Let's get the Whitecaps Stadium done!

[towerguy3]

On Oct 29, FIFA will vote as to whether Canada or Germany get the 2011 Women's World Cup. With the City strike now over, are we going to hear something about the Whitecaps Stadium? We gotta get it finished by the Olympics so we can have Outdoor concerts!!!

Come on City Council, stop dragging this out!!!

[Rusty Gull]

Is there any news online about this? Or info from City Hall? I'd also like to hear about the latest with the stadium proposal. This has been dragged out forever!!

[mr.x]

Stadium Delays Cost Vancouver Taxpayers $5 million

City to Close David Lam Park & use Downtown Parking Lot for Olympic Plazas

OFFICIAL FRIENDS OF SOCCER MEDIA RELEASE

Delays in approving the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium will cost municipal taxpayers $5 million as city staff and 2010 organizers were forced to develop temporary plazas for the "Olympic Live" public sites during the Winter Games. The free public plazas, which will feature giant television screens, sponsor tents and live concerts, will be located on a parking lot on Beatty St. and in Yaletown's David Lam Park. The $23 million facilities will have a capacity of 10,000 and 13,000 respectively, and both will be dismantled following the 2010 games.

VANOC had earlier expressed an interest in holding the public cultural components of the Winter Games in the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium, and reinforced that view to City Council as late as May, 2006. A completed Whitecaps Stadium could have provided greater capacity, substantial reductions in infrastructure and security costs, and would have provided a permanent legacy for the games. Friends of Soccer pro-stadium activist Bill Currie blasted City Council for the delays at Thursday's Planning and Environment meeting.

"If there was ever a red flag that we need permanent gathering places downtown, this is it. A fantastic gathering place was offered to both the City and VANOC as early as 2004 in the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium," he told councillors . "It was a gift to the city, in a beautiful spot where Vancouver began. Despite overwhelming support, 4 rounds of public consultation, and 2 unanimous votes from this Council, it hasn't proceeded far enough or fast enough. We're paying the price for this now."

Although Currie made it clear he fully supports the free public Olympic Sites, he expressed concern for residents and local soccer over the closing of David Lam Park.

"It's also sad for our citizens and local residents that the city will have to cut off the seawall and decommission a public park and popular sports field for what will likely be several months. And while I support this project, I can honestly say that the soccer community will not like that one bit."

"It appears the time for 2010 is too late. So, along with the FIFA U-20 World Cup, and the dozens of sporting events, cultural events and festivals that could have been held by now, we'll chalk this up as another lost opportunity. But, what makes this lost opportunity different is that it's going to cost the taxpayers of Vancouver $5 million dollars. I believe this could have been avoided."

Councillors present provided no questions nor rebuttal.

Friends of Soccer is a grassroots movement that supports soccer projects as well as the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. Bill Currie and the Friends of Soccer (www.friendsofsoccer.org) urge all citizens of Vancouver to continue to write, phone and visit City Hall to make their voices heard.

[mr.x]

Swangard a great site, waterfront even better
Just imagine if downtown soccer stadium was built for tournament

Terry Bell, The Province
Published: Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Brazil versus Spain in a round-of-16 game at a sold-out 10,000-seat Swangard Stadium in Burnaby on Wednesday night? For FIFA Under-20 World Cup organizers, it doesn't get much better than that.

Unless, of course, it's Brazil versus Spain at a 20,000- or 25,000-seat stadium on Vancouver's downtown waterfront.

How spectacular might that have been? A jammed stadium. Clear blue skies. Mountains shimmering in the background. Anywhere between 50 to 100 million people watching on television around the world.

"We really lucked out, didn't we?" John Rocha, chairman of the organizing committee for the Burnaby site said Monday as his phone rang off the hook with callers trying to get their hands on a pair of the now-impossible-to-get tickets.

"It could be one of these classic soccer moments in B.C. history. This is exciting. It's a beautiful grass pitch. The 10,000 people who will be there will be in for a treat."

Still, one wonders what might have been if city officials had acted more quickly on Vancouver Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot's proposal to build a midsize, outdoor stadium on Vancouver's waterfront. Kerfoot and former mayor Larry Campbell first started kicking the tires on this project seven years ago. Now, all those years and lord only knows how many studies, meetings and focus groups later, the car's still sitting on the lot unsold.

Rocha hopes the U20 success is the catalyst to bring some traction on getting the facility built.

"We've had some of the government officials out for this event and hopefully, collectively, they realize that a midsize, outdoor facility that's being built with private funds from Greg Kerfoot would be a great asset for the city," said Rocha.

"Having said that, you have to get through the processes. But in my opinion it's taken way too long to get to the point that we're at now.

"It's just unfortunate. The original intent was to have had it finished for this tournament."

Rocha is also on a committee trying win the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup for Canada. A Vancouver stadium is front and centre in their plans.

In Rocha's dream world, the Canadian women will win the 2007 World Cup in China this September and return to Canada to defend their title, with Vancouver being the event's focal point the way Toronto's new BMO Field is the U20 focal point. The U20 final will be played there on July 22.

"That's visionary stuff," said Rocha. "That's what Greg's trying to do. We just need some willpower on the part of politicians to make sure that we can get there. There was a willpower to get it done in Toronto [with mostly government money]. There has to be the willpower here, where the vast majority of the funds will be private."

Rocha isn't sure how many tickets could be sold for Brazil-Spain. But the U20 event has helped sell tickets to "The Beckham Game," the Oct. 3 exhibition at B.C. Place Stadium between David Beckham's L.A. Galaxy and the Vancouver Whitecaps. More than 33,000 tickets have already been sold for that one.

"The response to this event has been phenomenal," Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi said in a statement.

"Based on demand, we have already opened the east side of the upper bowl. Interest continues to be very strong, so we will open the west side of the upper bowl [today at 10 a.m.]. This match has the potential to be the biggest single sports event in British Columbia this year."

"This [U20] tournament has heightened the awareness of soccer," said Rocha. "A lot of people are feeling bad that they didn't act on getting tickets and that's been a catalyst to ticket sales for the Galaxy game."

Just wondering, but how many politicians are feeling bad that they didn't get a Vancouver stadium built in time for the arrival of the world's best young soccer players?

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Stadium Delays Cost Vancouver Taxpayers $5 million

City to Close David Lam Park & use Downtown Parking Lot for Olympic Plazas

OFFICIAL FRIENDS OF SOCCER MEDIA RELEASE

Delays in approving the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium will cost municipal taxpayers $5 million as city staff and 2010 organizers were forced to develop temporary plazas for the "Olympic Live" public sites during the Winter Games. The free public plazas, which will feature giant television screens, sponsor tents and live concerts, will be located on a parking lot on Beatty St. and in Yaletown's David Lam Park. The $23 million facilities will have a capacity of 10,000 and 13,000 respectively, and both will be dismantled following the 2010 games.

VANOC had earlier expressed an interest in holding the public cultural components of the Winter Games in the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium, and reinforced that view to City Council as late as May, 2006. A completed Whitecaps Stadium could have provided greater capacity, substantial reductions in infrastructure and security costs, and would have provided a permanent legacy for the games. Friends of Soccer pro-stadium activist Bill Currie blasted City Council for the delays at Thursday's Planning and Environment meeting.

"If there was ever a red flag that we need permanent gathering places downtown, this is it. A fantastic gathering place was offered to both the City and VANOC as early as 2004 in the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium," he told councillors . "It was a gift to the city, in a beautiful spot where Vancouver began. Despite overwhelming support, 4 rounds of public consultation, and 2 unanimous votes from this Council, it hasn't proceeded far enough or fast enough. We're paying the price for this now."

Although Currie made it clear he fully supports the free public Olympic Sites, he expressed concern for residents and local soccer over the closing of David Lam Park.

"It's also sad for our citizens and local residents that the city will have to cut off the seawall and decommission a public park and popular sports field for what will likely be several months. And while I support this project, I can honestly say that the soccer community will not like that one bit."

"It appears the time for 2010 is too late. So, along with the FIFA U-20 World Cup, and the dozens of sporting events, cultural events and festivals that could have been held by now, we'll chalk this up as another lost opportunity. But, what makes this lost opportunity different is that it's going to cost the taxpayers of Vancouver $5 million dollars. I believe this could have been avoided."

Councillors present provided no questions nor rebuttal.

Friends of Soccer is a grassroots movement that supports soccer projects as well as the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. Bill Currie and the Friends of Soccer (www.friendsofsoccer.org) urge all citizens of Vancouver to continue to write, phone and visit City Hall to make their voices heard.

How friggin typical! For anyone who wants to learn just how backwards things get in Vancouver City Hall needs to read that article.

[mr.x]

Whitecaps should look south for stadium
Mayor would be happy to talk to team about site...in Surrey

Brian Lewis, The Province
Published: Sunday, October 21, 2007

The Vancouver Whitecaps have spent much time and money over the past few years trying to put their proposed downtown Vancouver stadium in the back of the net.

But shots to advance their cause have often been blocked by skilful regulatory goalkeeping at city hall.

So if this is the way Vancouver plays, as it has with past issues such as Wal-Mart, then the Whitecaps should look elsewhere.

Why not Surrey?

Assuming that the soccer world unfolds as many predict, and within a few years the Whitecaps graduate to the Major Soccer League where England mega-star David Beckham now resides, then they should consider the longer-term big picture.

It shows most regional growth over the next 30 to 40 years taking place south of the Fraser River and east into the Fraser Valley.

In effect, the Lower Mainland "core" is shifting south and east away from downtown Vancouver, where land costs and availability are prohibitive.

However, the Whitecaps already have major plans to build significant soccer infrastructure south of the Fraser.

The team is talking to Delta and Surrey about constructing a multi-million-dollar national training centre in either municipality.

As Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi explains in a document recently sent to the City of Surrey, the team proposes to build a six-field facility with a mix of artificial and grass surfaces that would include a clubhouse, a physiotherapy clinic, changing rooms and other technical facilities.

This proposal was sent to Surrey in response to a request by Coun. Tom Gill, who says the training centre should locate on the eastern end of the 120-hectare Tynehead Regional Park near 168th Street and 96th Ave.

Gill also admits he's been "dumped on" by some environmentalists for wanting to put the soccer facility into a regional park and, naturally, the regional district would have to be involved before anything happened.

However, Lenarduzzi also tells me that Delta is a long way ahead of Surrey in this race.

"We've been talking to Delta over the last year about building the national training centre there and we're near the point where something could happen," he said.

Delta chief administrative officer George Harvie says his municipality already has a 13-hectare recreation-zoned park near Highway 91 and Highway 10 that could accommodate the training centre.

And the city could give the Whitecaps a favourable long-term lease similar to the deal it did with the Western Hockey League Vancouver Giants, whose training centre is also located in Delta.

So why not put both the national training facility and the stadium south of the river so they'd be close together for the mutual benefit of many in the soccer community?

Lenarduzzi says the Whitecaps' stadium focus remains on the downtown waterfront, although he acknowledges that the region's growth is in the Valley.

But others can see the benefits of locating the stadium in Surrey.

One site often mentioned is the industrial area at the north end of Scott Road which is also served by SkyTrain. The city, the province and the private sector all own property there and it was once the proposed site for Pacific National Exhibition relocation.

"That's an ideal location for a soccer stadium," Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts says, "and I'd certainly like to get into discussions with the Whitecaps organization about it."

But convincing the Whitecaps to look south for their stadium location may require skills as exceptional as Beckham bending the ball.

If you have a story idea or noteworthy item about anything going on in the Fraser Valley, you can e-mail Brian at blewis@png.canwest.com




fuck....the most retarded people are in charge of city hall.

[twoNeurons]

I hope there's a serious threat for Downtown Vancouver to lose the Stadium, to tell you the truth. Sure in the end, I would love city hall to wise up, but I think a stadium in Surrey with close proximity to the skytrain would really do well.

And lets face it, people don't go to a game for the view of the mountains.

Surrey would probably allow a larger and less expensive stadium too.

[deasine]

I really feel sorry for the whitecaps now... dealing with all the politics...
still really want it in downtown but if the city of Vancouver's still being stupid, i guess we can only have it in Surrey...

[EastVanMark]

Great to see Brian Lewis at it again. The guy looks just a little too much like the Green River Killer. It is not up to Brian or anyone else to tell Kerfoot how or where to spend his money. Kerfoots vision was to push soccer to the forefront of the VANCOUVER sports scene. Building somewhere in...Surrey...doesn't quite get that done. Also, in typical Vancouver fashion, lets buck the trend of most cities building major sports facilities in or very close to their downtown core. Lets go back to the 70's and build them in the suburbs. Backwardsville strikes again!

[excel]

Not what i was hoping to hear...

[agrant]

I stopped caring awhile back. Someone let me know when the stadium gets approved... somewhere.

[mr.x]

Caps hope for Cup spillover
FIFA tourney's success could boost bid for new stadium

Stuart Hunter, The Province
Published: Thursday, October 25, 2007

Last summer's FIFA Under-20 World Cup Canada 2007 provided a boost for soccer both on and off the pitch.

And that could bode well for hopes of landing the proposed Vancouver Whitecaps waterfront stadium near Canada Place.

The 24-country tourney, won by Argentina, generated about $260 million in economic activity in the four host provinces, according to the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance.

The event was held in Burnaby, Victoria, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal from June 30 to July 22 and attracted a tournament-record 1.192 million fans.

"Our Canadian friends demonstrated that they have an incredible hunger for sport and and ever-growing enthusiasm for football -- or soccer, as it is called in North America," said FIFA president Joseph Blatter.

"Hosting the FIFA U-20 World Cup will no doubt continue to spur development of our sport across the nation, which is already reflected in the improving levels of players' technical skills as well as in wonderful new facilities such as Canada's National Soccer Stadium in Toronto."

B.C. soccer officials concurred.

"It certainly was a phenomenal tournament indicative of the true power of the sport . . . in a non-

traditional football market," said B.C. Soccer executive director Bjorn Osieck. "This will really help the sport to mature more and come into its own right."

Although B.C. Soccer's 130,000 members -- including 100,000 under age 18 -- likely won't see any direct results from the U-20 tourney, Osieck said most will likely benefit indirectly.

The Vancouver Whitecaps hope the tourney's success will help further their bid to move from Burnaby's 5,400-seat Swangard Stadium to a proposed 15,000-seater. But several hurdles remain.

"The city is in a bit of a holding pattern," planner Matt Shillito said. "Until the negotiations are concluded positively, there isn't much we can do. They haven't secured a site."

Once a deal is reached, the team would have to bring a proposal to the city, have public consultations, get council approval and then apply for rezoning -- a process that could take around 18 months.

The FIFA tourney "was a great event -- not just from a B.C. perspective but right across the country," said Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi. "The event exceeded expectations and it broke the old attendance record."

Lenarduzzi hopes the tourney's success helps sway FIFA brass to name Canada the host country of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The Caps are expecting about 50,000 fans to attend the Nov. 7 exhibition match at B.C. Place Stadium between the Caps of the United Soccer League and the L.A. Galaxy of Major League Soccer, featuring superstar David Beckham.

shunter@png.canwest.com


© The Vancouver Province 2007






Port-land talks on again
The Province
Published: Thursday, October 25, 2007

Talks between the Whitecaps and the Vancouver Port Authority over a parcel of waterfront land continue.

"At this stage, negotiations have been productive," Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi said yesterday. "The city side was on hold during the [CUPE] strike, but now negotiations [with the port] are ongoing."

The proposed 15,000-seat stadium may depend on the fate of the port-owned land between Crab Park and the SeaBus terminal. A land exchange is possible.

[mr.x]

A rendering of the new Whitecaps Stadium proposal has been posted at the Whitecaps FC website:


is it just me, or is that a new building development south of the stadium (to the left of the SeaBus terminal and to the right of CP Station)?












older renderings
\

[\/^~<0(_)\/{9]

If this city weren't so retarded, the stadium would be well under construction or even built by now, and we'd have an MLS team by 2010 at the latest. (I'm sure based on Toronto FC's success, they would waive their Canadian exclusivity rights allowing us to have a team earlier if the stadium was in place).

But as it is, the window of opportunity has most likely already passed. However, should it eventually get built around say 2011 or 2012 and MLS already has 18 teams, based on the success of Toronto, I can't see MLS turning down the whitecaps if they have a committed owner, stadium, and a solid existing fan base in place when teams like New England can only draw 10,000 fans for a playoff game and teams like Colorado barely fill up half of their new 18,000 seat stadium. Nevermind horrible markets like Kansas City and Salt Lake.

The best thing for MLS would be to get a strong rivalry like the old Vancouver-Seattle-Portland one, or Toronto-Montreal. So hopefully Garber's comments will encourage city council to finally get the ball rolling or we can forget about MLS for a long while and the Whitecaps will be left as most likely one of the only west coast teams in a dying 2nd tier league.

[bbeliko]

Originally Posted by tintinium

I hope there's a serious threat for Downtown Vancouver to lose the Stadium, to tell you the truth. Sure in the end, I would love city hall to wise up, but I think a stadium in Surrey with close proximity to the skytrain would really do well.
.

As long as it is near a skytrain station i wouldnt care

[towerguy3]

if only the Whitecaps Stadium had been built by now, the BC Lions would have somewhere to move to while BC Place is closed for a new roof

[\/^~<0(_)\/{9]

will you and all the others please get this out of your head for the last time. The Whitecaps want absolutely NOTHING to do with the Lions. If/When this stadium gets built there will NEVER be a CFL game played there. Building the stadium to accomodate for a CFL field would require pushing the stands back much further, thus eliminating the whole intimate SOCCER SPECIFIC atmosphere they're trying to create (ever wonder where the term soccer specific stadium comes from?).


Furthermore, now I just browse here and dont post very often, but you seem to be going on and on about the Lions having to move while upgrades are made at BC Place. There's been absolutely no mention of it anywhere in the press, because it's purely just your speculation. It's not going to happen simply because there is no other place for them to play. And newsflash.... all your hopes for a retractable roof before 2010......it's not gonna happen.

[towerguy3]

Keep in mind the Montreal Alouettes play in Molson Stadium which holds 20,000. How do they manage to stay in business?

[Rusty Gull]

^Not only that, but some point to Molson Stadium (and its outdoor ambience and more intimate setting) as having saved Montreal's CFL franchise.

[Smooth]

Originally Posted by \/^~<0(_)\/{9

will you and all the others please get this out of your head for the last time. The Whitecaps want absolutely NOTHING to do with the Lions. If/When this stadium gets built there will NEVER be a CFL game played there. Building the stadium to accomodate for a CFL field would require pushing the stands back much further, thus eliminating the whole intimate SOCCER SPECIFIC atmosphere they're trying to create (ever wonder where the term soccer specific stadium comes from?).


Furthermore, now I just browse here and dont post very often, but you seem to be going on and on about the Lions having to move while upgrades are made at BC Place. There's been absolutely no mention of it anywhere in the press, because it's purely just your speculation. It's not going to happen simply because there is no other place for them to play. And newsflash.... all your hopes for a retractable roof before 2010......it's not gonna happen.

I spoke with Bob Lenarduzzi at an open house about the possibility of the Lions sharing the stadium with the Whitecaps and he said that the Whitecaps did discuss sharing the stadium with the Lions but the Lions didn't want to publicly entertain the idea because that could give PAVCO an excuse to not renew their lease at BC Place. I wouldn't be surprised if the Lions did come on board if the waterfront stadium actually received approval.

Some people suggested that the Whitecaps aren't able to share the playing surface with the Lions due to MLS regulations but I don't believe that as the new Seattle MLS team will be sharing QWest field with the Seahawks.