By Bob Mackin
Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Minister Pat Bell paused outside BC Place Stadium during a May 15 media tour of the construction site to reward David Podmore.
“David’s services as chair of [BC Pavilion Corp. (PavCo)] are provided at a dollar per year, and he hasn’t been paid yet,” said the Prince George Liberal MLA as he fished a loonie out of his pocket and turned to Podmore. “You’re paid up for a year.”
“You’re just four years in arrears!” exclaimed an amused Podmore. “Wait till the family hears I got some money tonight!”
Podmore’s loonie payment pales in comparison to the $563 million official budget for the biggest, most expensive taxpayer-funded renovation of a public building in B.C. history.
Nowhere else has a stadium’s inflatable dome been replaced by a retractable roof. Podmore still says it will be done in time for the BC Lions to host the Edmonton Eskimos on September 30.
“I’m not going to tell you this is an easy accomplishment,” Podmore said. “This is a very tough project. We meet every week, we go through the schedule and we’re all very confident in the ability to get it done.”
It has not been without problems.
Structal, a division of Quebec-based steel concern Canam, reported a $25 million cost overrun to shareholders in April, blaming French contractor Freyssinet’s severe delays to install the cables that will eventually support the roof fabric.
“There may be components that do go over budget, but that’s something that the sub-trades and the general contractor have to sort out,” Podmore said, emphasizing the project’s fixed-price contracts. “It isn’t unusual on a project as large as this and as complex as this, that some components will fall behind; others will be done earlier. … We’re doing fine.”
The cable delay pushed back the installation of roof fabric to June, but Podmore said the project is 60% to 65% complete. A key milestone was reached in early May when the centre node, from which cables connected to 36 steel support masts emanate, was released from the massive temporary jacking tower above where the Olympic cauldron stood. The structurally reinforced and seismically upgraded stadium is self-supporting again.
“It’s behaved exactly as was expected when the building was engineered,” Podmore said.
There are other things for Podmore to worry about. Talks are underway with the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union, whose contract expires May 31. Paragon Gaming is deciding whether to move Edgewater Casino to land west of the stadium after city council approved the move but thwarted an expansion bid in April.
Bell has met with Mayor Gregor Robertson and PavCo officials have met with Paragon president Scott Menke.
“I’m open to all options; a lease is one of the options,” Bell said. “We’ve got roughly nine acres of the most valuable property anywhere in the province of B.C. and probably in all of Canada located around this stadium.”
While he gave up a loonie, Bell left the site with a pair of Australian-made Blundstone steel-toe work boots presented after the tour by Podmore. Bell took over in March from Margaret McDiarmid in the ministry formerly known as Tourism, Trade and Investment. The portfolio includes the former 2010 Commerce Centre, which was rebranded the Olympic Legacy Branch but remains managed by Brian Krieger.
Krieger is exploring ways to promote B.C. – including PavCo’s former Olympic venues – at next year’s London Olympics and potentially Sochi 2014.
“If we do make an investment in London, I want it to be a smart one that will help us meet our economic initiatives,” Bell said. “If we do it, it will be big or we don’t do it. I won’t go in there with a half-hearted attempt.”
Speculation continues to swirl around decision on rechristening refurbished facility
By Bob Mackin
It’s been called Bill Bennett’s Bubble and (Gordon) Campbell’s Convertible. The popular choice in 1983 was to name it after Terry Fox.
BC Place Stadium is getting a new roof and a new name.
Sources expect the stadium to be named after BC Pavilion Corp.’s Optik TV digital offering, but the company did nothing to squelch early spring speculation.
“BC Place is a vibrant cornerstone of our community – a host to two great sports teams, the Terry Fox memorial, and numerous community events, concerts and trade shows,” Telus spokesman Shawn Hall said in a prepared statement. “I’m sure many organizations would be interested in being associated with such an outstanding facility.”
Minister responsible Pat Bell said cabinet has not considered the naming rights. (Cabinet deliberations, however, are officially secret.)
“We’ve talked to everyone from telecommunications to financial institutions; there is no deal,” said BC Pavilion Corp. CEO Warren Buckley on May 15. “We could move to closure in the next few weeks, but nothing has been consummated.”
Buckley cautioned that whenever the deal is done, the name may not be announced until “the week before the stadium opens.”
Rogers took over title sponsorship of General Motors Place last July, a month after Bell became the Vancouver Whitecaps’ jersey sponsor.