Stampede Hotel | 57.5m | 14s | Truman | NORR

The Familia said:
I have an inside scoop from someone directly involved that turning the Grandstand into the new home of the Stampeders is surprisingly closer and more realistic than we think…..
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Sorry for resurrecting this off-topic, but I like that idea, and I'm a Stamps season ticket holder that lives a 10 minute bike or 35 minute walk away from McMahon. The Stampeders at the Stampede Grandstand could work well. CSEC would probably like to bring the games closer to Scotia Place since their in-house video at McMahon for Stampeders games is produced from the Saddledome's control room anyways (yes, camera feeds from McMahon get sent to the Saddledome to be switched, have graphics added, etc, and then sent back to be displayed on the video screen).

Challenge is the current dimensions: seems like a waste to build these premium infield suites only to remove them in a few years as it would get in the way of the CFL field...even the infield stands are too close to the main grandstand to fit the CFL field...need at least 70m of clearance while only 63m exists between the stands at their narrowest point. From a broadcast video production standpoint, the cameras are most ideally situated on the west stands (better lighting at evening hours), so with the current tiny east side infield stands, the broadcast would look terribly empty unless the infield stands are rebuilt bigger.

There is also enough space on the current Saddledome site for a football or even MLB-sized baseball stadium (if the Stampede's headquarters are relocated), but figuring out a way to utilize the Stampede grandstands for the Stampeders would be an awesome way to go. Freeing 17 hectares at the current McMahon Stadium site would be a huge housing win with at least 15k people all next to the existing Banff Trail station. The Stampeders prior to this year have always been away or on bye for 2-3 weeks around Stampede, McMahon's parking lot stores the RVs of the rodeo contestants, and a lot of the production people that work the Stampeders games also work the Stampede, so there's no reality in which a Stampeders game happens during the 10 days of Stampede regardless.
 
cameronhowe said:
and surrounded by a sea of parking.
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That was my thought at first as well but then I realized that the sea of parking is essentially unavailable during Stampede as well as for a week on either side of it during set up and takedown. So for about a month, when the hotel is likely at peak occupancy, they won't have access to any parking if they rely on the Stampede surface lots. 4 levels of underground parking might be an extreme over-correction but it at least makes a bit of sense.
 
Does the grandstand even have space for the Stamps? They need a team store, locker rooms, admin space, fitness room, etc.
Also I still can't imagine any such move being anything but temporary while a new stadium is built elsewhere.
 
Roaring Flames said:
Does the grandstand even have space for the Stamps? They need a team store, locker rooms, admin space, fitness room, etc.
Also I still can't imagine any such move being anything but temporary while a new stadium is built elsewhere.
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A lot of the admin and team store could probably be based in Scotia Place, and maybe even the weight rooms. They need 2 locker rooms minimum, and room for the grounds crew/operations...things that could be easily housed in a new infield grandstand, maybe 8-10k seats...something minimal like the east stands at Hamilton Stadium, and maybe even having the first several lower level rows be on risers like the Delta Center in Utah with a steeper angle for football, and a more gradual angle for the rodeo with additional seating rolled in bringing it right up to the chutes like it is now. Some minor renovations would need to be done to the grandstand for camera stations around the 25-30 yard lines and the related cabling, but that should be fairly easy to do. The Stamps have been averaging just over 20k fans a game this season, and the grandstand alone holds 17k.

Probably not ideal over having a dedicated stadium, but it could be done for much cheaper, especially if both CSEC and the Stampede pitch in while probably also attracting public dollars if they can put an inflatable dome in and use it as a downtown field house November-April. I'd napkin guess $85-$125M for a new infield stand with great locker rooms, fitness rooms, ops & equipment storage, and a bubble dome.
 
Somewhere I posted a rendering of the new infield suites, and it would work pretty well with football (think suites at field level and broadcast booth for a Stamp TV Panel). The size of the field is changing, and if you're building new infield stands you can make it work. The issues are not so big that you can't overcome them. A renovated Grandstand and new infield seating would benefit both the Stampede and Stampeders. CSEC is likely, at some point, building dedicated offices around the new arena (I assume NE corner) so you can easily share resources. I can also imagine a practice field incorporated into a riverside park and Farmers Market where the dome is, is walking distance from the new infield stands.

To bring it back to this thread... pretty nice for the visiting team to be able to stay on site at this hotel. Stampede Park with the Stampeders playing out of the Grandstand would also be a great place to host Grey Cups. Stampede Park is already going to play a major role in next season's Grey Cup, imagine also having the game there.
 
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