Why a DOMED stadium wouldn't be as bad as you think...

I know some of you are anti-dome when it comes to the issue of the new Bomber stadium. I also know 1 of the biggest reasons given is because that, apparently, the other 2 teams with domed stadiums (B.C. and Toronto) have a less-than-stellar atmosphere for CFL football.

The reason for this is because B.C. Place and Rogers Centre weren't specifically designed for CFL football- whereas Winnipeg's WOULD.

There are thousands of empty seats at B.C. Place and Rogers Centre for CFL games. This isn't a knock against the CFL fans of those cities, but rather the venues. They're too big for CFL football. Many seats are empty and/or sections are "draped off" or "curtained off"... but that would never be the case with our venue.

Winnipeg's domed stadium would be 100% designed for CFL football. Designed to have EVERY seat filled for each and every Bomber game. Thus, the atmosphere for games, I feel, would be greatly superior to the atmosphere in B.C. Place and Rogers Centre.

Minnesota has a domed stadium for NFL football, but there aren't any empty seats at games; although it isn't the best venue in the NFL, it was constructed with NFL football in mind. And from what I've heard from people who have attended Viking games, the atmosphere in the 'Dome on gameday is incredible.


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Not only that the stadium can be used year round and pay the bills.

its the playin football inside that i dont like, rain, wind, snow should be part of the game...

I have happy either way.
I would love a dome but I dont like the location at st B

The Location in St.B isn't that bad.

you can get to it easily, just remember the Stadiums main entrance would be Lagimodiere NOT archibald.
The pictures show the main entrance coming from lag, a road that can be expanded and is planned to(one day) expand to 3-4 lanes each way(same with Bishop)

If you come from out of town, the airport, west end. you take the Perimeter to Lag, Lag to Stadium Drive.

I do want the team out-doors and I know a Retractable roof costs alot.
So what I would like done is to have a stadium that is partially covered with a roof attachment.

Make it so the Roof only goes on October to May and is off May to October.

Cost would need to be examined, but Costs shouldn't be too bad.

The Roof attachment only need to be to complete the upper part of the Bowl.
I do understand this would come with some costs, but it would not require specialty Mechanisms to control the Roofs opening and closing.

Football should be played out-doors
But the Bombers Need more Revenues

Also, a non-Dome Stadium Hurts the Chances of the Bombers getting a CFLPA all-star game(if it happens) which would be in December.
It also hurts Winnipegs hopes of ever getting a big time winter event/Concert.

And it is a good point, that the biggest issue about Sky-dome/Rogers center, BC place and the Horrid Olympic Stadium, is the way the Stadiums were made.

The MTS center is indoor and has a great fan experience(hockey is supposed to be indoor, I realize that)
but You'd have the Same Issues in a Hockey Arena built for 30K fans but only gets 20K.

A domed football Stadium in Winnipeg that is built the Same was as the MTS center.

30K Seat lower Deck, 10K Seat upper Deck that is Closed off unless Ticket Sales say it should be opened.
That means, if 20K+ Season tickets or for the Banjo Bowl/etc. if Ticket Sales to a game/event are passed 28K with more then 3-4 days from game-day the upper deck would be atleast partially opened.(like the MTS center)
Limit Sales to Certain Section and go from there.
This helps Reduce Game-day staff(lower expenses) and increased the concentration of fans, looking better on TV and Creating a better game atmosphere.

I hate to tell you this but youdont want a dome.

I have seen plenty of ALs games and Expos games at the big O and trust me....the atmosphere is much better out doors.

On a hot summer day or sunny fall day people would rather be outdoors. The big O was the main reason the Expos folded and almost caused the Als to fold a second time

Indoor multi use stadium with a retractable roof is what the doctor ordered.

Do domed or retractable roof stadiums really bring in more revenue. I know they probably hold more events than the open air stadiums, but weren't BC place and the Rogers centre losing truckloads of money every year recently?

Exactly! On those miserable wet days, I appreciate the comfort of a dome. :smiley: :smiley: Besides, I don’t miss the Pidgeon poop that rained down in old Empire Stadium. :x :x :x (Bombers would have a whole new meaning! :wink: :wink: )

BC Place holds a ton of “Trade SHows” I beleive the Stadium is booked around 150 events a year.

Car Show, Boat Show, Home & Garden Show are a few that come to mind.

....i think it should be domed....but retractable, so as football can be played in the best atmosphere possible...the sight lines should be paramount in the new stadium....and talking about the 'bird poop' sport...didn't ol Empire have some huge posts you had to peer around....oh those good ol' ....bad ol'.. by gone days...brings back a lot of memories ...i can almost see Kapp dropping back to pass ...and Dave Skrien musing on the sidelines now... :lol: :wink:

Good memory Papa about the posts. You are right. If you were high enough, those stupid posts would be in the way.

I also forgot to mention the cockroaches in the Urinal. They were so big you could ride them like a horse!

I still think that the partially covered stadium is the best idea. We'll be protected from the rain which will be great, but watching the players battle it out in the elements is a lot of fun.

As for hosting extra events in the off season, remember that the convention centre does that. The convention centre and the MTS Centre are both agaist a dome because it would only take business away from them. It wouldn't do any good if the Convention Centre lost half of it's shows to the new Bomber stadium. The Convention Centre is pretty busy, but there isn't enough demand in Winnipeg to warrent having two facilities of that type. The new stadium would be able to hole some shows and concerts from May to September.

BC place does lose money, by itself.
But you can’t forget as a provincially owned building all side effects of it being there must be taken into account.

BC place loses say 1-4M a year However it brings in on average something like 40M$ worth of economic spinoff(going by BC place website of course)

With all those people in town spending money at Hotels, Restaraunts and other places BC gains money.
So while the Stadium loses a little the Province Gains alot.

Generally that isn’t looked at though, it’s always seen that thing loses money so it isn’t worth having around.
Rogers center and the Big O… different Issues regarding construction costs.

YAY, I like your thinking Partially covered is so the way to go. Fans can get protection if they want but can be out in the open by sitting in the first couple rows and endzones.

the Domed Stadium would have brought in some activity. you can’t have Demand for something that doesn’t exist.
Why would a large convention look at Winnipeg when the Convention center is small compared to other cities.

I was by it yesterday. if it can take over the two Parking lots South and South-east of it and Build 2 more convention centers there, with atleast 2 levels of underground parking. All three Connected on third floors Winnipeg could have a massive Convention center space, able to draw from across North america.

Try to Draw some of the giant conventions to Winnipeg each year from other Cities.

One footnote Mr. Barnes7… If the Government sells BC Place to David Braley, he is on record as saying he could make BC Place Profitable…Time will tell!

You never know, although I wonder is BC place giving discounts to Community groups? like highschool championships or other things like that. if so, will Braley: A: let them continue playing there. B: Keep giving the discount.

That isn’t a huge thing, I would like to know how he is going to make it profitable(as most people would I beleive)

I see no real need to sell it to Braley, but leasing it to Braley and letting him improve it would be a good move, if he can indeed make it profitable.

I think the Convention Centre is expanding... Remember that the Convention Centre is publically owned and the Bomber's won't be if the Asper plan goes ahead. If the Asper stadium steals away business from the Convention Centre, then it'll only hurt the taxpayers. Also remember Doer and Katz said they would never support a domed stadium that could compete with the MTS Centre and Convention Centre, so it was a no go from the start.

What I would like to know is.... what did the 3rd proposal look like and why was it sooooooooo secret?

No discounts there! Last year I was watching my Grandson’s Football game, and I overheard an Association President tell some one else that the reason Community ball doesn’t get heat in the dome or use of the scoreboard is it costs $4,000 for the Scorboard and $5,000 to turn the heat on. Could Braley be any worse? Dunno!