1974 Grandstand | 34.3m | 7s | Calgary Exhibition and Stampede | Howard Lobb & Partners | J.H. Cook and Associates

[darwink]

The Grandstand went 45% over its initial $10 million budget. It was built partially to attract gamblers who were going up to Edmonton to avoid the "pigeon droppings in that beat -up old barn of a grandstand".
During development, the project shrank by 2000 seats and lost a more fancy roof (and 70 cm of height) while enduring a strike by plumbers.

 

[Urb]

Nice find!

 

[The Familia]

Damn if only they built the original design. The current Grandstand is rather bland and outdated, that original design would still look cool!

 

[wolvie]

Thanks for the reminder of how old I'm getting

 

[CalgaryTiger]

Isn't the Saddledome and cable supported roof? And aren't those cables failing, maybe if they built the original design they would also be failing?

Meanwhile as much as I've pointed out in other posts that this Grandstand needs to be replaced it has held up pretty well and I think the mid-level suites were quite the aesthetic achievement for the time. It served the city well while the races were ran there and has definitely more than paid off for its price.

Also goes to show you how much more complicated construction is now... building this between Stampedes is impressive. Especially since they dug down 40ft to the bedrock to anchor the building.

Very cool post.

 

[DougB]

What's the purpose of the Grandstand? Horse racing is a dying event, the Stampede only lasts 10 days and the rodeo is an ever fading aspect of Stampede. The Grandstand site and associated barns and storage areas should be raised above flood plain and redeveloped as riverfront park space and high density housing. The Stampede events could move to the new Event Center, as well as to a new stadium somewhere than doesn't degrade inner city land with monolithic proportions: possibly the Blackfoot motocross track, or Fire Park. The Stadium could be a combined facility for CFL, Stamepede Events and a fieldhouse.

 

[CalgaryTiger]

What's the purpose of the Grandstand? Horse racing is a dying event, the Stampede only lasts 10 days and the rodeo is an ever fading aspect of Stampede. The Grandstand site and associated barns and storage areas should be raised above flood plain and redeveloped as riverfront park space and high density housing. The Stampede events could move to the new Event Center, as well as to a new stadium somewhere than doesn't degrade inner city land with monolithic proportions: possibly the Blackfoot motocross track, or Fire Park. The Stadium could be a combined facility for CFL, Stamepede Events and a fieldhouse.

A lot of cities have exhibition areas 'downtown', and there are a lot of parking lots to fill before we start looking at this site. Plus I don't think in my lifetime you're taking the chucks' out of Stampede, so the track likely stays too. I do think we need to ask ourselves and the Stampede if there's something more that could be done with the land, but that's probably not on anyone's radar until the Events Centre is sorted out or we get the results on the study of the area around McMahon.

 

[Joborule]

A lot of cities have exhibition areas 'downtown', and there are a lot of parking lots to fill before we start looking at this site. Plus I don't think in my lifetime you're taking the chucks' out of Stampede, so the track likely stays too. I do think we need to ask ourselves and the Stampede if there's something more that could be done with the land, but that's probably not on anyone's radar until the Events Centre is sorted out or we get the results on the study of the area around McMahon.

Wasn't the Foothills + McMahon study that purpose? Or is there a study into keeping McMahon, or building a replacement stadium somewhere else?

 

[CalgaryTiger]

Wasn't the Foothills + McMahon study that purpose? Or is there a study into keeping McMahon, or building a replacement stadium somewhere else?

Not sure, I know I’ve sent messages to councillors on the committee behind the study asking where the return on investment study is that was scheduled for release at the end of Q2?