B.C. Lions (and Toronto Argonauts) owner David Braley and president Dennis Skulsky.
KISS's Gene Simmons and his Canadian wife Shannon Tweed pose for photos in the B.C. Place Stadium press box with Canadian Forces members during halftime.
This door will need a new paint job. The B.C. Lions are six-time world champions of three-down football!
B.C. Lions fans win the CFL's best signs of 2011 championship
There goes the Grey Cup to the dressing room where Molson Canadian was spilled in a stadium where Budweiser has pouring rights. The beer wars continue...
Nearly every seat was filled for the 99th Grey Cup at B.C. Place Stadium. Every suite on level 3 was. If you were lucky enough to be on level 3, you would've seen legendary B.C. Lions' quarterback (and Angelo Mosca combatant) Joe Kapp and KISS's Gene Simmons and his Canadian wife Shannon Tweed. Who were the occupiers? Here's the exclusive list.
BC Place Suite: Premier Christy Clark and visiting Premiers and dignitaries 1 Davis Management 2 Pacific Newspaper Group 3 Dueck GM 4 BMO 5 Rio Grande 6 Wayne Davies 7 Jardine Lloyd Thompson 8 Pepsi 9 Scotiabank 10 BCLC 11 BCLC 12 Rosedale on Robson 13 Macklem Mortgage Service 14 Walker Group 15 Petcurean Pet Nutrition 16 PCL 17 TSN Goalpost Scotiabank Balcony Telus 20 Sandman Hotel Group 21 Telus 22 Safeway 23 Scotiabank 24 Mackenzie Investments 25 BC Place 26 Chameleon Enterprises 26 27 Molson 28 Weststone Capital 29 Atlas Truss 30 Blakes 31 Nissan 32 Stresscrete 33 ZLC Financial 34 Trades Labour Corp 35 Orange Capital 36 Knight Inlet Grizzly Tours 37 CT Control Temp 38 Imining.com 39 Encana 40 Sussex Insurance 41 Super Save Disposal 42 Norcon 43 Scotiabank 44 Telus 45 Quorum Construction 46 Terus Construction 47 Mail-o-Matic Services 48 Canadian Tire Corp 49 Drake Towing 50 Shadow Lines Transport 51 B.C. Pavilion Corporation 52 Whitecaps
The University of B.C. Thunderbirds didn't make it to the first Vanier Cup in Vancouver, but their quarterback was named the top player in Canadian college football in 2011.
Billy Greene picked up the award at the Vancouver Convention Centre Thursday night at the same ceremony where B.C. Lions' quarterback Travis Lulay won the Canadian Football League's most outstanding player award.
Earlier in the day, the Lions had lunch at the Radisson Harbourside Hotel with the media, where centre Angus Reid got up close with the Grey Cup as part of his duties with TSN. For the record, he was very careful not to touch the prize for the winner of Sunday's game.
B.C. Place Stadium's roof is leaking again.
Yes, the centrepiece of the $563 million renovation. A tent was covering a painted logo on the Polytan Ligaturf field near section 18 on Thursday, as Vancouver was battered by heavy rain and heavy winds.
Grey Cup Committee general manager Scott Ackles told me Tuesday that the roof is most likely to be closed on game day, even if the weather is immaculate. TSN wants consistent lighting and the halftime show producer Patrick Roberge wants a controlled atmosphere. It is ultimately the CFL's call.
Luxury suites on level three are coming with 3-D glasses. Each suite contains a Samsung TV that will display 3-D content during the big game. This is a smart move, since the stadium's centre-hung, shoebox-style video board cannot be seen from much of level 3 during football games.
When will they tell us the new name? Not this weekend. The stadium's telecommunications and technology provider Telus won't slap its name on the marquee before the Grey Cup. Telus was the frontrunner for naming rights and the deal was supposed to have been announced in mid-September. The stadium will remain B.C. Place for the time being. Telus also scored a $1 billion, 10-year deal with the government, Crown corporations and health authorities in the summer.
The Edmonton Eskimos are back in Vancouver for the third time in less than two months to seek their first win under the new roof at B.C. Place Stadium.
If they win Nov. 20, they will get a chance the next week to get their second win -- in the 99th Grey Cup.
The more times the teams play on the new synthetic turf field, the greater the odds that the Eskimos will finally win one. But will that win spoil the B.C. Lions’ ambition to finish the season as the home team in the Grey Cup?
Edmonton has rained on the parade before. Enough that you might suggest there is a green and gold jinx.
Every time the Lions have met the Esks in the West final of a B.C. Place Grey Cup hosting year, the Esks have eliminated B.C.
What’s more, the Calgary Stampeders eliminated B.C. on Nov. 21, 1999, 26-24 at B.C. Place. The Stamps returned the following week to lose 32-21 to Darren Flutie and the Ti-Cats.
Could the Stanley Cup riot be a good omen?
The last year in which the Vancouver Canucks were losers and fans reacted by rioting in downtown, the Lions beat an Alberta team in the West final and won the Grey Cup at B.C. Place.
While most workers at B.C. Place Stadium took a break for a safety appreciation barbecue on June 28, B.C. Pavilion Corporation chairman David Podmore and Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Minister Pat Bell hosted another media tour of the stadium, which is undergoing a $563 million, taxpayer-funded renovation. (Click photos to enlarge.)
The installation of the roof fabric, originally set for February, is now taking place. The schedule was turned upside down after French cable-installation subcontractor Freyssinet encountered severe problems that led to Quebec steel contractor Structal telling shareholders it was liable for a $25 million cost overrun.
Podmore says the project remains within the $563 million budget and is on target for its scheduled Sept. 30 opening for the Edmonton Eskimos matchup with the B.C. Lions.
A public open house on Sept. 25 remains a "very slight possibility," according to PavCo owner's representative Roy Patzer. "When the public comes in here I'd like to see a finished product and wow factor," Patzer said. "We can't sacrifice schedule for having the public in here. If we're far enough advanced we'll probably do that."
Patzer explained that substantial completion was originally pegged at Nov. 1, based on the contract with PCL that allowed for partial occupancy under an unfinished roof. He said the date was brought forward to Sept. 30 when PavCo decided to forego holding events earlier.
A portion of the retractable roof fabric hangs from the centre node and more is coming July 7. The tower that supported the centre node is all gone. Workers dangle from harnesses among the maze of cables that partially obscures the sky. A glass ring, which will separate the fixed fabric from the retractable fabric, is nearing completion. Large parcels containing fabric are resting on the ribbing. German company Hightex has the retractable job, while USA Shade from Dallas is working on the fixed fabric. Patzer said the roof would be commissioned through the month of September to have it ready for opening and closing on Sept. 30.
The installation of 54,500 new red and grey seats has begun. Excavation crews are digging up the floor for a new drainage system to be installed before the synthetic turf surface is applied.
Meanwhile, talks continue with Paragon Gaming about the move of its Edgewater Casino to a parcel of land west of the stadium. Vancouver city council voted against the casino's expansion in April, but not its relocation.
Podmore neither confirmed nor denied that PavCo is negotiating to sell the naming rights for the stadium to Telus. Sources told The Sport Market in March that Telus was the successful bidder and the stadium could bear the name of the company's Optik TV brand. Concert Properties chairman Podmore has a direct pipeline to senior executives of the telecommunications giant and its union. Concert's board includes Telus's investment management director Garnet Andrews and treasurer Robert Gardner and Telecommunications Workers Union president George Doubt and business agent Lee Riggs. Podmore is also on the board of Fortis BC. The former Terasen Gas sponsored the Olympic cauldron built on Jack Poole Plaza at PavCo's Vancouver Convention Centre.
The Vancouver Whitecaps debut in B.C. Place on Oct. 2. The Vanier Cup national college football championship is Nov. 25 and the 99th Grey Cup on Nov. 27.
It’s been said that bad publicity is better than no publicity at all.
Try telling that to the B.C. Lions, now reeling from drug charges against the star running back who was featured in the club’s 2011 promotional advertising.
Yonus Davis is charged in San Jose, Calif. for attempting to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. He was busted April 9 by a Drug Enforcement Administration agent at his girlfriend’s house in Milipitas.
Agent Trang N. Le’s April 11 affidavit said Davis signed for a Federal Express courier package containing 67 pounds of ecstasy.
"He acknowledged that he was expecting a Federal Express parcel that was supposed to contain approximately 40 "boats" of ecstasy,” said Le’s affidavit, which explained a boat is slang for 1,000 tablets.
"Davis said he brought the ecstasy tablets for $1.50 per tablet and was expecting to earn $20,000 by selling the 40 "boats".
The court filing said Davis admitted he was expecting the parcel and was checking the Federal Express tracking number for its status.
"Yonus Davis said his ecstasy source is a Haitian male adult who goes by the name of Red. Yonus Davis said he had met Red once in downtown Seattle, Wash. a couple of months ago.
"Davis further said that he only sold the ecstasy tablets to his acquaintances."
The document said a criminal record check revealed that Davis "has a criminal history for a probation violation on Sept. 29, 2009, convictions on misdemeanor charges for possession of marijuana for sale on Feb. 13 and May 20 in 2008; a charge of battery on spouse and vandalism as a juvenile on May 28, 2002; and a charge of robbery as a juvenile on June 24, 2001."
Court filings claim Davis was paid $43,000 in 2010 when he was a rookie star and runner-up for CFL’s Gibson’s Finest-sponsored special teams player of the year.
Davis averaged 6.3 yards per carry when he rushed 34 times for 213 yards. He scored four touchdowns. A statement by head coach and general manager Wally Buono said Davis “remains part of our football club while the investigation process takes its course and we will not comment further at this time.”
For what it's worth, FedEx competitor Purolator is both the Lions' and the CFL's official courier company. The revelation that Davis was cited for spousal battery comes just over a month since the British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development announced a $320,000 no-bid contract for Lions players to conduct Ending the Violence Against Women Initiative workshops for high school football players.
The notice of intent said Lions players “through their accomplishments, community visibility and celebrity status are in a position to positively engage young people and raise their awareness about issues related to harassment and abuse.”
Never in the club's history has the team had such a low-key off-season. The Major League Soccer launch of the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Vancouver Canucks' first overall finish in the National Hockey League regular season have kept the orange and black off the sports pages. Until now.
Yonus Davis, arguably the most-exciting Lion in an otherwise dismal 2010 season, may have played his last game in B.C.
Bob Mackin, a regular contributor to The Sport Market, is a veteran sports and news journalist who has reported on all levels of sport. Bob is a columnist for Business in Vancouver. He is a leading authority on the business of the Olympic movement and has authored Red Mittens & Red Ink, an e-book on his experiences covering Vancouver 2010.
