Temporary stadium completed in time for BC Lions’ first home game Sunday
June 18th, 2010
June 18, 2010
Vancouver, BC (June 18, 2010): New field turf and lighting upgrades made at Empire Fields in Vancouver will be a permanent legacy for amateur sports in BC, announced Honourable Kevin Krueger, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts.
The high-quality artificial turf playing surface installed as part of the temporary outdoor stadium at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) will remain, and be available for future users of Empire Fields. In addition, new lighting installed at Empire Fields will also remain as an additional legacy, once the now-completed temporary stadium is disassembled and removed. Altogether, these legacy items are valued at $2.8 million dollars.
The temporary stadium was built by BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo) to accommodate all BC Lions home games in 2010, and the first games of Vancouver Whitecaps FC when they join Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2011. The temporary facility is required as BC Place remains closed from now until the summer of 2011 to permit construction of its new retractable roof.
“Since the plan to build the temporary stadium also required PavCo to return the original playing field once the temporary stadium is removed, it made sense to leave the new turf field and accompanying lighting in place, leaving Empire Fields in even better playing condition than when we started,” said Krueger, the Minister responsible for PavCo, the Crown Corporation which owns and manages both BC Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre. “It will be a legacy that allows amateur teams to make use of a high-quality field all year long.”
The $14 million temporary stadium contract with Nussli Special Events (Canada) was completed on time and on budget, with all costs covered by PavCo’s operating budget. The stadium will be in full operation for the first time this Sunday, June 20th, when the BC Lions host the Edmonton Eskimos in a pre-season CFL match. The temporary stadium has 20,500 covered seats, 7,000 additional end zone bench seats and 12 hospitality suites.
The outdoor stadium will also be an additional special events venue during the PNE’s 100th anniversary this year. Operation of the Empire Fields stadium will be managed by the PNE.
“On behalf of Vancouver City Council, I would like to thank the Province of British Columbia and PavCo for this wonderful gift to the citizens of the city,” said Councillor Raymond Louie, who also chairs the PNE Board of Directors. “This all weather field will be a great addition to the City of Vancouver’s extensive inventory of playing facilities, and with it, Empire Fields will be able to host many tournaments and other sporting events for years to come.”
The old Empire Stadium site at the PNE is well-known as the first home of the BC Lions, before they moved to BC Place in 1983. It was also the original home of the Vancouver Whitecaps. About BC Place BC Place is the largest sports, exhibition and entertainment venue of its kind in British Columbia, hosting the province’s most notable events, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.
When it re-opens in 2011, BC Place will be the new home of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and will continue to be home to the BC Lions Football Club, the 2011 CFL Grey Cup and many other exhibitions, community and entertainment events.
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Media contact:
Trevor Pancoust
604.646.3567