5 fun facts about the renovated BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver
A new era for local sports and entertainment is about to begin
For nearly three decades, BC Place has been a centerpiece for the City of Vancouver. Originally erected as the world’s largest air-supported stadium in 1983, the stadium has now been reinvented and modernized. The stadium has again made history, as it is now a year-round open-air facility with a brand new cable-supported retractable roof – the biggest of its kind in the world.
On Friday, September 30th, the greatly improved BC Place will reopen with a Canadian Football League game between the BC Lions and Edmonton Eskimos. On Sunday afternoon, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC take on the Portland Timber.
Retractable Roof
The only venue of its kind in MLS, the stadium features 100m x 85m of blue-sky when open – the same size as the field area below. Each of the roof’s support masts is 47m tall. All together, the structure is like 18 suspension bridges, each around 200m long. To open the roof, the flexible Tenara fabric retracts into the centre of the opening where it’s hidden inside of a pod above the video board. The transformation takes just 20 minutes.
Video Board
As part of the renovations, a new state-of-the-art four-sided centre-hung high definition video board has been installed. The screen is the second largest of its kind in North America – behind only the one at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The largest side is 68ft x 38ft, the same area as 450 42” flat screen TVs. The 100,000 pound unit may be raised or lowered depending on event or game requirements.
Light Display
Those who gaze at the stadium will notice a significant new attraction. Façade panels have been installed just above the concrete ring beam to create a new ETFE light display. This display will show a variety of colours and will be customized for Whitecaps FC matches.
Environment and Sustainability
The new roof results in much greater energy efficient, saving 25 percent on energy costs (or about $350,000 per year). New energy-efficient sports lighting has also been built in, allowing brighter lights and using 40% less energy. Other initiatives include expanded recycling and carbon neutral operations that aim to improve carbon management and shrink actual emissions year after year.
Field
A new Polytan Ligaturf 240 RS+ all-weather turf field has been installed. The playing surface has a FIFA 2-star rating, designed to meet the highest standards. This field has previously been used at the training grounds for German club Bayern Munich, as well as stadiums such as: Borussia-Park in Mönchengladbach, Germany; Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, Austria and Estadio Nacional in Lima, Peru.
For more information visit the BC Place website.
