Vancouver Stadium Thread

[Joe MacCarthy]

The Whitecaps will be announcing the plans for their new stadium Thursday morning.

With MLS and Toronto's stadium coming together this looks like a big month for Canadian soccer.

Here's where the Vancouver stadium will be located. Should have pics of the new stadium on Thursday

http://tinypic.com/eijk1v.jpg

http://tinypic.com/eijk00.jpg

Stay tuned

[Joe MacCarthy]

http://tinypic.com/ejd3x3.jpg

http://tinypic.com/ejd3zl.jpg

Oct 13, 2005
WHITECAPS ANNOUNCE PLANS FOR WATERFRONT STADIUM

http://www.whitecapsnewstadium.com/media_kit_detail.cfm?newsid=8

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Vancouver's stunning downtown waterfront will be the site of Vancouver's next great landmark - a new 15,000-seat outdoor sports stadium capable of hosting major international sporting and cultural events. The vision for Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium, which will showcase sustainable building practices along with the best in British Columbia design, construction and materials, was announced today by Whitecaps President John Rocha and Whitecaps Director of Soccer Operations Bob Lenarduzzi.

The stadium's Gastown waterfront location will be within walking distance of 30,000 parking stalls, 8,000 hotel rooms and 80,000 downtown Vancouver residents and workers. It will also be the most transit friendly stadium in North America with direct access from the SkyTrain, SeaBus, West Coast Express and the new RAV line and in close proximity to Habour Lynx, HeliJet, float planes and numerous bus routes. Built above the existing railway tracks, it will feature spectacular views of the North Shore Mountains and Burrard Inlet.

"Our dream of a new outdoor stadium in the heart of scenic Vancouver is finally becoming a reality," said Lenarduzzi. "This new stadium will provide Vancouver with the opportunity to enjoy world class soccer along with numerous other events."

First and foremost, Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium will be a soccer specific stadium offering fans a close-up experience of the beautiful game played on real grass. The stadium will host more than 30 Whitecaps Men's and Women's games, Canadian National Team games, and international soccer tournaments and exhibition matches featuring top level club teams from countries representing Vancouver's various ethnic communities.

In addition to soccer, the facility will host 60-80 event dates annually comprised of outdoor concerts, symphony performances, and a wide range of sporting events including international rugby, tennis, and beach volleyball. The stadium will also provide a home for many ethnic and community festivals, corporate events, and will complement the City's growing trade and convention business.

"Today is a great day for soccer fans and Vancouverites alike," said Rocha. "Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium will broaden Vancouver's appeal to world class soccer, concerts and events, and strengthen our partnerships with the British Columbia Soccer Association and the Canadian Soccer Association. By incorporating sustainable, environmentally friendly building methods and management systems it will promote the best in BC building and design."

For more information about Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium visit whitecapsnewstadium.com. People who register their support on the site will receive priority rights to all first year events, and the opportunity to attend a special open house prior to the general public grand opening.

Individuals registering before November 24 will have the opportunity to win one of four dream prizes: a trip for two to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, a trip for two to the International Rugby Board Rugby Sevens in Los Angeles, a trip for two to a Coldplay concert and a trip for two to a concert at the Tanglewood Music Festival.

[Joe MacCarthy]

How's this for a view? Also the bird's eye view and concert setting

http://tinypic.com/ejd2c5.jpg

http://tinypic.com/ejd2fb.jpg

http://tinypic.com/ejd2kz.jpg

[Ese_Guy]

Nice!!!

[toronto_soccer]

awesome how it's gonna be built in view of the mountains.

[chuncho_azul]

this is good news for soccer fans in vancity! :)

[Joe MacCarthy]

Vancouver joins Montreal, Toronto in announcing new stadium plans
By RON SUDLOW

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/2005/10/13/1261223-cp.html

VANCOUVER (CP) - The Vancouver Whitecaps unveiled plans Thursday for a 15,000-seat stadium on the waterfront, meaning there could be as many as three soccer-specific stadiums in Canada in the next few years.

The proposed venue is a few kilometres west of now-demolished Empire Stadium where Bob Lenarduzzi, Vancouver's director of soccer operations, played before 28,000 fans as a defender for the Whitecaps when they won the 1979 North American Soccer League title. Today's Whitecaps currently play in 5,700-seat Swangard Stadium in suburban Burnaby where they had six sellouts last season and drew 6,800 for a match against Sunderland of the English Premier League.

"I think it's a fantastic place to have a stadium," Whitecap striker Jason Jordan, the USL's scoring champion and MVP, said of the new venue.

"People will come just to be in the stadium but once they watch some of the games they'll be impressed with the soccer, they'll enjoy it."

The Montreal Impact, who like the Whitecaps play in the second-tier USL, have announced plans to occupy a new 15,000-seat stadium by 2007.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is seeking a Major League Soccer franchise for Toronto but has been given an Oct. 31 deadline by the league for stadium approval.

A proposed 20,000-seat Toronto stadium is expected to go before city council later this month.

Like Toronto, the Vancouver stadium plan includes expansion to 30,000. The first phase is expected to cost $60 million to $65 million.

The Vancouver stadium will be built over the Canadian Pacific rail yard near the Canada Place waterfront convention centre with its distinctive decorative sails.

Fans will look through the north end of the horseshoe-shaped facility at Burrard Inlet and the North Shore mountains that rise sharply above the harbour.

"There will be an intimate atmosphere," Lenarduzzi told a news conference as tugboats whistled and sea planes buzzed overhead. "It will have a fan-friendly feel and look to the game."

The land has already been purchased by Greg Kerfoot, the Whitecaps' media-shy owner who made a fortune in computer software.

Whitecaps president John Rocha said while the club wants to occupy the stadium as soon as possible, city officials say a development permit is not likely until 2007 and the facility won't open until the fall of 2009.

"We have desires to see that earlier but that's our stance now, we'd like it as soon as possible," Rocha said.

Lenarduzzi said the natural grass field will give Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium an advantage over the artificial turf at the Montreal and Toronto venues in attracting national team games.

The field sod will be stored on pallets so it can be removed for other events like concerts and trade shows, much like Reliant Stadium, home of the NFL Houston Texans.

The facility has also been proposed to Rugby Canada as a national team home.

In addition to 30 dates for the men's and women's Whitecaps teams, the stadium is also being proposed as a summer home for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, corporate events and trade shows along with such sports as beach volleyball and tennis.

Another possibility is a cultural venue for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

It will be served by two SkyTrain rapid transit lines, the SeaBus from North Vancouver and a commuter train. There are 30,000 parking stalls within walking distance and some parking planned underneath the facility.

The Whitecaps say they want their new stadium to foster the growth of Canadian soccer.

"Our vision is to build the sport and while we're building the sport we hope to build our fan base as well," Lenarduzzi said in an interview. "It's not something we need to get to overnight."

Canadian soccer is too fragmented among professional clubs, the Canadian Soccer Association, national teams and provincial organizations, said Lenarduzzi who played for the 1986 national team when it became the only Canadian side to qualify for the World Cup tournament.

"We've been fragmented for so long," said Lenarduzzi, also a former national team coach. "I've been through the whole process as a player, coach and an administrator.

"As long as we stay fragmented, we won't have much of a chance. I believe Greg Kerfoot's vision to bring all the stakeholders together will make a professional soccer franchise in this market viable and in markets like Montreal and Toronto."

Lenarduzzi said while the Whitecaps would like to eventually play in the MLS, it's too early for that move.

"Our objective is to be playing in the best league in North America when we're ready and we feel right now MLS in Canada is premature. We feel we've started a co-ordinated approach (for soccer growth) but we're not ready to go MLS."

Lenarduzzi said the Whitecaps will also follow the Toronto model and seek financing from city, provincial and federal governments.

"We haven't even talked to any levels of government at this point in terms of the funding side of it. All we're suggesting is if it's being done elsewhere, we'd like the opportunity for equitable contributions."

A quick look at the plans for the Vancouver Whitecaps new stadium:

Location: Built over rail yard on downtown Vancouver waterfront.

Capacity: 15,000 initially, engineered to expand to 30,000.

Cost: First phase of 15,000 seats estimated at between $60 million and $65 million.

Pitch: Natural grass stored on pallets over concrete base.

Nearby: 8,000 hotel rooms, 30,000 parking spaces within walking distance, 80,000 downtown residents.

Construction: Development permit issued 2007, completion 2009.

Access: SkyTrain rapid transit, commuter train, SeaBus from North Vancouver, city buses.

Events: Whitecaps men's and women's soccer plus national team games, rugby, tennis, beach volleyball, concerts, trade shows, conventions.

[stadium express]

Stadium Discussion is an online discussion and opinion poll for the proposal to build a new soccer stadium in downtown Vancouver, and for the future state of BC Place Stadium. Raise your voice, give us your opinions on these issues.

Sign the petition in support of the stadium! Discuss the stadium! and tell a friend!

www.stadium.canucksource.com (http://www.stadium.canucksource.com)

[Toke-E-Yo]

I disagree with what the whitecaps are doing. IMO I beleive that the MLS is only expanding in to Toronto to see what happens. If it is succesful enough, I also believe that the MLS will make a expansion team in Vancouver. If the MLS moved to Vancouver, it would allow for a bigger, and better stadium to be built, say one with at least a 40,000 capacity. It also depends on if Canada will aply for a WC.

[Joe MacCarthy]

I disagree with what the whitecaps are doing. IMO I beleive that the MLS is only expanding in to Toronto to see what happens. If it is succesful enough, I also believe that the MLS will make a expansion team in Vancouver. If the MLS moved to Vancouver, it would allow for a bigger, and better stadium to be built, say one with at least a 40,000 capacity. It also depends on if Canada will aply for a WC.This design has the capability of expanding to 30,000, there will not be another stadium built. There will never be another permanent 40,000 seat stadium built in Canada, economics will not support it. For big events you will see something like a 35,000 seat stadium with temporary extra seating for the duration of the event. The Big Owe, SkyDome, BC Place days are gone.

[supersjd]

The Big Owe, SkyDome, BC Place days are gone.

true

[Joe MacCarthy]

Caps owner needs a lesson in economics
Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun
March 07, 2006
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/sports/story.html?id=66f82545-f327-4c5b-b7de-dcc8d8315d73

Citizens of Vancouver, now is the time to mobilize and take action.

The corporate development beast is among you, ready to devour your neighborhood -- or at least a railyard popular with, well, hopper cars and exotic wildlife like pigeons and field mice, which surely are endangered somewhere.

The Vancouver Whitecaps are trying to build a downtown stadium on Burrard Inlet.

With their own money.

Be vigilant. Be wary. Be angry. This is completely unacceptable.

Privately financed?

It's an outrage. What are taxpayers to think?

What sort of precedent does this set next time someone wants to build a transit line/convention centre/Olympic venue/stadium/hotdog stand in this town?

We'll be a laughingstock, mocked everywhere by billionaire owners of sports franchises accustomed to extorting stadia from taxpayers.

This is no way for an advanced civilization to behave.

Arthur Griffiths tried this more than a decade ago with General Motors Place and swore he'd never do it again. Eventually, Griffiths will be stuffed and displayed behind glass at the Harvard School of Business and future tycoons will point and say in hushed tones: 'So that's the one. He's the guy who built a stadium without tax money. Poor fool."

Now there's another Vancouver guy. Greg Kerfoot is the dot.com zillionaire who's been photographed as often as a spotted owl -- perched on Sasquatch's head -- but is afflicted with a very public addiction to soccer. He saved the Whitecaps. Now he wants to build a stadium for them above the CPR tracks north of Water Street.

He has spent $20 million on land and the 15,000-seat stadium could cost another $60 million.

It's not like he's going to refuse government money, but so far he hasn't really demanded any. In fact, it seems Kerfoot and the Whitecaps have asked for remarkably little.

The city is doing all the asking and telling.

Three years ago, the city asked him to consider building a stadium on the False Creek flats, then refused a year later to sell him land for it. Kerfoot found a better site and bought land last summer.

In October, Whitecaps' president John Rocha and general manager Bob Lenarduzzi announced their vision for the site. City council immediately imposed an extraordinary six-month review process on their plans.

This review includes four public consultations this week. These began Monday at the Woodwards Building, and continues 3-8 p.m. tonight at the Storyeum lobby on Water Street, Wednesday (2-8 p.m.) at the Harbour Centre lobby on West Hastings, and Saturday (10-4 p.m.) at the Vancouver Public Library's central branch promenade on West Georgia.

An independent consultant retained by the city at the Whitecaps' expense makes his report to council in May and, if favourable, Kerfoot and the Whitecaps can look forward to a 12-18 month process for zoning and issuing development permits.

By contrast, planning and funding for a 20,000-seat stadium in Toronto came together in a month last fall and work is underway for that venue to be ready for soccer's 2007 youth World Cup. And, by the way, that stadium's $72.8-million cost is being subsidized by the City of Toronto ($19.8 million), Ontario government ($8 million) and Ottawa ($27 million). Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which gets a new stadium for their expansion Major League Soccer franchise, is contributing only $8 million.

Shame on Kerfoot for keeping his hands in his own pockets. His reward? If all goes well, he'll have a stadium sometime in 2009, built in roughly the same time frame as the $2-billion RAV transit line, and about two years too late for the junior World Cup.

"It's fair to say that by the city initiating discussions with our owner in 2003, we had hoped to be much further ahead than we are," Lenarduzzi said. "But we respect the process. It is a big week for us because at the end of it, it should provide clarity to what the actual concerns are. Most people you talk to feel like, 'What's the problem?' So it's important for supporters to make their support known."

Because, god knows, the activist groups opposed will make their feelings known. Politicians may brag about Vancouver being world-class, but we are nothing if not provincial. And for good reason.

Designed to be the most transit-friendly stadium in North America, soccer fans will create enormous foot traffic around Waterfront Station. And Kerfoot's plans to build a stadium with "green" technology and British Columbia products will drive up the cost of lumber and deprive someone in Whistler of a beam for their great room.

And the panhandlers in Gastown will be forced to grow their businesses and trade their paper coffee cups for bigger coin receptacles, such as Humvees.

Actual issues include post-game crowd noise, parking and Kerfoot's long-term plans for other parcels of the trainyard.

But no building on Water Street will be knocked down. Even the trains will be unaffected -- running in tunnels beneath the project.

"I'll meet any group that has questions," Rocha said. "We've already been contacted by some groups and so far [the meetings] have gone really well. Traffic, we can address [and] the impact on the neighbourhood. We feel there are no significant issues we can't overcome."

Except the lack of public financing so far.

It's a blight on us all.

imaci16@hotmail.com

[Joe MacCarthy]

Whitecaps unlikely to play the corporate name game
Grant Kerr
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060426.BCSOCCER26/TPStory/?query=soccer

VANCOUVER -- When it comes time for the Vancouver Whitecaps to name their proposed downtown soccer stadium, team officials don't expect any controversy about possibly selling the naming rights for the team's new home.

Whitecaps president John Rocha said Greg Kerfoot, the low-profile owner of the franchise, is a "traditionalist" when it comes to advertising linkages.

"Greg has indicated he's not likely to do that, unlike a lot of European soccer teams that even sell the logos on the front of their jerseys," Mr. Rocha said in an interview yesterday. "He's more of a traditionalist in that respect."

The issue of selling naming rights in general is up for public discussion this week. The City of Vancouver is seeking public input into the possibility of selling the rights to name some city-owned facilities, with an open house to be held today at the Vancouver Public Library for residents to express their views.

The Whitecaps are in the midst of a six-month review involving city planners about the $65-million proposal to build a 15,000-seat multipurpose stadium over rail tracks.

The elevated stadium could later be expanded to seat 30,000.

Mr. Kerfoot has already purchased 10 hectares of downtown waterfront property for the project from Fairmont Developments. The Whitecaps want the stadium completed at least a year before the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler.

One way to offset some of the startup costs would be to sell the naming rights to the stadium. For example, Safeco Field in Seattle is home to baseball's Seattle Mariners.

And the arena owned and operated by the parent company of hockey's Vancouver Canucks is named General Motors Place under a long-term contract with the automotive giant.

"As the team president I have asked [Mr. Kerfoot] to keep an open mind about this," Mr. Rocha said. "If the right partner came aboard . . . but right now he's not inclined to go that way in terms of the title of the stadium."

A review of the Whitecaps' stadium project by an independent consulting firm will be provided to city planners late next month, and the information will be presented to city council on June 13.

"We can work with all the technical issues and find ways to make it work with all the neighbourhoods," Mr. Rocha said, noting there is some opposition from groups in nearby Gastown and the Downtown Eastside.

The Whitecaps currently play their home games at the smallish Swangard Stadium in Burnaby.

The team attracted a sold-out crowd of 5,700 to its opening game in the United Soccer League last weekend. The Whitecaps have about 2,100 season-ticket subscribers after an aggressive marketing campaign.

An opinion survey commissioned by the Whitecaps indicated 71 per cent of those questioned were in favour or mildly in favour of the stadium project, with 15 per cent opposed.

[Joe MacCarthy]

CSA to MLS: Make room for 2nd Canadian team in 2010
http://friendsofsoccer.blogspot.com/2006/05/csa-to-mls-make-room-for-2nd-canadian.html

As Toronto FC unveiled it's new Major League Soccer logo today, Canadian Soccer Association C.O.O. Kevin Pipe had a clear message for the league: make room for a 2nd Canadian team in 2010.

That team is most likely to be Vancouver.

With strong ownership, a new downtown stadium in the works, and a stated goal to play at the top level of North American professional soccer, the Vancouver Whitecaps appear to be next in line for MLS expansion. Mr. Pipe pressed that point today on MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

"Don, keep a second spot open in 2010. We know you're working towards having 16 clubs. I'm going to keep your feet close to the fire on that as we move forward. We have other Canadian cities who are really looking at Major League Soccer in a very serious way."

The only other contender is Montreal, who recently delayed plans to build a Soccer Specific Stadium.

The new National Soccer Stadium in Toronto is being built primarily using municipal, provincial and federal funds with a minority investment made by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. When Toronto City Council approved funding for the stadium in October, 2005, Mayor David Miller said "It's a great deal for Toronto. The city gets a $60 million community asset for only $9.8 million."

The Vancouver Whitecaps proposed stadium is privately-financed on land they purchased from Fairmont - a private company. They have said previously that they are financially committed to making the stadium happen. The new Vancouver stadium would be an invaluable asset to Canadian soccer, as Vancouver has the only climate in the country that allows for year-round soccer.

Major League Soccer has designed special rules which force Toronto FC to field a predominantly Canadian team. Mr. Pipe believes that the arrival of MLS in Toronto will have an immediate impact on the fortunes of Canadian Soccer.

"Today is a day of celebration. The arrival of MLS in Toronto is going to change the game overnight. Here in this city we will see the finest players in North America. The immediate impact is apparent. It's going to allow our national team players to finally play in Canada at a complete professional level. We expect to see a lot of our players returning home from Europe to play for Toronto FC. We also expect to see immediate improvement. With two seasons under our belt, we fully expect our national team to achieve it's goal of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.""

Besides the new MLS team, Toronto's National Soccer Stadium will also play host to the second biggest event in Men's soccer: The Fifa Under-20 World Cup. While Vancouver's Swangard Stadium will be a venue for the preliminary matches of the tournament, it will be Toronto's shrine that hosts the final.

"July 22, 2007 - When the Fifa Under-20 World Cup Final is held in the new National Soccer Stadium, there will be over 100 million people worldwide watching soccer from Toronto. Who ever would have thought it?"

To help make the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium a reality, visit us at www.friendsofsoccer.org .