I agree that building a bare bones 20,000 seat, permanent seat stadium, such as the basic Texas Bobcats design (without the new endzone section), makes sense. 20,000 seats are required to host the FIFA Cup anyway. There might not be that big a difference between a very basic 20,000 seat permanent stadium and a 10,000 permanent plus 10,000 temporary seat design. It would also likely be enough to attract attention from the CFL
However, there is a big difference between a $40 million dollar, basic 20,000 permanent seat stadium and a $80 million dollar stadium with all the amenities. The $40 million dollar stadium might actually be possible to fund and build, whereas the $80 million dollar stadium is probably not, based on all that I keep reading.
20,000 sideline seats similar to the original bobcats design (plus 4,000 seats) is not much more complex than the original 22,000 seats that was built for Calgary's McMahon Stadium in 1960 (for $1 million dollars). It is very basic, and 20,000 permanent seats could likely be built for $40 million (including land). I like the direction that Calgary took - a frugal design. This is the type of stadium that was often built in the NFL 50 years ago before owners started demanding extravagant stadiums (consider the original structure of Lambeau Field that was built in 1956-1958 in Green Bay with 32,500 seat for under $1 million dollars, or the $7 million dollar Foxboro stadium built in Massachusetts with 60,000 seats in 1970 - as a dollar to dollar comparison, the Halifax Metro Centre was built in 1977-1978 for $15 million dollars).
Neither the HRM nor province of Nova Scotia is financially well-off. A very basic 22,000 seat permanent seat stadium worked for Calgary in 1960, so why can't something similar work in Halifax now? I don't think that either the original Lambeau Field in Green Bay or Calgary's McMahon Stadium are eyesores.
I think that if the CFL can't understand that the HRM and province can't afford to spend an extra $40 million then the HRM and province probably doesn't need the CFL. It is starting to sound like the NFL, where owners demand that cities must spend hundreds of millions of dollars to have a team. The financially strapped HRM and the province of Nova Scotia doesn't need the CFL if they don't understand frugality. If this is really the case, then it is probably best to forget about them, and the expensive stadium! (In fact, this is what the city and province has been doing for the past 30 years, maybe this is why). I have been just as enthusiast as anyone about the HRM building a stadium, but your arguments in favour of an expensive stadium are even starting to turn me against a stadium, wespidel.
PS: I believe that you are over-estimating the cost of construction. I don't think that a Montreal Molson Stadium type structure would cost $80 million dollars. There is a big difference in the cost of open concourse stadiums and stadiums with totally enclosed concourses. The expansion of the Molson Stadium cost $29 million which included an increase in capacity of 5,000 seats, but also included demolishing and replacing 1,500 permanent seats and the addition of 18 private boxes -
http://dcnonl.com/article/id33063. I also read somewhere that it also included upgrading washrooms and concessions (the more expensive items of a stadium).
The original Texas Bobcats design (below) would likely not even cost $1,500 per seat. It would also be low maintenance. I can't see a 20,000 seat stadium of this type being a major capital cost or major annual operational cost. But after 10 years if it doesn't make sense then just tear down some of the concrete seating sections (or maybe they could be cut out, with masonry saws, and used in other parts of the city). However, I don't see that happening - i.e. 20,000 permanent seats being too much (unless a very bad location is chosen). It could even be designed so that a modest roof could be added after construction.
(source: Britannica online edition )
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