Stadiums and Arenas of Canada part 2

[Acajack]

I am kind of in the middle as I don't see FIFA as needing Canada to do them a "favour" and host 2026, but I also don't see FIFA snubbing its nose at a Canadian bid either.

A serious Canadian bid has an excellent chance of being accepted by FIFA.

Of course we don't get to write our own ticket and impose all of our conditions on FIFA.

There is give and take in such things, as always.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

It's not so much can it be taken seriously without Montreal as can it even happen without Quebec? There is no way a World Cup bid would fly if excluded French Canada and Montreal is the only real choice (Quebec City probably wouldn't get a World Cup game over Montreal).
f.

You raise a good question about the political optics of the whole thing.

Can the feds get away with dumping the lion's share of World Cup stadium money in Montreal?

Would money for stadium upgrades and construction in places like Calgary and Halifax offset the image of all the money given to Montreal under such a scenario?

I assume that the Quebec government and even the city of Montreal would chip in on the Big O project too.

That said, given all the money spend on the Big O which is in Quebec, the likelihood of a World Cup and CFL stadium in Quebec City is about nil.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

That's ultimately the big problem: no matter what you do or how much money you put into it there's not going to be a permanent tenant at Olympic, probably ever. The best that they can hope for is to go back to hosting Als playoff games and major soccer games (it would have to be the new home for the national teams), which isn't optimal but it is at least something. FIFA requires stadiums to have some type of fan area nearby so perhaps that would help spur some activity out in the area as well, which might make games out there more tolerable for fans.

The strange thing about Olympic is that despite its problems, it makes a profit every year. The Park is pretty succesful, the Tower is popular and the Stadium has the best aquatic facilities in Canada. I definitely think they can find a way to justify upgrades to the stadium, whether it is making it more attractive to events/competitions, improving its abilities to host conventions or finding a way to offer reduced seating for events without sacrificing atmosphere.

It sounds tough, but like I said in a previous post the alternative to a good reno of Olympic is to build a new stadium in Toronto. That would cost more and will be used just as frequently (if not less as it'd be competing with Rogers Centre for large events). Instead of spending a billion in Toronto and a few hundred million in Montreal, spend $600 million in Montreal and use the rest to build adequate stadiums in Halifax and Calgary.

I think so too.

As much as Montreal doesn't have a pressing need for a huge 50-60k stadium, unless something unexpected happens (re the NFL), Toronto needs a second, new 50k+ stadium even less.

[Horus]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

Please, God, no.

No World Cup.

No (Summer) Olympics.

The mere thought of a First World nation even entertaining the thought of getting into bed with governing bodies such as these is stunning to me.

This. 1000 times This.

[Martin Mtl]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

The strange thing about Olympic is that despite its problems, it makes a profit every year. The Park is pretty succesful, the Tower is popular and the Stadium has the best aquatic facilities in Canada. I definitely think they can find a way to justify upgrades to the stadium, whether it is making it more attractive to events/competitions, improving its abilities to host conventions or finding a way to offer reduced seating for events without sacrificing atmosphere.
T .

One thing is sure, the stadium is not going anywhere. They are rebooting the tower into an office building that will host 1300 Desjardins employees in two years. There are more renos coming up for the observation deck. The roof will be replace eventually, it's just a matter of time. But it would not be a very popular political decision to spend 200 millions now on a new roof for the stadium while the governement is still cutting services in health and education... Even thouh it's proven that a new roof would pay itself over ten years with the additional events it would allow in the stadium during the snowing months of the year.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Acajack

As much as Montreal doesn't have a pressing need for a huge 50-60k stadium, unless something unexpected happens (re the NFL), Toronto needs a second, new 50k+ stadium even less.

And there's no way that any government money would go to a stadium that would be flipped to the NFL.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by elly63

Not sure what you mean give or take Edmonton.

Edmonton's surface changed a couple years before the WWC.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by esquire

On our terms... i.e., existing venues with existing surfaces, give or take Edmonton. I'd extend the same offer to FIFA for the men's World Cup.

Or that the Women's World Cup has looser requirements because they don't garner the same attention that the Men's World Cup does, either in numbers or prestige. Perhaps FIFA will redefine their requirements now that they're looking beyond Dictatorships and sketchy rich countries for hosting duties.

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

It's not so much can it be taken seriously without Montreal as can it even happen without Quebec? There is no way a World Cup bid would fly if excluded French Canada and Montreal is the only real choice (Quebec City probably wouldn't get a World Cup game over Montreal).

Moncton?

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

I have no clue how much it would cost, but I imagine that aside from the roof they would have to pretty much modernize everything (starting with those seats). I imagine they'd also look at taking out the scoreboard in order to allow the stadium to seat 70,000 again. It would be very expensive for little gain, but obviously a reno would allow the Allouettes and Impact to play there more frequently to help add a little more activity.

It seems to me that building a new stadium would simply be the equivalent cost to renovating/fixing Big O full on, or at least come close. Which, with no real major tenant stepping in afterwards, doesn't make much sense moving forward. If you could renovate Big O to temporarily seat 70K during WC and then perhaps 40K for specific Alouettes/Impact/whatever games afterwards that could be the most cost efficient moving forward.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

It seems to me that building a new stadium would simply be the equivalent cost to renovating/fixing Big O full on, or at least come close. Which, with no real major tenant stepping in afterwards, doesn't make much sense moving forward. If you could renovate Big O to temporarily seat 70K during WC and then perhaps 40K for specific Alouettes/Impact/whatever games afterwards that could be the most cost efficient moving forward.

I think most people think that's what the plan would likely be, even if it's not mentioned specifically.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Moncton?

.

Nice try, but politically it wouldn't count!

[Oilkountry]

Originally Posted by JHikka

NASL is going to be a nonfactor in Canada by 2018. Ottawa's pulling out and Edmonton presumably will when the Canadian Premier League gets going. NASL and MLS don't recognize Canadians as domestic/home-grown players currently whereas the USL does, which makes developing Canadians have more value as well as not having to use Canadians in International player slots. The CPL is targeted to begin play in 2018 (if rumours are to be believed) so those stadiums would be more likely used for that.

With rumours of the Canadian PL floating around, Calgary Foothills SC just announced a new $10M year-round indoor facility for their teams, soo..

What does any of this have to do with literally anything? I'm very aware about Canada's plans on a domestic soccer league. I wasn't arguing anything. Yet you end your proud little soccer rant with "soo..." like you proved something.

Furthermore "Calgary foothills FC" who play in front of some concrete stands in a park are worth about what I paid for my F-150. They didn't announce absolutely anything. private investors are building an indoor soccer facility and the soccer club will rent time slots for practice. Let's stop dressing it up like they just made a decision to invest 10M

Originally Posted by JHikka

so my question would be: how much money would you be willing to pump into the Big O? And would that be better off than simply building a new stadium?

Big O is being renovated regardless of a world cup,CFL or MLS. It has already been said that it isn't going anywhere and renos are comming

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Nice try, but politically it wouldn't count!

Hey, Moncton did OK with the Women's World Cup.

[Oilkountry]

Speaking of the big O. Really cool videos on some of the hidden history and Interior parts of the stadium

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/forbidden-montreal-inside-the-big-o-1.2989279

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Oilkountry

Speaking of the big O. Really cool videos on some of the hidden history and Interior parts of the stadium

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/forbidden-montreal-inside-the-big-o-1.2989279

Thanks for posting that... it was very interesting.

It's a good reminder of how grand the scale of that stadium is... the only time I attended a sold-out event there was the 2001 Grey Cup, and the concourses still handled the crowds with ease. It was impressive.

[Oilkountry]

Originally Posted by esquire

Thanks for posting that... it was very interesting.

It's a good reminder of how grand the scale of that stadium is... the only time I attended a sold-out event there was the 2001 Grey Cup, and the concourses still handled the crowds with ease. It was impressive.

I agree and not only that it also goes to sht that it isn't just a big hunk of concrete. I never would have guessed that those "fingers" were hollow metal functional trusses. I just thought they were big ugly concrete supports. The stadium itself is worth saving. Time to dump 300M into the joint

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Oilkountry

What does any of this have to do with literally anything? I'm very aware about Canada's plans on a domestic soccer league. I wasn't arguing anything. Yet you end your proud little soccer rant with "soo..." like you proved something.

Goodness.

You mentioned NASL in your post and I highlighted the unlikelihood of the NASL happening due to a number of factors floating around Canadian football right now.

[Oilkountry]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Goodness.

You mentioned NASL in your post and I highlighted the unlikelihood of the NASL happening due to a number of factors floating around Canadian football right now.

You highlighted? You made an entire post boasting about soccers future in the country and how great the CPL is gonna be for international soccer ect. And How the news of the CPL somehow contributed to how "foothills FC" is "opening" a new practice facility worth 200X the net worth of the team and 300x the cost of the "stadium" they play in. When it has nothing to do with the soccer club itself but is in fact being built by private investors as a community use facility. How does that contribute to the conversation about the legacy of future stadiums from a world cup?

[thurmas]

Even a renovated scaled down big O would not work for the Alouettes. Their fan base is mainly in downtown Montreal and the West Island not at the Olympic Park.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by thurmas

Even a renovated scaled down big O would not work for the Alouettes. Their fan base is mainly in downtown Montreal and the West Island not at the Olympic Park.

I don't think anyone is calling for the Als to move there permanently, but they can definitely go back to hosting the occasional one-off game there (playoffs or rivalry games with a potential team from Quebec City). It would also allow Montreal to host the Grey Cup again, which I'm sure the league would love to do.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Oilkountry

Time to dump 300M into the joint

Well, that will take care of much of the roof to start off with.