We may get a roof after all????
When I asked for a roof he laughed. However he was pretty intent on maybe filling in the corners with seats and getting the concourses fixed up. I told him most have to choose to either go to the washroom, or get food / a drink - you only have time for one thing.
He had a tough time with how busy it was in there.
Road Trips: July 7 2007 Chicago, July 22nd 2007 Columbus, August 11 2007 NY, October 13 2007 LA, March 29 2008 Columbus, May 24th 2008 DC, May 26 2008 Montreal, June 28th 2008 NE, March 7-11-14 2009 Charleston, March 28 2009 Columbus, April 10 2010 New England, May 12 2010 Montreal, April 7 2012 Montreal, March 16 2013 Montreal , June 3 2014 Montreal, March 14 2015 Columbus
Twitter: @RPBPhil
I was wondering how long it would take TL to mention facilities. I'd welcome any upgrades.
Light bulb just went on! That's my one for the month, btw.
Naming rights were sold to BMO for 10 years, correct? Sooner than later either an extension will be signed or a new sponsor sought. I wonder if TL has that revenue in mind when it pertains to the upgrades he is talking about.
- More WashroomsOriginally Posted by Phil
- Fill in the corners
- maybe concrete floors, I believe only parts of west side have this the rest aluminum.
- Make concourse bigger
- Winterize BMO.
I thought the piece drawing the comparison to SKC was telling. If you ever get the chance, there is a video on youtube somewhere that tells all about the creation of Sporting Park, the different constituent groups they considered, the fan experience they were going for. They were incredibly smart in what they did, and they are truthfully considered a leader in North America in terms of the fan experience, and I mean that across all sports.
Really, BMO field is nothing more than a very cheap stadium in an excellent location. MLSE didn't have any vision of what the place was going to be 5-10 years out or (to be fair) know how TFC would change people's perceptions of soccer in North America.
They probably realize now (especially comparing themselves to SKC) that they are missing out in various regards. Weather is still an attendance killer at BMO field, it also prevents them from selling anything corporate en mass. So they probably want to expand the capabilities of the stadium to cater to a wider audience and make the place more enjoyable. I'm not sure how they can do that without undertaking a major Reno (like tearing down the west stand) but I'll be interested to see what happens.
Can't picture too many bad outcomes in this regard.
Last edited by ag futbol; 07-23-2013 at 11:33 AM.
Hey look, stadium upgrades!
*points in direction away from transfer thread, runs*
smoke and mirror show now, anything but transfers.
Here's an idea....the stadium is sponsored by a bank........SO GET SOME MORE GODDAMN BANK MACHINES IN THERE! Also, make sure those bank machines are not on a dial up modem.....OR.......allow for debit transactions on a speedy server.....just a thought
and a roof......I don't see why this is so difficult.
They're going to have tear down BMO field to make it happen (I am sure they're going to add more seats as well).
Put on a roof...to enclose the crap on the field
Are they planning to install a Giant Stadium style area devoted to statues, fountains and placques commemorating all the great TFC players of the past?
^ What so Liewikie can take them all down? lol
Do you remember the original artist renderings for The Ex location? The one that came before the Varsity, York and Downsview proposals...only to return to the CNE as a watered-down version. It was beautiful compared to what was actually built. If memory serves, it was over the $110-million mark. Included canopy for all four main stands and I believe a modest hotel or restaurant. But public dollars killed that version pretty fast.
This is why he was hired.
If the focus in on the whole experience, that can only be good. There were lineups for everything on Saturday for a game that was not full - well except the scarf booth and the pop up Bud can salespeople on the corners.
Actually, a bad example. Didnt Giants stadium get demolished? Oh well, a new BMO would be nice, hopefully it will have far fewer seats to help make the place look full once in a while.
Seriously though - what is the complexity behind a roof? I don't know anything about how the City works, and I am certainly no expert in the economics of it, but I can't imagine this is a difficult thing to do. It would be expensive, but so is the lack of attendance caused by the folks who won't come in the rain. The weather can be hostile at BMO Field, and the way to offset that considerably is to put on a roof. I'd rather watch a game in the cold at BMO under a roof then another game at a stadium dedicated for Baseball - I think a good number of supporters would agree.
Here are the original renderings of BMO Field....long before any other locations were discussed. Not as nice as I remember.
and the Varsity rendering:
Last edited by Haddy; 07-23-2013 at 12:04 PM.
The RDS in Dublin, where the Leinster Rugby team play, added a roof to one of their stands pretty cheaply and quickly. The stand in question is similar in size to the East and South ends at BMO, don't see why something similar can't be done here.
Before
During and Complete
^ Looks ok, not particularly spectacular by today's standards.
On a non-soccer related note, I have no problem with the city holding back money. Public funds being plowed into sports stadiums doesn't really sit well with me.
After the roof, these are the next two items that should be addressed!
It's ridiculous that our team's home facility is not available for the opening of our season!
I've often had this same thought... how is it that you have to wait in HUGE lines at one of the few ABM's at BMO Field??!!
Agreed. Every time I walk past the Dufferin Gate I remember how shocked I was that the politicians were so willing to build something they ultimately would never get to use in the long run. And that's exactly how it's worked out. MLSE just had to pay $10-million in exchange for the right to sell naming rights. They turned that 10 mil immediately around to BMO in an approx. $20-mil deal. Good business if you ask me.
IMO MLSE should buy the stadium from the city. Either way, I believe there's an understanding that MLSE has to cover any further upgrades.
Cities and and levels of government don't invest in these structures just to lose money. The governments makes their money back pretty quickly, if it be income taxes, property taxes, taxes on event tickets, beer, concessions.
It's the choice between paying a construction worker lets say $1500~ a month to sit at home and collect EI, or pay him $3000+ a month to build a structure that will support more employment (income tax), to host more events (tax on tickets, concessions and liquor).
More employment is overall a good thing.
That being said, for the reasons above I can't see the gov pouring money into renovating a stadium that's 7? years old. Unless of course some of the new attendee's are screaming "Arrrrgoooosss"
Look what I started :P
The concourse is absolutely dreadful. Washroom shortages is ridiculous. Biggest issues for me are winterization and roof. If we we were at downsview or York i't wouldn't be as bad but on the lakeshore the weather is just too much of an issue for too much of the season.
I might be mistaken, but since it is on exhibition grounds, I believe it must be owned by the city. I don't believe MLSE was allowed to build there without the cities hand being in it.
If MLSE could acquire additional funding from coca cola along with some City funds, the new place could be renamed in honour of the mayor: Coke Field.
"They are phenomenal and we should all aspire to be Kansas City and Portland and Vancouver and now Montreal."
Aspire to them...hmm...3 out of the 4 teams allow their supporters to use smoke/flares; looks like TL might 'get it'
The stadium is owned by the city. It was part of the deal when they offered the land. Any further expansion or upgrades is handled by the operator, in this case MLSE.
Let's all keep in mind that the original $62.5-million price tag included the land valuation. The structure itself was about 2/3 or 3/4 the final cost.
As for upgrades, I believe TL will focus on the south end because he values the atmosphere so highly. A rebuilt south-end integrated in to the west stand, complete with more luxury suites to bring the height level with the east and a modest canopy is coming. That and an improved concourse. You can quote me next year when they make the announcement.
I believe this is what you're after.
But Coke is too classy for our Mayor...
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
This is the club's fallback. If they fail to make any major signings before August 8th, they'll announce a roof the following week.
Then your new shirt can have the number 13 and the name 'Roof'.
a ha ha heh he hoo.. ha
Between this article and the picture tweeted by mayor Ford of Winnipeg's stadium...we might actually get something nice for a change. But you can kiss a high priced DP goodbye if we do get stadium upgrades.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
