BC PLACE SHINES AS HOST VENUE FOR CONCACAF WOMEN'S QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
January 30th, 2012
January 30, 2012
Vancouver, BC (January 30, 2012): BC Place is drawing praise after serving as the host venue for the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Soccer Tournament that concluded this weekend in Vancouver.
Canada and the United States finished as the top two teams following the 11-day, eight country tournament, and both have qualified to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England.
A record crowd for a CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament final match was set Sunday as the United States defeated Canada 4-0 in front of 25,427 fans. A new attendance record had previously been set on Friday, January 27 when the semi-finals had 22,954 fans watch Canada defeat Mexico 3-1 and the USA defeat Costa Rica 4-0 at BC Place.
“By hosting this tournament, BC Place has shown itself to be a state-of-the-art soccer venue which only furthers Vancouver’s reputation as a world-class host city,” said Peter Montopoli, General Secretary of the Canadian Soccer Association. “We’re very pleased with the record-setting support the tournament enjoyed here in Vancouver. Thanks to the superb indoor playing conditions at BC Place throughout the tournament, we were totally unaffected by the winter weather outside.”
Canada will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015, and seven Canadian cities including Vancouver are bidding to become one of the hosts for the 24 country tournament.
“The CONCACAF tournament was the first international event we’ve hosted in the new BC Place, and was the first opportunity to prove that we now have Canada’s premier soccer venue right here in Vancouver,” said Graham Ramsay, Director, Sales and Marketing, BC Place. “We look forward to many more international events here. The success of this tournament has demonstrated what a great fit BC Place is for world-class soccer, and sets the stage for a successful bid for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015.”
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.
An all-new BC Place reopened in September 2011 after completing a major revitalization that included the installation of the largest cable-supported retractable roof of its kind in the world. Today, BC Place is home to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC MLS franchise, the BC Lions Football Club and the BC Sports Hall of Fame. BC Place is an important generator of economic activity in British Columbia, hosting world-class entertainment events, professional and amateur sport, community gatherings and exhibitions. For more information, please visit www.bcplace.com