New Temp Empire Stadium | Completed

[mr.x]

It's a temporary structure, but I still think it deserves its own topic...




Lions New Temporary Home



Link: The dawn of a new Empire in B.C.



April 25, 2010

Lowell Ullrich
The Province

VANCOUVER -- The biggest challenge facing the front office of the Lions this spring is a dilemma familiar to anyone who has ever been assigned the task of organizing seats at a dinner party. Some people won't stand to be placed anywhere other than near the head of the table. Others need to be near friends, or away from those who might drink too much, or insist on being close to an exit.

Do that exercise roughly 6,000 times, and keep in mind nobody has ever seen the seating configuration because to date it does not exist. You've just passed Football Event Planning 101, and now have a better understanding of just one of the challenges faced by the CFL team in moving their dishes for at least one season from B.C. Place Stadium to their temporary home at Empire Fields. "There's mornings I wake up at 4 a.m. and start thinking about something," Lions business vice-president George Chayka said.

The club's point man in the move between stadiums operated by B.C. Pavilion Corp. indicated that after little over a month there have been few construction problems at the PNE site. The seating framework for the 27,500-seat temporary facility is nearly finished and construction is still targeted to be completed June 15, a mere five days in advance of the club's preseason home opener against the Edmonton Eskimos.

Though the Lions will heavily push the nostalgic return to a site where the team played its first 29 seasons, anyone driving by the place where Joe Kapp and Willie Fleming became legends would conclude the only similarity between their new home and Empire Stadium will be the views of the North Shore mountains. Once the artificial surface is transported from the dome, the tightness of their new home without the old Empire Stadium track could remind the Lions of Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton, where fans are practically breathing on the backs of players on the sidelines. It will be cozy, and if the team on the field is decent, it could be loud. "I've asked each manager to visualize what it's going to be like ... do you know where the rooms are; where am I going to enter the building?" said Chayka.

"The most frustrating aspect is people want answers. There's still questions that are being asked all the time that we find out as we go along." The toughest part for the Lions staff, aside from working through a move to a home that only exists on a blueprint, is satisfying the ticket wishes of the paying customer. The club has roughly 6,000 accounts comprising its season ticket base, and the capacity at Empire Fields could create a demand if walk-up traffic brings attendance equal to the average crowd of 28,610 that showed up last year.

For the past several weeks, six account reps have been contacting season-ticket holders about moving a seat indoors to a corresponding chair outside. So far so good, according to the club. The biggest problem came when the Lions had to juggle the guest list after discovering the contractor, Nussli Special Events Ltd., could only build a replay scoreboard on the north side of the new facility. A Nussli spokesman did not respond to an interview request.

Only a handful of season-seat holders rejected the great outdoors and will wait for the club to return downtown sometime next year. Roof renovations at B.C. Place Stadium are set to begin in earnest next week with the controlled deflation of the existing cover which prompted the reported $468 million makeover. "The thing we heard the most from season-ticket holders is that they had built communities at B.C. Place," said Arlene Stewart-Irvine, the club's customer service manager. "They knew their neighbours and they liked their neighbours. We were careful not to disturb that. We moved people over in communities."

The trick will be to get those communities to travel to games at a location not served directly by SkyTrain, which wasn't more than a noble thought in 1982 when the Lions last played at Empire Stadium. And to get their fan base thinking about the move the Lions will this week roll out transit plans offered by TransLink and advance parking purchase options with the PNE.

If Vancouver can survive the Winter Olympics, a few football games should be a breeze. "It's all about habits. When you go to B.C. Place you don't need to even think about it," said Chayka. "The key is to minimize the learning experience." To put it another way, the goal is to get the same dinner guests to roughly the same seat by causing the least fuss.

Courtesy: www.vancouverprovince.com

[Smooth]

Video update from the CFL website:

http://cfl.ca/video/index/id/10995?autostart=true

[SFUVancouver]

Thanks for the thread and the article.

Small quibble, though; I am pretty sure the name of the stadium is "Empire Fields".

It resonates with me that the culture of the city has changed has much as it has vis a vis rapid transit and public events. The PNE is a far less accessible venue for major events because it lacks an adjacent rapid transit connection and this fact is widely recognized. There is no way that there will be enough parking at the PNE for the specators of a BC Lions game to all drive, nor is there any reasonable likelihood that bus-based transit will be able to offer anything comperable to SkyTrain.

In the not too distant future a form of LRT/streetcar transit for Hastings and Renfrew streets will be seen as essential to the continuing viability of the PNE as a major regional events site.

In the mean time it is exciting to see Empire Fields come together. I know I'll make a point of going to see a game there just for the experience of an outdoor game in the summer sunshine.

[WarrenC12]

I've already had my season ticket location changed once after they were issued for this year.

[Zassk]

I'd like to see a 2-km SkyTrain spur built from near Gilmore along the shoulder of Hwy 1 to the PNE. It could be built for very little money and 1-2 stations at first. Perhaps one day it could continue over a new/rebuilt 2nd Narrows Bridge, or follow the rail lines back to Waterfront, but the first leg to the PNE would be short and cheap. Of course it's not going to happen, but it would be such a cost-effective addition to the network.

[Vancity]

Too bad they're going to tear it down.

I wonder if Vancouver could get a chance at bringing a world class tennis tournament, like Toronto has the Rogers Cup. That would be quite awesome. An infrastructure could be built, and surely, it would be an attraction for not only locals to attend, but fans from other cities.

[Locked In]

Empire Fields article, with a note about the Whitecaps - if the waterfront stadium wasn't dead before, it sounds like it is now.

B.C. Lions’ new Empire Fields takes Stadium shape

Fans ‘literally going to be right on top of the players’ during 2010 turn at CFL team’s new home

By Bruce Constantineau, Vancouver Sun - April 29, 2010 5:55 PM


Construction is under way at the new temporary Empire Fields stadium. The facility is scheduled to open June 15 and the BC Lions play the first game there just five days later. The temporary venue, built on the site of the old Empire stadium, will host the Lions this season and both the Lions and Whitecaps for part of their 2011 seasons before they move into a renovated BC Place, scheduled for completion between mid-July and early September next year.
Photograph by: Nick Procaylo, PNG


VANCOUVER — From the outside, it looks like a ring of scaffolding that has been thrown up in a hurry.

But once you’re inside, you’d swear you were back in a grey version of old Empire Stadium.

Empire Fields — the temporary home of the B.C. Lions and Major League Soccer Vancouver Whitecaps — opens in less than seven weeks and you can already picture 27,500 fans screaming wildly as Geroy Simon hauls in a Casey Printers pass for an 80-yard touchdown.

B.C. Lions vice-president George Chayka said you can tell the team’s new venue will be a very intimate facility.

“You can see how close the fans will be to the action,” he said Thursday during a sneak peak of the site. “They’re literally going to be right on top of the players and it’s going to make for a very exciting atmosphere.”

The new facility is scheduled to open June 15 and the Lions play the first game there just five days later.

The temporary venue built on the site of old Empire will host the Lions this season and both the Lions and Whitecaps for part of their 2011 seasons before they move into a renovated BC Place, scheduled for completion between mid-July and early September next year.

BC Place general manager Howard Crosley dismissed suggestions the $14-million facility has been deliberately made to appear less than ideal so fans won’t get too attached to the site with the spectacular North Shore mountain views.

The galvanized metal roof that covers half the spectators will be sprayed with grey primer and nothing else, while portable toilets will be used almost exclusively on the stadium’s east side.

“Of course we want people to go back to BC Place but we’re going to make this as good as we can, within budget, because we don’t want to do anything that would hurt Lions or Whitecaps ticket sales,” Crosley said.

He said much of the stadium will have washroom trailers but portable toilets are the only option on the east side because of space limitations caused by an embankment.

“If we painted the roof orange, the Whitecaps wouldn’t like it, and if we made it blue, then the Lions wouldn’t be happy,” Crosley said.

The stadium will feature a 28-foot-by-16-foot video screen at the north end and scoreboards in the northeast and southwest corners.

The Lions have not yet signed a lease to return to BC Place next year but negotiations are continuing and the team will pay about $200,000 less this year to play in Empire Fields than it did to play in BC Place last season.

Crosley said BC Place operator PavCo is close to a deal that would see the Whitecaps commit to playing in the renovated facility for 15 years, meaning the team’s vision of playing in a soccer-specific Vancouver waterfront stadium couldn’t happen until 2025.

Pacific National Exhibition president Mike McDaniel said amateur sports groups who have used the playing fields on the Empire site for several years will receive access to the temporary stadium whenever possible. He said several promoters have expressed an interest in holding concerts there but said there’s little chance the stadium will remain after the Lions and Whitecaps leave for BC Place.

“You need a tenant to fill the stands on a regular basis and that won’t exist in Vancouver when the Lions and Whitecaps move out,” McDaniel said.

But he hopes some stadium items will remain as legacies for the grounds — including the field lighting and the artificial turf that will be used for the temporary stadium.

Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi, who played at old Empire, said the team wants to move into its permanent BC Place home as soon as possible but the temporary facility is a great alternative.

“It’s fantastic because there’s seating all around you with no gaps,” he said.

The Lions will play this season on artificial turf that will be moved from BC Place but Lenarduzzi noted the Whitecaps can’t play on that surface because it is not approved by FIFA.

Crosley said PavCo is aware of that issue and will deal with it next year.

The roof at BC Place is scheduled to be deflated on Monday and take about 20 to 30 minutes to come down, as builders start construction of a retractable roof.

bconstantineau@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/Lions+Em...#ixzz0mXdUEPRg

Source: Vancouver Sun

[vancityrox]

Originally Posted by Vancity

Too bad they're going to tear it down.

I wonder if Vancouver could get a chance at bringing a world class tennis tournament, like Toronto has the Rogers Cup. That would be quite awesome. An infrastructure could be built, and surely, it would be an attraction for not only locals to attend, but fans from other cities.

Yeah I agree. The tennis tournament back in Toronto and Montreal are huge. It alternates from men to womens tennis for each city every year which is nice. I saw one a few years back at the new Uniprix Stadium and my friend worked in it (thats how I got good tickets ). Its amazing to watch especially on those beautiful sunny days. Vancouver would be a great fit but do not steal Montreals date

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by Locked In

Empire Fields article, with a note about the Whitecaps - if the waterfront stadium wasn't dead before, it sounds like it is now.



Source: Vancouver Sun

Does anyone know what time the dome will be deflated?

[whatnext]

Shoudn't we just christen it Tempire Stadium?

[jlousa]

Check the BC Place thread for the answer.

[Spork]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Does anyone know what time the dome will be deflated?

I believe that 10am was noted before.

[Spoolmak]

why is it only temporary? what is the reason why it can't be permanent for outdoor concerts

[red-paladin]

The fields are needed for community sports, etc.

[Millennium2002]

I kind of wonder about that too... maybe we can alternate between two stadiums during dry and wet days. =O In the end, though, it'll be pricey trying to maintain both though.

[jsbertram]

Isn't that why gordo is spending half a $ billion on the new BC Place roof?

So it can retract the roof and be an 'outdoor' stadium on sunny days, or extend the roof to be and indoor stadium on rainy days.

[paradigm4]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

Isn't that why gordo is spending half a $ billion on the new BC Place roof?

So it can retract the roof and be an 'outdoor' stadium on sunny days, or extend the roof to be and indoor stadium on rainy days.

And because the stadium needed a massive overhaul anyway. And to ensure the Whitecaps had a open stadium to join the MLS ranks.

[Rusty Gull]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I've already had my season ticket location changed once after they were issued for this year.

Did you actually receive tickets? I purchased a flex package but haven't received anything yet.

[officedweller]

From the Journal of Commerce:

http://www.journalofcommerce.com/article/id38668

http://www.nussli.com/en/about-nussli/history.html

May 3, 2010

Temporary BC Lions stadium the first of its kind in North America

RICHARD GILBERT

staff writer

A European company is setting a new standard for modular stadium construction in North America, as the temporary home of the BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps is quickly taking shape.

“We do this kind of thing all the time in Europe, but this is the first time we have built a temporary stadium structure like this in North America,” said Martin Blackburn, the Vancouver office branch manager for Nussli Special Events (Canada) Ltd.

“For sure, this is a showcase for the temporary building sector in North America and all the technology has come from Europe.”

Switzerland-based Nussli is an international supplier of temporary structures and modular stadiums for events, trade fairs and exhibitions.

The company signed a contract with BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo) for the construction of a temporary stadium at the former site of Empire Stadium on the Pacific National Exhibition site.

“Our bid was based on a short design phase, small procurement phase, going straight into construction and a short dismantling time,” said Blackburn. “Sustainability was important. All the seating and every component is made of material that is 100 per cent reusable.”

Empire Fields will be a 27,500 seat modular stadium that is built to replace BC Place, during construction of its retractable roof.

“The modular solution is best described as a giant and very serious Meccano set,” said Blackburn.

“It comes in thousands of components, which are delivered in a container and put together by a skilled crew.”

He said it was necessary to bring in about 30 skilled workers from Germany and Switzerland to assemble it.

“The main advantage of modular stadiums is the client does not have the cost of building a new facility and they can rent the stuff from us,” said Blackburn. “There is a clear cost advantage and PavCo does not have the liability of owning the stadium. We just remove it when the contract is done.”

The stadium will have a roof on the straight sides and includes 12 suites for 20 people each, commentator boxes for radio and TV, along with press seating, floodlights, lighting and cladding.

Construction began in March when material and grandstands were delivered to the compound, after being brought down from the Olympic Winter Games mountain venues.

The material in the Olympic venues represented about 25 per cent of the product that was needed, with the rest coming from Switzerland.

Blackburn said the main challenge for construction is logistics, because 75 per cent of the material had to be imported and the travel time is about six weeks.

“The only thing different between the product in Europe and North America is the roof sections, because they have to be designed to deal with seismic loading,” he said.

Abbotsford-based Clearbrook Iron Works was contracted by Nussli to ensure the 400-foot long sections of roofing on both sides of the stadium meet B.C.’s building and seismic codes.

“In keeping with the temporary nature of the stadium, the roof is not too elaborate,” said Clearbrook co-owner Neil Schellenberg. “Its different working over prefabricated bleachers, but technically it’s a conventional structure.”

The steel-framed, metal-clad roof is designed to withstand wind and snow loads. There will be about ten people installing the roof, which will take two weeks for each side.

According to Schellenberg, the main challenge on this project is the ambitious construction schedule.

“One reason that we were able to meet such an ambitious schedule is because we have a 3D modeling capacity,” he said.

“The key to the whole process is that everything is detailed in a 3D model, which feeds computer numeric control data to machinery. The detailed drawings transmitted data electronically to the machinery and equipment.”

Construction is scheduled for completion on June 15 and the Lions’ have their first game at the facility five days later, in a June 20 CFL pre-season game against the Edmonton Eskimos.

The cost to build and remove the structure is US$14.4 million, which was budgeted for, as part of the BC Place upgrades.

When BC Place is ready for occupancy, the temporary stadium will be completely dismantled in eight to 10 weeks.

[Prometheus]

Here is the latest photo update from the BC Lions website: http://www.bclions.com/photo_gallery/gallery/id/10977

The stadium appears to really be coming along. (Note that they have begun to apply the exterior cladding.)

With a packed stadium right on top of the action, there should be a great atmoshphere, especially on a sunny afternoon. With a little over a month before the first pre-season game, we do not have long to wait to find out.