Why Aren't Any New Stadiums Being Built?

The CFL has been playing in the same old run down stadiums for umpteenth years now. My question is why don't one or more of Hamilton, Calgary, Saskatchewan, or Winnipeg build themselves a decent stadium?

You gotta figure some of these stadiums are on the virge of falling apart. Especially Ivor Wynn and Taylor Field. And they obviously don't offer the modern anemities to its fans, like the Skydome would.

When you have to put butts in the seats, what better way to get them there then to give them a nice, comfortbable stadium to watch their team play? Maybe even with a retractable roof for the western teams. Becuase currently these old bandboxes do nothing to attract the casual fan.

We have to start building new stadiums soon, not just because the cFL has to get into the modern age , but because these current ones are outdated and are going to turn to dust soon! In my opinion building new stadiums would be a huge boon to the business of the league.

calgary doesnt need a new stadium yet...

winnipeg is talkin about getting a new one, and hamilton needs one badly.

Step one: Harness 70 million dollars.

Step two: Find a way to generate enough income to make back those 70 millions dollars AND the maintenance costs AND the taxes for such a building AND hopefully a profit - which isn't that easy to do with an open-roofed stadium (music concerts during a snow storm anyone?).

That is pretty much why no new stadiums are being built. Should Halifax get the Commonwealth games in 2014, then there might be one more stadium on Canadian soil. Otherwise...

any new stadium built must be domed...thats the only way u can make it financially feasable, since u only get 9 home games in a CFL season.

And you also need to find more revenue for those stadiums. As much as a lot of people hate domes, they generate revenue and pay for themselves because they are rented out throughout the year. In smaller markets, you may not get those kinds of revenue because of the lack of trade shows.

Don't bother building the another football stadium like the Rogers Centre. It's great that it's got a retractable roof but that's the only good thing about it. It's totally set up wrong for football. I know it was built for the Jays but please learn from the mistakes.

I think the best set up for a stadium is one that allows the stands to be covered but the natural elements hit the field.

You don't have to build an overpriced Taj Mahal like the Skydome. Just a functional, comfortable preferably retractable roofed 35-45,000 seat stadium.

Sure it might cost 150 million, but it would be a source of pride for the community, and also allow for the stadium to be used for different types of events besides just football. Because I doubt very much Ivor Wynn or Winnipeg Stadium gets used for much else. Especially in winter.

I know here in London, Ontario we built the John Labatts centre for 60 million. The London Knights CHL team sellout every game. Plus the arena is used for concerts and other events we never got before the new arena. And I'm sure the city will quickly make back its investment in the arena through taxes.

So I woulnd't mind using taxpayer money for a Canadian institution like the CFL. Becuase it helps unite the country.

New stadiums would assure it a successful and profitable future. Plus give CfL fans a reason to go to the park beyond just football.

Its time to get into the 2000's, and you can't doing that playing in 60 year old bandboxes.

a retractable dome roof for 45,000 seats and set up for football NOT BASEBALL would be perfect!

if the skydome was seated for football instead of baseball, the seats were replaced or cusioned it would be as good as new.

This is the Canadian way. If it was good in 1936, it is good for 2006. Do you really need fancy, schmancy flushing urinals when a hog trough provides much the same function???

To survive the league needs to grow. The CFL is popular in the minsets of Canadians as is evident in TV ratings but the clubs still aren't financially viable. To be viable, robust businesses these clubs need to continue to diversify their revenue streams. The league's made strides in increasing corporate sponsorship & merchandise but control of modern stadia might be the breaking point in making CFL teams coveted properties.

The problem is finding the capital to produce these stadia. As is almost always the case it will probably take a good chunk of taxpayers dollars to replace antiquated football stadia with $100++ million venues across the country & in potential expansion markets...

It is still a pipedream for the CFL.

There needs to be alot of money…

Berezin, you are dead on when it comes to attracting casual fans. Don't forget also that in a gate driven league its that much more important to maximize stadium revenues. New stadiums can bring in as much as 40% EXTRA revenue.
On the flip side new stadiums cost a lot, and the vast majority don't make money, even the domed ones.

Don't worry about building domes stadiums to host CFL games, just build smaller (35-45) thousand seating capacity. Add in a great design, location and functionality and you've got a hit. Smaller stadiums with atmosphere are winners, remember Empire stadium in Vancouver, great atmosphere and great view, people loved it.

Just for fun, do you care to take a guess about how much it cost to build SkyDome, and how much the market deemed it to be worth when Rogers bought it?

Next, name a location in Canada where a stadium would be worth more (i.e. due to potential for hosting cash-generating events over its lifetime) than the heart of downtown Toronto.

take the arizona cardinals stadium for example its a great stadium its retractable and its made just for football

I hear that the Provicial Government in Quebec offered Olympic Stadium to the City of Montreal for $1.00 earlier this year (now that it has officially been paid off 30 years late!). Montreal's response was an immediate thanks but no thanks! No kidding!

Nice to see the Cardinals have at least one thing to be proud of.

Actually, the "University of Phoenix" Stadium is a multi-use facility with the added feature of a "field tray" that actually rolls out of the stadium and into one of the parking lots so the floor could be used for concerts and trade shows.

Although its quite a feature, a retractable roof stadium in Canada really doesn't need such a feature. Besides, the only possible locale that could sustain such a frill would be Vancouver or Victoria.

Why does Hamilton need one badly?

Have you ever been there?

The atmosphere, location and sightlines are just fine.

Teams have trouble selling out as it is. With new
stadiums comes higher ticket prices. Better think
twice before you go asking for a new retractable
domed stadium. Might end up like the big owe.....empty.