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Bc Government To Scrap Retractable Roof For Bc Place Stadium


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The BC Government will be cancelling / postponing plans for a Retractable Roof for BC Place Stadium.

The funding is just not there with a $ 5 billion deficit looming.

There may also be plans to scrap or at least rearrange the workings of Pavilion Corporation which operates BC Place and the new Convention Center in much the same way they scraped Tourism BC and fired Rod Harris and the entire Board of Directors and left all 147 employees with uncertain futures.

Expect an announcement of the roof cancellation late in the afternoon, at approximately 3 pm, on the Friday before the Labour Day long weekend.

This will be done to minimize media criticism and exposure from the newspapers and tv / radio; there will be 3 full days of holiday before September 8 by which time the shock of this announcement will have worn off on people.

Get ready for 5 years of indoor soccer at BC Place.

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Shutup X Man, you're an idiot.

The roof is getting cancelled; I guarantee it. There's no money in the budget right now. The Government is running up billions in deficits, cutting services, slashing programs...

and they're going to build a Retractable Roof so Lions fans can watch their team get blown out by 40 points in the sunshine?

The roof is getting cancelled. Bet on it. The announcement will be made before Labour Day weeklend.

So go tell your buddies on Skyscraperpage. I'm sure your buddies JLousa and Leftcoaster and Orangevest can take their minds off Ritz Carlton for two seconds and comment on the roof

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lol, I should be asking you to "shut up" instead. Unless you have actual proof, which you almost never have as you've frequently made things up before and you certainly have a somewhat skewed perception of reality, what you have posted is simply misleading and false.

There's opinion and then there's fact, what you've posted misleads others to thinking this is fact and actual news.

There's a reason why you were banned from Skyscraperpage, and a very good reason. ;)

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Not to mention that while stadium renovations are part of the Olympic plans, the retractable roof is not. Construction on the retractable roof is slated for mid-2010, way after the Olympics, and is slated for completion in 2011.

It is not an Olympic project thus it has nothing to do with the 2010 Olympics; it does not belong in this forum. Find another forum, where you haven't been banned, to spew your nonsense.

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^ If you know that it's not an Olympic project, then why are you still posting this in a forum about the Vancouver 2010 Olympics?

There's a lot more to Vancouver 2010 than the Winter Olympic Stadium.

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Because the Government is being dishonest. They keep saying they will build a Retractable Roof after the Olympics so the international media will talk about it.

But behind closed doors, the plan is to tear down BC Place Stadium after the Olympics.

They just don't want the international media to get wind of this.

Look at Campbell's track record of being honest with the people.

Look no further than the HST. No mention of this before the election, now the HST tax gets shoved down our throats.

Lies lies lies and more lies.

Then they scrap Tourism BC and fire the Board of Directors when the Government has been promising to double tourism by 2015.

More lies.

Why do you figure the Government is so believable about its intentions with BC Place?

It doesn't cost the Government any money to take in bids. It costs the construction companies money to put together bids, but the Government doesn't give a rat's ass about that.

As long as they say the right things to the international media.

Requesting bids doesn't mean they'll go forward with it.

There's no money for a Retractable roof. Live with it.

The land around BC Place is losing value. Not much money coming from that direction.

They can't get a big name sponsor for the Stadium with the lousy BC Lions playing in there. No money from that.

The Dupont rumour is bull ****

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^ okay, with that post you've just confirmed to all of us that you made up the whole stadium canceling thing. Facts do not equate to opinions nor do they equate to assumptions nor do they equate to theories. Facts are from news releases, press conferences, etc. and to even stretch it people in the inside (and you certainly have zero reliability to know someone who is in the know, most people would probably want their distance from you since you are clearly insane).

There's fact, there's opinion, and then there's fiction. Learn how to differentiate these things, they aren't the same! It's scary how your brain works.

What international media outlet has talked about our new roof? You're the only one who really gives a bloody deal about it!!!

Anyhow, this has NOTHING to do with the Olympics. Stop spamming this forum.

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Here's Orangevest on SSP having a moment again:

Yesterday, 10:50 AM

jlousa

Ferris Wheel Hater Join Date: Jun 2006

Posts: 3,192

User has been banned and posts deleted, the next person that quotes him from another forums will receive a suspension for baiting him back. I'm not kidding.

Like a little child...

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All I'm going to say at this point is there are severe technical problems / challengers facing the design of that retractable roof.

There may be financial problems also, but the technical problems are what is going to delay the project.

I'll let the news media follow up and confirm what I've been saying.

Remember that technical problems lead to cost overruns.

Make sure you've finished your dinner before you watch the 6 o'clock news tonight

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Looks like I owe Orangevest a big fancy juicy steak:

New B.C. Place roof could be delayed

By Ian Austin and Katie Mercer, The Province

August 25, 2009 7:08 PM

B.C.’s budget-deficit problems may delay one of the province’s most high-profile projects — the re-roofing of B.C. Place Stadium.

The Teflon roof of the Vancouver landmark — home of the B.C. Lions and supposedly down the line the new, transformed, high-tech home of the spanking-new Vancouver Whitecaps Major League Soccer franchise — famously ripped and collapsed in January 2007.

The B.C. Liberals promised a retractable roof as part of a $365-million upgrade — an upgrade that Tourism Minister Kevin Krueger admitted Tuesday is behind schedule.

“I think it will have been delayed because they had to analyze those bids,” Krueger told Global News. “Not substantially delayed. The bidders have agreed to hold their bids in place.”

The promise of an open-air stadium played a strong part in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ bid to land a new franchise in Major League Soccer, the premier league in North America.

Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi told The Province that he’s still hoping for the best.

“We’ve spoken with our contacts and no one has suggested anything other than what was suggested on the outset and that’s we would have a roof come 2011,” said Lenarduzzi.

B.C. Place — with its aging Teflon roof — will host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

B.C. Place roof replacement may be cancelled: report

By Canwest News Service, Global BC

August 25, 2009 10:12 PM

VANCOUVER — The provincial government’s plan to fund a $365-million roof for BC Place Stadium has stalled and may even be cancelled, Global BC is reporting.

Construction on the downtown Vancouver stadium was expected to start soon after it serves as host for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics, and was part of a larger overhaul of the facility that was expected to be finished by the summer of 2011.

But a source told Global News on Tuesday that the roof replacement may no longer be a key government priority and it may be forced to pull its funding in the current economic climate. It means the project could face some serious delays or be cancelled altogether, the report said.

The provincial government unveiled plans in May 2008 to replace the fabric cover on the 26-year-old BC Place Stadium with a retractable roof.

Officials began looking at replacing the air-supported roof after a January 2007 storm caused it to collapse like an imploding souffle into the 60,000-seat facility, flooding the field and damaging seats and luxury boxes. It took crews about two weeks to re-inflate the fabric.

“We could do it at a time post-2010 when we think that the budgets will be better,” Premier Gordon Campbell said in May 2008. "We wanted, actually, to take the time to both do it right, to get the best value, have the most competitive bidding process.”

On Tuesday, while the B.C. government wasn’t willing to go as far to say the project is dead, it did concede that there are issues surrounding the bidding process.

“I think (the project) will have been delayed because . . . the bidders have agreed to hold their bids in place longer than anticipated,” B.C. Tourism Minister Kevin Krueger told reporters in Victoria.

Delays to the upgrade could also jeopardize the city’s hope of landing a Major League Soccer franchise. The Vancouver Whitecaps was awarded the league’s second Canadian franchise in March based on a bid that included a refurbished stadium.

“That won’t be a great scenario for us,” Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi said of the possible delays or cancellations. “The fact that it was going to be an open-air stadium was something that was very appealing to the MLS.”

The world-class retractable roof, to be modelled on a design now used in Frankfurt, Germany, is part of an ambitious redevelopment scheme for BC Place and the north shore of False Creek. It was also scheduled undergo a major facelift, starting with renovated corporate suites and improved seating, disabled access, washrooms and concession stands.

The stadium is primarily used for the B.C. Lions football team, as well as for concerts and trade conventions. The football team was not willing to comment on the issue on Tuesday.

PavCo, the provincial Crown corporation that operates the stadium, also did not comment, only saying it is in the final stages of the bidding process.

Global BC

© Copyright © Canwest News Service

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  • 2 weeks later...

Roof Replacement delayed? Or Gone for good?

Yes at the moment it seems with the economy in the tank, the BC Government is having a hard time spending 200+ million dollars on replacing the present roof of BC Place Stadium, with a retractable new one. It is a hard call. Healthcare or a new roof? Seismic upgrade schools or a new roof? Help out those on the downtown eastside, or a new roof? Could the government go with a similar new roof and forget about the retractable part. Yes! And how much 25-50 Million dollars.

Now does the lack of the new roof impact the 2010 games?

NO!

Does the delay in a retractable roof impact the MLS team?

Good question, but most likely no, as the MLS was coming to a world class soccer city, not a stadium with a new retractable roof. In fact the need for a better field should be the Whitecaqps main concern in BC Place, not a new roof?

Does the delay effect the BC Lions or future Grey Cups?

Well yes and no. Installation of a new roof may have forced the lions to play on the road for a couple months, but really now, as a non rent paying customer of BC Place Stadium, would anyone seriously consider the BC Lions opinion in the matter?

After the games the BC government will scrap the stadium

Well not very likely, you see all the land that BC Place is on is most likely highly contaminated just like the remaing lands from Expo 86. The cost alone to clean up the soil once demolition took place would be hundreds of millions of dollars. Not really a good investment.

So the bottom line do we spend 200-300 million dollars building a retractable roof for 10 CFL games and 17 mls games when most likely both the Whitecaps and BC Lions would need the taxpayer to subsidize their rental of the stadium

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When David Braley bid on the 2011 Grey Cup coming here, he was betting on the Retractable Roof being ready in time.

The Retractable Roof was an integral part of the Whitecaps MLS bid. With Montreal readying their bid, I could see the Caps spot given to the Impact.

It's still $ 35 million for the MLS, except from a different owner that's all.

The MLS took away San Jose's franchise a few years ago over a stadium debacle. And San Jose is a great soccer market also.

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No tax money for Retractable Roof. Mabey that's the way it should be.

If Kerfoot and Braley could kick in enough money, I'm sure we can get this project done by February:

http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/Sports/2009/09/1...816211-sun.html

No taxes for roof

Private money could rescue the planned retractable roof for B.C. Place Stadium, said the minister responsible.

"We won't be paying the extra out of taxpayers' funds," Kevin Krueger told 24 hours yesterday. "People are working together to find a way with a private sector partnership, potentially including the bidders, perhaps including the unions."

The $365 million project is under review by treasury board because of rising cost estimates. Completion is planned for 2011.

"We don't have to do it, if government had to we could just replace the existing roof," Krueger said. "A lot of people want a retractable roof and they're willing to partner to get it. I believe we'll have partners and we'll get it done."

Krueger denied technical issues have driven up costs for the pioneering project.

"No one has expressed any concerns at all about the engineering or ability to construct it," he said.

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