Toronto BMO Field Renovations | ?m | ?s | MLSE | Gensler

[Jeff Morgan]

Are there any details available about the updates for the World Cup?

 

[christiesplits]

The city agreed to spend $37 million on temporary seats for the 2026 World Cup. Here's what that will look like​

The city agreed to spend $37 million on temporary seats for the 2026 World Cup. Here’s what that will look like

The $37-million expansion of BMO Field is part of the deal required by FIFA for hosting six games of the 2026 World Cup.

www.thestar.com

The work includes installing broadcast studios, staircases, an elevator and approximately 17,500 additional seats at the Exhibition Place stadium, and then dismantling them once the games are done.

Note the new temporary press box on the upper western stands.

 

[daptive]

The city agreed to spend $37 million on temporary seats for the 2026 World Cup. Here's what that will look like​

The city agreed to spend $37 million on temporary seats for the 2026 World Cup. Here’s what that will look like

The $37-million expansion of BMO Field is part of the deal required by FIFA for hosting six games of the 2026 World Cup.

www.thestar.com

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View attachment 551489

Note the new temporary press box on the upper western stands.

$37 million for temporary seats is kind of wild considering the original field cost $80 million to construct (according to Wikipedia).

 

[Jeff Morgan]

$37 million for temporary seats is kind of wild considering the original field cost $80 million to construct (according to Wikipedia).

Would it cost a lot more to make the new seats permanent?

 

[mburrrrr]

I thought MLSE was paying for the renovations which I always thought was a scam.
6 games x 17,500 x $300? a ticket = $30M
Who benefits from these extra seats?

I can’t imagine how or why they are spending any money on this event.

Maybe spend the rest on a hologram of the crowd for the TV coverage.

I’m all for sports and boosting a city but I think this is a crazy deal. Do we need a boost? Do we have a problem trying to attract people to Canada? Sarcasm.

I went to the World Cup in NJ and Boston and while walking around downtown you wouldn’t know the event was taking place. I don’t think the traffic or the hipe will be noticeable in Toronto compared to a normal (watch at the bar) World Cup. Unless of course Canada wins a game.

6 guys traveling in a large van, jammed into one overpriced hotel room and finding a pub serving $1 beers didn’t add much to their economic recovery but man was that fun.

.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

$37 million for temporary seats is kind of wild considering the original field cost $80 million to construct (according to Wikipedia).

It certainly looks like a stadium of that price - and I don't mean it in a good way.

AoD

 

[Contra]

I went to the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and watched the semi-final in Sao Paolo where they had constructed two massive temporary stands, not-unlike this. They were incredibly well built, to the point you didn't really realize they were temporary (if not for architecturally standing out like a tumour from the otherwise sleek design). It was necessary especially because of the 8,000 Argentinians who have a habit of bouncing, a lot!

I suspect the construction will be pretty similar here. Near permanent but temporary enough you don't need wrecking crew to bring them down. TFC has no reason to expand permanently beyond their current capacity. It's becoming a lot more common practice in the Olympics too (London had an entire basketball arena that was temporary and Zaha Hadid's Aquatic Centre similarly was built with massive temporary stands).