Winnipeg Stadium
AstroPlay (2003–2012) | |
Construction | |
---|---|
Broke ground | November 1952 |
Opened | August 14, 1953 |
Closed | January 3, 2013 |
Demolished | April–August 9th 2013 |
Construction cost | $483,000 ) (2002–2012) |
Winnipeg Stadium (also known as Canad Inns Stadium) was a multipurpose stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
The stadium was located at the corner of
History
During the
In the wake of several unsuccessful proposals for a new stadium,
The on-field success of the Blue Bombers and their growing fan base led to numerous expansions of the facility beginning in 1954, when capacity was raised to 17,995. Of those seats, only 10,166 were on permanent concrete grandstands, with the remainder being temporary seating in the stadium corners. Further additions included the construction of new north end-zone seating in 1966 and expansion of the west side grandstands, including a new upper deck, in 1972. In 1978, the east side grandstands were expanded, with a new upper deck, raising capacity to 32,946. Seats were also added in 1987 when the stadium was configured to accommodate baseball, at which point its capacity peaked at 33,675.
Winnipeg-based hotel chain Canad Inns acquired the naming rights to Winnipeg Stadium in 2001, after which the facility became known as Canad Inns Stadium. In 2004, Winnipeg Enterprises Corporation was dissolved and operation of the facility was turned over to the Winnipeg Football Club.[3]
Baseball
The original baseball grandstands were built in 1954, at a cost of $184,000, and located in the southwest corner of the complex. The grandstands housed the original incarnation of the Winnipeg Goldeyes and the Winnipeg Whips, the Class AAA affiliate of the Montreal Expos. The grandstands were demolished in the early 1980s to make way for the Blue and Gold Room and, for nearly a decade, baseball could not be accommodated at the stadium.
The stadium once again became a multi-sport venue in the late 1980s. Artificial turf, retractable seats on the east side stands, and new seating behind the home plate area (the northwest corner of the football field) were installed in an effort to attract another professional baseball team to Winnipeg. Although official
Major events
The stadium hosted the opening ceremonies of both the
The CFL's championship game, the Grey Cup, was held at the stadium in 1991, 1998, and 2006. In each instance, temporary seating was installed to increase the stadium's capacity. The stadium's attendance record for football was set at the 1991 game, when 51,985 fans watched the Toronto Argonauts defeat the Calgary Stampeders. For the 2006 game, temporary seats were erected at the south end of the football field, raising the Stadium's capacity to 44,784.[5]
The stadium also hosted numerous outdoor concerts, including big-name acts such as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, the Eagles and U2. Many outdoor music festivals, such as Festival Express, Edgefest and Rock on the Range, were also held at the stadium.
Closure
Increasing maintenance costs and the accidental death of a fan during a football game in 2006 intensified discussions on the future of Canad Inns Stadium. By 2009, it was estimated that the aging stadium would require over $52 million in upgrades as early as 2012 in order to make it safe and viable for another decade.
In anticipation of the scheduled move to Investors Group Field, the Blue Bombers held a special ceremony to close out Canad Inns Stadium prior to their last regular season game of 2011. However, as construction delays at the new stadium pushed back its opening date by several months, the team was forced to return to Canad Inns Stadium for the 2012 season.[8][9] The Blue Bombers played their final game at the stadium on November 3, 2012, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 19–11.[10] The football club officially closed its offices at Canad Inns Stadium on January 3, 2013.[11]
Demolition
In June 2012, the city announced the proposed sale of the stadium to Polo Park Holdings Inc, owner of the nearby Polo Park shopping centre, for $30.25 million. The sale was finalized in April 2013 and demolition began soon after. The stadium was dismantled piece-by-piece over a period of four months, beginning with the north end zone and west side grandstands.[12][13]
Fans had the opportunity to purchase memorabilia from the old stadium prior to its demolition, including seats, pieces of turf, and other equipment not moved to Investors Group Field. Other fixtures, such as stadium benches, were donated to local community clubs and sports teams.[14]
The site is currently being developed into a retail and commercial park known as The Plaza at Polo Park. Demolition of the stadium has also permitted the city to connect two segments of Milt Stegall Drive (formerly Arena Road) which were separated by the stadium.[12][13][15]
See also
References
- ^ 1688 to 1923: Geloso, Vincent, A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850 (December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2021. and table 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ^ Lett, Dan (May 21, 2010). "Not much has changed since last stadium was built". Winnipeg Free Press.
- ^ Winnipeg, City of. "News : 2004 News Releases - City of Winnipeg". www.winnipeg.ca. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
- ^ "nlfan.com: Goldeyes Goldeyes "Deformity Field" Remembered". www.nlfan.com. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
- ^ CTV.ca | Grey Cup organizers still hoping for a sellout Archived November 16, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Stadium money pit deepens?". Winnipeg Free Press. October 9, 2009.
- ^ "Sod turned for new Bomber stadium". CBC. May 20, 2010.
- ^ "Blue Bombers prepare for final regular season game at Canad Inns Stadium". 24 October 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
- ^ "404". TSN. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
{{cite web}}
: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ Bombers set to move into new stadium, Slam! Sports, 3 November 2012, archived from the original on June 28, 2013
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Bombers set to move into new stadium, Winnipeg Free Press, 17 December 2012
- ^ a b "Stadium demolition to get started soon". Winnipeg Free Press. April 18, 2013.
- ^ a b "Canad Inns Stadium being torn down". Winnipeg Sun. April 23, 2013.
- ^ "Winnipeg Blue Bombers stadium sale includes urinal trough". CBC.ca. October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Polo Park Target now open". Winnipeg Free Press. October 17, 2014.
Events and tenants | ||
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Preceded by | Home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1953–2012 |
Succeeded by IG Field |
Preceded by First stadium
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Home of the Winnipeg Goldeyes 1994–1998 |
Succeeded by CanWest Global Park |
Preceded by | Pan American Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies 1999 |
Succeeded by Estadio Olímpico Juan Pablo Duarte Santo Domingo |