed after pacific I can only imagine this is accurate. Rexall looks like a more modern pacific coliseum. it was one of the first buildings I can think of that had an open concourse. either than that the 2 didn't have much differences in the original design

As much as the new Edmonton arena is shiney. I still think the old barn would have been a better choice to revamp. The inside to this day amazes me as it doesn't look 40 years old at all. If the outside was reclad it would look like a new arena built today.

I get the downtown renewal idea. But it's imo a very very large whale sitting in the downtown. And what happens after hours when no games or concerts etc are going. One massive dead block.

Either way glad they are saving the old barn. It actually has life left unlike our old barn in Winnipeg which was a disaster even in 1974 lol

Bluenote · #**5597** Posted **Apr 9, 2016, 3:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

^ I haven't run the numbers but looking at the price map for Rogers Place it seems that the Oilers will be raking in far more in gate receipts than at Rexall. They've shrewdly made what have typically been the cheap seats (upper level ends) some of the priciest seats in the league. I'd imagine there will be a substantial revenue increase for the team.

I hope so. That's a pretty big debt load they will have now. Same as the new arena in Quebec City.

Hardhatdan · #**5598** Posted **Apr 9, 2016, 4:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluenote

As much as the new Edmonton arena is shiney. I still think the old barn would have been a better choice to revamp. The inside to this day amazes me as it doesn't look 40 years old at all. If the outside was reclad it would look like a new arena built today.

I get the downtown renewal idea. But it's imo a very very large whale sitting in the downtown. And what happens after hours when no games or concerts etc are going. One massive dead block.

Either way glad they are saving the old barn. It actually has life left unlike our old barn in Winnipeg which was a disaster even in 1974 lol

240 days of anticipated use, what was a dead space before now has a use. Your belief that it will be a massive dead block only makes sense if there was something there before... it's going from about four massive dead blocks to the likely the liveliest area in the City.
As for old Rexall, it was open heart surgery over multiple seasons to the tune of 250million dollars to wind up with a compromise that didn't so a thing to change the dynamics of the city and keep funnelling all the event traffic to an area of the city that simply could not and has not thrived as a result.

cjones2451 · #**5599** Posted **Apr 9, 2016, 4:43 PM**

[QUOTE=Oilkountry;7401217]Shaping up to be something special for both tenants. I anticipate MLSE will be designing something more permanent for the north end for next off season.

They have a solid 45 feet or so of building space between the end of the CFL endzone and where the current fence line is to build something and thats pretty significant. I picture a narrow buiding about 25 feet high with either 7-8 rows of seating on the very top or a balcony setting with an open course underneath and retractable seating below that for TFC games. Might be just me but i have faith in MLSE on this one

Somthing along the lines of this but obviously the bottom section would be retractable. Also in between the 2 levels (the grey part) be an open concourse to access the lower seating from concourse level with stairs going up to the permanent level and enough concessions and bathrooms to service the north end patrons

I think it depends on attendance this year for both TFC and the Argos. If it is pushing capacity then it is possible, but I think they will take a year off due to the Grey Cup / Winter Classic. I don't think they want TFC opening on the road for a 3rd year in a row due to construction.

cjones2451 · #**5600** Posted **Apr 9, 2016, 4:58 PM**

I just read an article by Dan Ralph and he was saying the Argos are paying for $10M of the $20M to fit into BMO and paying for their dressing room as well.

So for all TFC fans bemoaning the "Free Ride" the Argos are getting, they are putting something substantial into to cost of this. I get that they are upset that the pitch may be at risk, and I get that, and they may be not CFL fans, but to consistently bad mouth the CFL and their "OLD" fans is just petty and juvenile.

I have said before that I am fans of both leagues (both viewed as small and underdogs by many) and wish them both success.

Lastly, I know MLSE has put a ton of money into BMO for "primarily" TFC but if there was no possibility of a Winter Classic for the Leafs, I don't think the investment would have been nearly as much.