Don’t Mess With Our New Roof
BC Place Rendering
NDP Angling to Cancel Retractable Roof Plans for BC Place
Based on online caucus statements and party advertising launched in late February, the BC NDP appears to favour scrapping plans for a retractable roof at BC Place stadium.
“It’s not explicit in the election platform release today, but they’ve made it clear in a series of pre-election trial balloons what their preference would be and that’s to scrap the plans for a retractable roof and proceed with a simpler replacement fixed roof,” said TEAM 1040 sport business commentator Tom Mayenknecht. “And if they proceed with that position, it’s not only wonky politics but it’s wonky economics.”
Source: www.team1040.ca/…
V.c » It is time for Campbell and his privatization agenda to drive off into a drunken Hawaiian sunset. But the NDP are a bunch of chumps if they decide to go cheap on the renovation of BC Place and forego the retractable roof. If they don’t go with the retractable roof they might as well scrap the entire renovation project altogether and spend the money elsewhere, like by sending all of us a cheque for the amount saved. Important infrastructure should evolve and be improved over the years, not just be spring cleaned. Imagine the events we could host with an awesome outdoor stadium on sunny summer afternoon.
I am sure you are onto something when it comes to wurlitzering media and corrupt politicians and property developers, but the fact is we have BC Place so we might as well make it as good as possible so we can maximize its utility for as long as possible. One tends to get what they pay for in this world, so if we go cheap we will end up with an inferior product that will cost us more money in the long run. And civic pride is important and kick-ass stadium adds to civic pride whether it is hosting tractor pulls, music festivals, kids roller hockey games or major professional sports. And if they want to build a cozy stadium too that would be cool, especially given the proposed location down by the waterfront station and private financing that is to pay for it. Why that hasn’t gone through yet I don’t know.
Captain:
Three things….
#1) Do we really know that the price tag is ‘only’ $365 million? After all, don’t forget, this is being brought to you by the good folks at PAVCo, the very same folks that overspent (at least) $400 million on the Convention Center
#2) You don’t hink that maybe, just maybe, those fine fellows at the TEAM might not just have a little bit of self interest in wurlitzering up that story despite the absence of ‘explicit’ statements from the NDP
#3) What events, exactly, do you think we would end up hosting in an open BC Place Stadium on a sunny summer afternoon? Short season Single A baseball? An extra tractor-pull or two? An outdoor roller hockey extravaganza (which would be appropriate given the author of the piece posted-up by the TEAM)?
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I’m not saying we shouldn’t have a nice cozy outdoor venue that seats maybe 20K* for our second rate (non-hockey) pro-teams. All I’m pointing out is that we’ve been bamboozled by Mr. Campbell and friends before. Thus, I don’t think it is unreasonable to suggest that caution is warranted.
(*see BMO Field, in TO for example, which cost $63 million all in.)