BC Place Stadium has reopened its doors after closing them for more than a year to undergo substantial renovations.
Premier Christy Clark cut the ribbon Friday night and opened the doors to the stadium shortly before its first scheduled post-renovation event, a CFL game between the BC Lions and Edmonton Eskimos that sold more than 40,000 tickets.
“By revitalizing BC Place, we have essentially created a whole new facility for half the price of a new building. It’s something all British Columbians can be proud of.”
The stadium is now home not only to the Lions, but to the Vancouver Whitecaps as well. The Whitecaps played their first game in the stadium Sunday.
“This is a remarkable public asset and will be a great home for British Columbians to cheer on the Lions and Whitecaps for decades to come,” said jobs, tourism and innovation Minister Pat Bell.
The $563 million renovation included the addition of one of the world’s largest retractable roofs, an addition that is expected to bring in a lot more business to the stadium for the summer months.
Other post-renovation features include the addition of wider seats, mechanisms to increase air circulation, a brighter lighting system, an upgraded sound system and a 36-foot facade that can be used for light shows to be seen from both inside and outside the building.
Prior to its closure in 2010, the stadium produced, on average, $58 million a year in economic activity. It’s now projected to generate in excess of $100 million annually.
Jen O’Rourke
@jroar