FIELD OF GREEN
FIELD OF
A CELEBRATION OF THE NEW MOSAIC STADIUM
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FIELD OF Published by the Regina Leader-Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc., 1964 Park St., Regina, Sask., S4P 3G4
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EDITOR
STEPHEN R IPLEY C ON T EN T C O - ORDIN ATORS
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TIM SWIT ZER R O B VA N S T O N E
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
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CRAIG BAIRD D OY L E F O X ED K APP ASHLEY MARTIN M U R R AY M C C O R M I C K
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DESIGNER
LESLEY COCKBURN
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Editor’s message Building the Dream How the new Mosaic Stadium became a reality Timeline Major developments in the quest for a new stadium Major Upgrades Giant video board the biggest of Mosaic’s bells and whistles Come Hungry Ashley Martin explores the food options at the new stadium Pigskin Palaces How Mosaic stacks up against the CFL’s other stadiums Ready to Make Memories Longtime fans look forward to season A View to a Thrill Fewer reasons for media to complain Huddled Together Riders no longer a team divided Home-field Advantage Players prepare in lap of luxury Staying Competitive Bombers benefited from new stadium Local Landmark Stadium’s exterior designed to impress Tight Coverage Closer look at high-tech canopy
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Put a Lid On It Roof is possible, but not likely Fan-Friendly Confines Cup-holders, hot water and much more Winds of Change Conditions expected to be less blustery Party Zone Standing-room section should be a lot of fun Passing the Test Rams game was a winning debut Proud Partner Mosaic happy to have its name on stadium Born Again Historic park gets much-needed facelift Grand Designs Q&A with acclaimed stadium designer
on the cover
Field oF
The east side of Mosaic Stadium at night. TROY FLEE CE/ R E GINA LEA DER-P OST
A celebrAtion of the new MosAic stAdiuM
THEE REGINA TH REGI GINA NA MUL MULTICULTURAL MULTI M ULTICU ULTI TICULT TI CULT CU LTUR LT URAL C URAL COU COUNCIL OUNC OU NCIL NC IL AN AND D TTHE HE COCO-OPERATORS C O-OP OOPER OP ERAT ER ATORS AT ATOR ORS OR S AD ADVISORS ADVISO ADVI VISORS VI VISO SORS SO RS WOULD WOUL WO ULD LI ULD LIKE KE TTO O SA SAY Y
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editor’smessage
DARING TO DREAM Mosaic Stadium, as seen from Harbour Landing in Regina. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
Well-earned pride for the countless people who made new Mosaic Stadium a reality
s t e ph e n r i pl ey editor, regina leader-post
F
rom the moment we started planning this magazine, more than a year ago, we’ve spent a lot of time trying figure out what it should be called. After the success of the LeaderPost’s Field of Green magazine, a glossy 84-page farewell to the old Mosaic Stadium last fall, some of us wanted to keep the same name, perhaps calling it Field of Green 2.0. After all, why mess with success?
But while that publication was mostly about football and all the great memories the Saskatchewan Roughriders gave us over eight decades in their old digs, this magazine has a broader scope. The Riders’ new home turf will be a “field of green,” to be sure, but it will also be a regional entertainment mecca and a place where dreams come true for generations of athletes, entertainers and the tens of thousands of fans who cheer them on. So, with apologies to Kevin Costner and W.P. Kinsella, we decided to call this magazine Field of Dreams. It might not be the most original name, but in our minds it describes exactly what this stadium represents to the people of Regina and southern Saskatchewan. For as long as I can remember, people in this province have dreamed about watching their team play in a stadium with comfortable seating, first-rate concessions and protection from the elements. Players have been dreaming about a plush locker room and stateof-the-art training facilities. And local sports organizations — especially the Roughriders and University of Regina Rams — have been dreaming about a gleaming new facility that will attract potential recruits and cement our status
as Canada’s football capital. Unlike dreams, though, the new Mosaic Stadium didn’t happen overnight. It’s taken years of hard work by countless people and organizations to get to this point. It’s taken a significant financial commitment from the City of Regina and the provincial government. And, most importantly, it’s taken the overwhelming support, both moral and financial, of the people of southern Saskatchewan. So that pride we feel whenever we see our new stadium is well-earned. It began to grow a couple of years ago as the stands first started taking shape, and continued to swell during construction as we realized this futuristic edifice would be the envy of football fans across the country. That pride will reach a crescendo on July 1 as some 33,000 of us gather for the first official CFL game at the new Mosaic Stadium. It will fill the hearts of those in the stands, as well as those watching on TV ... and this time, it won’t only be Rider Pride, but Saskatchewan pride. For everyone who wondered whether this day would ever come, it will be a dream come true. sripley@postmedia.com
Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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BUiLdiNG tHe
DREAM
Even though new Mosaic Stadium is just three blocks away from the old one, it’s been a long, winding road to get here
Construction cranes and a full moon loom over Mosaic Stadium on Oct. 26, 2015. Field of Dreams | J une 2017 B ryA n s C h l O s s e r / r e g i nA l e A d e r -p O s t
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r O B VA n s t O n e
A brainstorm during a rainstorm pushed the once-unthinkable Mosaic Stadium project over the goal line. The “eureka” moment occurred on June 9, 2012, at Saskatoon’s Griffiths Stadium, where the Saskatchewan Roughriders were holding their annual Green and White Day during training camp. The onlookers included various people of influence, some of whom fortuitously huddled underneath a tent during a spasm of unwelcome weather. One group included provincial cabinet minster Ken Cheveldayoff (chairman of the Stadium Community Partners Committee), then-Roughriders chairman of the board Roger Brandvold, and two of the CFL team’s board members — Doug Emsley and Joel Teal. During that impromptu meeting, some pivotal number-crunching was done — the result being a proposed, multi-party funding model that was soon approved. So much for the initial apprehensions that the discussions would come up dry. “It came together very quickly,” Cheveldayoff recalls. “I said it at the time: ‘Gentlemen, I think we will be remembering this day.’” A mere five weeks later — moments before a Roughriders game on July 14, 2012 — a Mosaic Stadium crowd of 32,080 was informed that the framework was in place for a new, $278.2-million facility. That afternoon, then-mayor Pat Fiacco and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall stood alongside Brandvold on Taylor Field after signing a non-binding memorandum of understanding that established the future funding partners.
A timeline of the major developments in the quest for a new stadium: 10
Field of Dreams | J une 2017
Unlike this view down 11th Avenue in downtown Regina, the road to the new Mosaic Stadium followed anything but a straight line. M i C h A e l B e l l / r e g i nA l e A d e r -p O s t
The agreement called for the province to provide $80 million over four years, the City of Regina to contribute $73 million (including $3 million worth of land) and take out a $100-million loan from the provincial government (to be repaid with interest over 30 years), and the Roughriders to chip in $25 million (plus $15 million toward their own spaces in the complex). “We really struggled with trying to find the last bit of money,” Brandvold says. “The last bit of money was that $100 million. “We knew the province couldn’t put up any more. The city had limits. We had limits. But we knew we needed another $100 million.” Then came the aforementioned Green and White Day and the in-tents discussion including Cheveldayoff, Brandvold, Emsley and Teal. It was then and there that the idea of paying off the $100-million loan by applying a $12-per-ticket facility fee over 30 years became the final piece of an elaborate puzzle. “It just went crazy from there,” Brandvold says.
Dec. 2, 2004
The Saskatchewan Roughriders propose an estimated $12 million in upgrades to Taylor Field with the goal of landing the 100th Grey Cup game, to be played in 2012.
Feb. 28, 2005 The NDP-led provincial government forgives a
$2.8-million loan to the Roughriders, principally to assist with plans to upgrade Taylor Field. “We
While driving to Regina later that day, Cheveldayoff had a hands-free telephone conversation with Wall. “I remember letting him know that I think we had come to an agreement,” Cheveldayoff says. “He was quite excited about it as well. It was a special time, a special day.” All because of a breakthrough proposal regarding the $100 million. “It was really the driving force that brought the whole thing down and said, ‘Well, we can do this,’ ” Brandvold says. “Then it took some time for everybody to play those numbers through and figure out the final conclusions. Then it was the final moment of saying, ‘This is doable.’ “It really hinged on the facility fee which, in my mind, is all Rider Nation. At the end of the day, who really got us that project? Who really got us that new stadium? It truly is Rider Nation.” ••• Transformation in the Rider Nation was the theme on Dec. 2, 2004. The Roughriders invited the media to Taylor Field to unveil what at the time appeared to be ambitious plans for the city-owned stadium.
have to be prepared to think big sometimes,” says Eric Cline, the then-minister of industry and resources. “One of the things that attracted us about this project is wanting Taylor Field to be upgraded to a national, if not a world, standard. We don’t want our facility to be behind those in other places.”
June 23, 2006
Taylor Field is renamed Mosaic Stadium
buildingthedream
Crews work on the west side of Taylor Field on July 17, 1978 — an expansion that included a second deck and a new press box. I A n C A L dW E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
In hindsight, an eight-year, $12-million blueprint — designed with the objective of staging the 2012 Grey Cup game in Regina — seems like a modest proposal when you consider the pigskin palace at which the Roughriders are to play host to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on July 1. But back in 2004, the mindset quite understandably revolved around what could be done within traditional parameters. The goal, articulated at the time by thenRiders chairman of the board Garry Huntington, was to “transform Taylor Field into a modern football facility that will match anything in the CFL.” It was the most elaborate plan since December of 1977, when Regina taxpayers — by a vote of 12,859 for, 9,005 against — approved civic funding for Taylor Field expansion. Voters gave the city authorization to borrow $4 million of its $4.5-million share of the expansion proposal. The provincial government put in $2.5 million and agreed to match, dollar for dollar, all funds generated by the Roughriders. The community-owned team targeted $1 million.
For $9 million, Taylor Field’s seating capacity would increase to 27,600 — thanks largely to the construction of an upper deck on the west side. Additionally, a permanent Roughriders dressing room was to be installed on the west side, along with office facilities. Previously, the team had practised on the infield at Regina Exhibition Track and conducted business from a small office in a strip mall. Renovations were completed in 1979, minutes before the Roughriders’ home exhibition opener — the first game in Regina on artificial turf. The original timetable had called for everything to be in place for the 1978 season, but a construction strike caused a delay. Some upgrades also took place leading up to the 1995 Grey Cup game, such as the addition of suites atop the east-side grandstand. The facility also housed the 2003 league final, again with temporary bleachers being erected. By then, though, the imperfections of Taylor Field — the Regina/Saskatchewan Roughriders’ perennial home since 1936, when the facility was called Park de Young —
following the signing of a 10-year, $4-million sponsorship agreement between the Roughriders and The Mosaic Company. The home of the Roughriders had been named Taylor Field — in memory of former player, coach and executive Neil J. (Piffles) Taylor — since 1947.
playoff game since 1988, defeating the Calgary Stampeders 26-24 in the West Division semifinal before a capacity crowd of 28,800.
Nov. 11, 2007
The Roughriders play host to their first home
April 9, 2008
The idea of putting a “bubble” over the playing field to make it accessible year-round is floated. Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco tells reporters that the city has identified $5.8 million in needed repairs to the aging stadium.
were more evident than ever. “But I can tell you that back in ’03 and ’04, there wasn’t a lot of talk of a new stadium,” says Jim Hopson, who was hired late in 2004 as the Roughriders’ first president-CEO. “It was, ‘Let’s get this one fixed up and put some money into it.’ “ Hence the media conference of Dec. 2, 2004. The multi-faceted proposal targeted immediate improvements, in the form of better east-side seating and the installation of a video board in time for the 2005 season. At the time, the Roughriders were the only CFL team without a large screen. “The board of the day talked about the fact that if we were going to be a business, we needed to provide amenities to our customers — to the fans,” Hopson says. In 2004, the Roughriders also introduced fans to the now-familiar concept of a facility fee. A surcharge of $2.14 ($2 plus GST) was to be applied to all tickets, with revenues being earmarked for renovations. Other elements of the proposal were: • Construction of a two-storey building, overlooking the south end zone, to house the Roughriders’ offices, an expanded team store and a larger Green and White Lounge. • Additional permanent seating in the north end that would increase the capacity to between 32,000 and 35,000. • Upgrades to the Roughriders’ locker room, weight room and meeting rooms. • Improvements to the sound system and to the east side. • A newer, softer playing surface.
Nov. 5, 2008
Fiacco declares “the status quo is not an option” regarding the stadium situation, citing the options as being a new stadium or a complete retrofit of the old one. Fiacco says the cost of the latter option would “easily be over $100 million.” A feasibility study is launched to explore the options in greater detail.
Field of Dreams | J une 2017
11
• The addition of a domed structure — a bubble, essentially — that would allow Taylor Field to be used year-round by community groups. The costs were to be covered by the City of Regina, the provincial government, the Roughriders, and the corporate sector. Progress in some areas took place rather briskly. FieldTurf was in place for the 2005 season, at least two years earlier than anticipated. Corporate funding helped the Roughriders attain their goal of installing a video board — the MaxTron — with the requisite urgency. That was the good news. The bad news? “When I first joined the board in ’05, I remember being in the then-Rider offices, right by the ticket offices and that area,” Brandvold recalls. “This will sound strange, but coaches were literally working out of closets.” Room also had to be found, somehow, for management and administrative personnel. Hopson had taken over at a time when football operations across the CFL were also expanding. While all this was happening, the available space underneath the west-side grandstand was not getting any bigger. “Was it an efficient operation? Probably, to some degree, but it was an absolute terrible working environment,” Brandvold says with a chuckle. “The only logic we had was the opportunity to move the business folks away from the stadium (to an office at the corner of Albert Street and Dewdney Avenue) in order to create some sort of space for our coaches and our video folks, et cetera. “It allowed us at least to expand, but it really was not a good solution. It gave us some time to get through the next few years.” They would prove to be very good years — ones that would change everything.
Dec. 9, 2008
Fiacco says the city is looking into what it would cost to build a domed stadium.
July 20, 2009
The Roughriders and three levels of government (federal, provincial and municipal) commit $1 million to a feasibility study regarding a possible domed stadium for downtown Regina.
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Field of Dreams | J une 2017
••• When the Taylor Field blueprint was unveiled late in 2004, the Roughriders had just completed their first of three successive .500 seasons. A 9-9 record almost seemed preordained. The team was neither awe-inspiring nor awful. The crowds were much like the team — typically decent, but not overwhelming. Then came a storybook season. “In 2007, things took over,” says former Roughriders quarterback Kerry Joseph, who in that year was named the CFL’s most outstanding player. “It was winning football games and it was a winning program.” One that started winning over the fans in record numbers. “It’s not that we didn’t have a good Rider Nation prior to that point,” Brandvold says. “We just sort of threw steroids on it, if you
want to put it that way, and suddenly we had a massive Rider Nation.” The 2007 Roughriders, under general manager Eric Tillman and head coach Kent Austin, exploded out of the gate. There was an accompanying rush to the gates as fans embraced that team and the long-awaited scent of a championship contender. Suddenly, there was a voracious appetite for tickets. People couldn’t count on simply purchasing walk-up seats on game days. Capacity crowds of 28,800 watched each of the final six home regular-season games, a precursor to the first CFL playoff contest at Taylor Field since 1988. The 2007 West Division semifinal, in which the Roughriders outlasted the Calgary Stampeders 26-24, was the catalyst for a playoff push that culminated in the franchise’s third Grey Cup title. But the rare home playoff game also exposed, like never before, the stadium’s imperfections. Recognizing this, members of the Roughriders’ board of directors began to seriously revisit the topic of expansion and upgrades to a facility that, after a namingrights deal was struck with The Mosaic Company in 2006, was known as Mosaic Stadium. In Year 1 of the renamed facility, the Rolling Stones twice packed the stadium and demonstrated that it could be used for largescale events beyond football games. Paul McCartney, AC/DC and Bon Jovi subsequently performed at the Stadium. By the time concerts became part of the stadium’s schedule, the Roughriders had finally escaped a financial predicament that had dogged them for 20 years — a period that included life-saving telethons in 1987 and 1997. In the spring of 2004, the Roughriders reported a surplus of $27,000 — their first
An estimated cost exceeding $350 million is cited. The study will also look at the possibility of a retractable roof. Fiacco envisions a stadium on the current site of the CP rail yards, which are expected to relocate, with the Taylor Field site to become a residential area. The study is announced at the same time the results of a review, conducted by consultants Bill Shupe and Rob Giberson, are
released. They recommend a covered stadium as the preferred option. The review adds that a renovation of the existing Mosaic Stadium would cost $109 million over five years, and that improvements to the old facility or a new open-air stadium would do little to increase economic activity downtown. The provincial government covers the $70,000 cost of the review.
Matt Dominguez holds the prized chalice aloft for the fans to see after the Roughriders returned to Regina following their victory in the 2007 Grey Cup game. B RYA n s C H L o s s E R / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
buildingthedream
Brian Johnson of AC/DC performs at Mosaic Stadium on Aug. 24, 2009 — one of the events that showed the facility could be more than just a football venue. d on H E A LY/ R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
profit since 1984. The team had begun the 2003 season with an accumulated deficit of $2.5 million, which was quickly erased. A key factor was the team’s $2-million share of the profits from the 2003 Grey Cup game, held at Taylor Field. (The next Regina-based Grey Cup game was held in 2013.) The Roughriders were still faced with having to repay a $2.8-million loan from the province. However, that loan was forgiven by the NDP-led provincial government on Feb. 28, 2005, when the stated intention was to help the Roughriders make progress toward an expanded, upgraded Taylor Field. After several years of financial issues and, at times, crises, the circumstances were becoming favourable for the Roughriders. “I have to say that ’07 really changed the game for us in terms of how we viewed ourselves and our financial situation,” Brandvold says. “We were getting better and we
March 1, 2010
The feasibility study is released. It estimates that a 33,000-seat covered stadium would cost an estimated $386.2 million — $431.2 million if a retractable roof is added. The study says that an indoor stadium could operate successfully in downtown Regina.
March 1, 2011: One year to the day after the feasibility study
were starting to make some money. We were starting to invest in the stadium. We were thinking bigger.” “Then — boom! — we’re in the Grey Cup and we win the Grey Cup,” Hopson adds. “It just gave us the fuel, if you like, in terms of sponsorships. Our fan base grew from 7,000 or 8,000 season tickets to the point where we had to put a cap on them.” Putting a cap on the stadium would soon become part of an ever-evolving discussion. ••• Excitement over the Roughriders’ 2007 Grey Cup victory and the accompanying windfall bubbled over into the following year. In April of 2008, Mayor Pat Fiacco raised the idea of putting a “bubble” over the Taylor Field playing surface to make it accessible 12 months of the year. Fiacco also told reporters that the city had identified $5.8 million in needed stadium repairs. “I don’t think there is an appetite for a new
is released, the plan for a domed stadium is dead. The provincial government withdraws its funding commitment to the stadium, citing the federal government's rejection of cash for the project.
April 19, 2011
Fiacco unveils his vision for the Regina Revitalization Initiative, which includes a stadium replacement and the vacating of 53
stadium here,’’ he added. “I think there are fans who would love to see a new stadium, but we have to look at the financial realities of that.” Financial realities, however, eventually became the foundation for discussions about a new structure. As civic officials dug into the costs of bringing the historic stadium up to standard, in the form of a complete retrofit, the numbers were eye-popping. “The early estimates were in the $120-million to $150-million range,’’ says Brent Sjoberg, a former chief financial officer and deputy city manager with the City of Regina. “At the same time, underneath that, we knew it was an old facility, so the price tag was going to go up because, as well, the construction firms price that risk into their jobs as well. You’re going to pay for what could go wrong in a renovation-type project. “Lots of people said, ‘Lipstick on a pig,’ which I think to some degree is true. You talked about the Frankenstein element of building it. It doesn’t have a good, solid base of infrastructure underneath that you can build from, so for risk and all those things, with the pros and cons, it just was not the right thing to do. “The numbers were part of it, but I think it was also the risk. Those are the projects where governments find themselves in trouble because they go for what they think is the cheaper project but don’t assess the whole risk of a project and eventually get themselves into a money pit that just keeps taking and taking and taking.
acres of land on the Taylor Field site — to be occupied by housing units and commercial outlets. The new stadium would be located downtown on space opened up in the CP container yards.
Aug. 22, 2011
Regina city council approves the RRI plan, with a $1-billion price tag and a Taylor Field replacement deadline of 2016. Field of Dreams | J une 2017
13
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“Ultimately, it was city council’s decision, of course, but all told it wasn’t a risk worth taking. The price tag was going to climb. We just didn’t know how high.” By November of 2008, everyone involved knew the Mosaic Stadium project — old or new — was going to carry a nine-figure price tag. The cost was exponentially higher than the $12-million wish list of four years earlier. Declaring that “the status quo is not an option,” Fiacco outlined the options as being a new stadium or a complete retrofit of the traditional facility. A feasibility study was then launched to fully explore both options. Then another possibility was introduced — that of a dome. Late in 2008, Fiacco said the city was exploring the cost and practicality of an indoor stadium. Within a year, Fiacco had reconsidered his initial assessment that there was not an appetite for a new stadium. “It was an ‘aha!’ moment for me,” he reflects. “I was worried about the ability to pay, because we had a ton of other infrastructure projects. But I was looking at it through my eyes only. “I needed to take a step back and think about the long term of this community. I went back to thinking about the fact that we wouldn’t have been able to host the (2005) Canada Games if we hadn’t done what we did with The Big Dig (at Wascana Lake) and some of those other things. This was no different. “This was just taking a step back and saying, ‘Why are we even having this debate? This is a no-brainer.’ I might have been thinking too much like a politician at the time. I needed to take that hat off and say, ‘OK, let’s think about this for a minute.’ ” Veteran city councillor Mike O’Donnell commends Fiacco for championing the new stadium and, in a larger context, the city. “A boom was starting to develop, so we
Dec. 19, 2011
City council decides on a P3 (public-private partnership) funding model for stadium construction.
May 4, 2012
A $278-million, 33,000-seat open-air stadium is proposed for city-owned Evraz Place. Regina Exhibition Association Ltd. (REAL) will operate the new stadium. As part of the RRI, the plan
started to look at the world differently, but — and I credit Pat a lot for this — we started to look at our city differently,” O’Donnell says. “He was the guy who fostered and developed the ‘I Love Regina’ campaign. That ‘I Love Regina’ started to develop a few years later into real things, like real neighbourhoods such as Harbour Landing, and real development downtown, like new office towers. “(A new stadium) was an extension of that — a belief in ourselves that we can do things better than we used to.” ••• The process tested the beliefs of Fiacco and company more than once, given the ups and downs. By the summer of 2009, talk was percolating about possibly constructing a domed stadium in downtown Regina. Another feasibility study was commissioned. The results of that study were made public two months into 2010. It was estimated that a 33,000-seat indoor stadium would cost $386.2 million — or $431.2 with the addition of a retractable roof. “The feasibility report says it is feasible to go forward,” Cheveldayoff, then the provincial enterprise minister, said on March 1, 2010. “Now we will look at the capital accumulation phase.” Precisely one year later, the dome was doomed. The provincial government withdrew its funding commitment to the stadium, citing the federal government’s decision not to provide financial assistance. “There was a lot of discouragement when we saw a really nice picture of a domed stadium right on Dewdney Avenue that became the signature moment, and when it couldn’t be done, there was a lot of heartache,” O’Donnell recalls. “There was collective disappointment.
will also include 700 affordable housing units, along with retail and commercial development. In addition, $24.4 million is earmarked to tear down Taylor Field and redevelop the site. The overall revitalization project is expected to take 10 to 15 years to complete.
July 14, 2012
Fiacco, Premier Brad Wall and Roughriders chairman of the board Roger Brandvold sign a
buildingthedream
Ken Cheveldayoff checks out a model of a proposed multi-use facility for downtown Regina on March 1, 2010. B RYA n s C H L o s s E R / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
Everybody kind of thought, ‘Gosh. Now what?’ I think we all had to kind of retreat for a little while. “What never happened was the idea that we would stop working toward a stadium. That never changed, but we had to rethink how it could come to be. The partnership didn’t fall apart. The partnership just had to go back and say, ‘OK, so now what? How do we do this?’ “A good point is that when we did come back, it was, ‘Let’s make this happen.’ It went from there.” With the federal government out of the picture, the provincial and municipal poli-
non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU), establishing the future funding partners — announcing that a new, $278.2-million Mosaic Stadium will be open full-time in 2017. Including debt servicing and maintenance, the price tag will be $675 million over 30 years.
Sept. 5, 2012
RRI receives unanimous assent of members of the Regina executive committee. The next step Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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picture, the provincial and municipal poli-
amount of space.”
An aerial drone captures early work on new Mosaic Stadium on Sept 18, 2014, at sprawling Evraz Place, just west of old Taylor Field. t R oY F L E E C E / R E gI nA L E A dE R -P o s t
ticians would have to align with the Roughriders if a new stadium were to become a reality. Undaunted, Fiacco soon stepped forward and introduced plans for the Regina Revitalization Initiative — the cornerstones being a new stadium, demolition of the old one (freeing up 53 acres) and the eventual construction of a new residential area along with commercial and retail establishments. Per the RRI proposal, the new stadium was to be situated downtown on space opened up in the CP container yards. The dome had also been earmarked for that location. “We just pushed from there and had discussions with the province, because they wanted to do this too,” says former city councillor Michael Fougere, Regina’s mayor since 2012. “I think the inspiration was from many places. It was from council, the Riders and the province.” There was only one snag — one that was hardly insurmountable. “The footprint, after reviewing everything, was too small on the container yards,” Fiacco says. “So then we thought even further and we said, ‘We own the land at Evraz Place. Why can’t we put it there?’ It’s a massive, massive
is a vote by the full city council (which has approved a design-build-finance procurement model). The plan approves a 0.45-per-cent mill-rate increase for Regina taxpayers for a decade.
Sept. 19, 2012
City of Regina unveils a concept design for new stadium. Riders president-CEO Jim
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Field of Dreams | J une 2017
Four months after the RRI plan was unveiled, it was approved by city council. Two elements of note were a $1-billion cost and the intention to replace Taylor Field by 2016. One by one, logistical barriers disappeared and the overall plan fell into place. Late in 2011, city council decided on a public-private partnership (P3) funding model for a new stadium. Over the next few months, there was feverish activity pertaining to stadium negotiations. The buzz was not widely discernible, though, because the parties resolved to keep everything in-house until there was something to announce. “There was a remarkable lack of stonethrowing by any of the parties,” Hopson says. “If you look at other places in Canada and the United States and the challenges you get into with these type of projects, you don’t have to look very far to see some of it, so it has been quite remarkable.” That is not to suggest that the discussions were devoid of disagreement. “Behind the scenes, of course, there were tough negotiations,” Fiacco says. “You have to justify the money. You have to justify
Hopson describes the design as “iconic.”
Oct. 3, 2012
The executive committee unanimously approves the purchase of 17.39 acres of Canadian Pacific Railway land for $7.5 million. The land, along Dewdney Avenue from Albert Street to Broad Street, is to include residential and commercial property as part of the city’s
how you’re going to pay for it. Well, you know what? It’s worth the investment.” The investment of time on the part of various stakeholders proved to be worthwhile on May 4, 2012, when a massive blueprint was unveiled. The proposal called for a $278.2-million, 33,000-seat open-air stadium at Evraz Place, in addition to a complete transformation of the Taylor Field grounds into a new neighbourhood. By that point, only two burning questions remained: Who pays what? And how? ••• Everything crystallized on that sprinkling spring day in Saskatoon, where Brandvold, Cheveldayoff, Teal and Emsley had various conversations inside a tent and hammered out a rainy-day funding format — the crucial element being the remaining $100 million. Before those four gentlemen tossed around some ideas on Green and White Day, the ticket surcharge had been discussed as a possible solution at the provincial, civic and team levels. “We were all playing with the facility fee as a variable, but it came to life along with the funding-contributors model on that rainy day in Saskatoon,” Brandvold says. “Through the conversation in Saskatoon, it gave us a greater opportunity to complete the deal about a month later. “The biggest contributor to the new stadium is Rider Nation, through the facility fee (and the resulting $100 million in revenue over 30 years). It was the piece that made perfect sense for a lot of reasons to get this deal done.” And so it came to be, as formal talks quickly drew to a close. “You can talk a lot about things and you can plan about things and you can see some pretty diagrams, but in the end, you have
long-term plan to revitalize downtown.
Oct. 9, 2012
CP land purchase is approved by city council.
Jan. 16, 2013
City council’s executive committee approves stadium financing. The deal includes $188.8 million over 30 years for stadium maintenance.
buildingthedream
Various artists’ renderings of proposed new football stadiums in Regina through the years … including the one that was finally approved (bottom right).
to be able to put your money on the table,” O’Donnell says. “And once the money started to come on the table, then it just rolled along and it became real. “As an example, asking the Riders for $25 million probably was a lot of money, but they put their money right there on the table. I’m not sure they had it at that time, but they saw a way that they could get it, and I think they saw a way that their fan base could accept that in terms of the ticket charge on top of that. “So, in other terms, if I’m a user and I’m contributing, that made perfect sense. The province saw it as a benefit and the city said, ‘We need to improve our city,’ so everybody’s money was on the table.” That being done, a memorandum of understanding was signed — and Roughriders fans experienced a pre-game ceremony like none other. “The current stadium has served us well,” Wall said on July 14, 2012. “But it’s time the best fans in Canada and the best team in Can-
ada have the best new stadium in Canada.” Fiacco, who championed the project even when there were obstacles, was grinning from ear to ear as he stood on Taylor Field near Wall and Brandvold. “This is huge,” Fiacco said on that landmark day. “This is big. And it’s our turn.” Nearly five years later, he is still smiling. “This is a showpiece in the city,” Fiacco says of the new stadium. “This is a first-class facility now, and it’s going to carry us for a long time. “This isn’t something that we’re going to have to worry about renovating. We’re not going to have light bulbs burst because water is going through them. Just because I sit on the east side, it’s not going to take me a half-hour to get out of there at the end of the game because there’s no way to get out. “Thank goodness there was never an actual emergency in (the old stadium) or it would have been awful. I clearly remember talking about, ‘Why are we spending $150 million to
The committee also approves a request-forqualifications evaluation, which is to pare down to three the number of companies eligible to bid on the stadium project.
Demolition of old buildings begins on the stadium site.
Jan. 28, 2013
City council approves funding agreements for and conceptual design of the new stadium by a 10-1 vote. Coun. Shawn Fraser casts the lone opposing vote.
Aug. 15, 2013 July 8, 2013
Council approves a 30-year, $75-million stadium lease with Sask Sport Inc. Sask Sport will receive 10,000 square feet of office space and 600 hours per year of access to the field. Field access is to be given to Sask Sport along
with affiliated non-profit sport organizations.
Jan. 27, 2014
Council approves a $100-million loan from the province that will help to finance the stadium project. The term of the loan will be 31.5 years with an annual interest rate of 3.99 per cent. With interest, the city will be obligated to repay $171 million over the full term. There is an option to repay the loan earlier without penalty. Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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renovate something when we’re going to talk about this five years from now and talk about what a mistake that was?’ ” As it turned out, Fiacco never had a vote when it came time for city council to approve the stadium funding. He opted not to run for a fifth term, in 2012, and was succeeded by Fougere. Like Fiacco, Fougere emphasizes the benefits for the entire community — as evidenced by Sask Sport’s presence in the new facility. “This is not just a Rider stadium,” he says. “They are the most high-profile tenant, but they’re not the only one that’s there. “From council’s perspective, it always was a community-owned stadium. It’s not owned by the Riders. We own it and we operate it and we maintain it. We will have a lot of people who are active in there who are not part of the football community. “I think we had to remind people of that during the concept design and the construction of it. During that time period, the city was emphasizing that it’s the home of the Riders, but it’s also much bigger than that.” That point was repeatedly underlined when Fougere ran for mayor after spending five terms on city council. “Leading up to the 2012 election, I said that if I was elected, I would have a stadium built,” he says. “The other candidates had varying views on what they wanted to do, but none of them was declaring as I would. “There were a couple of attempts to get a petition signed for a referendum that didn’t work out. They didn’t get the numbers to have that happen. “(The new stadium) was central to my 2012 campaign. I’m very proud of the fact that I was elected and could move forward. I took it as an endorsement that the public overall wanted to see the stadium built. “They were excited and they wanted to see the possibilities. They saw the design and they
March 14, 2014
PCL Construction is named the preferred builder. PCL is to design, build and provide interim financing for the stadium. PCL’s bid includes HKS (lead design and sports architect), B&H Architects (architect of record) and TD Securities (finance team lead). The short list consisted of PCL, Bouygues Construction Graham Community Partners and Clark Builders/Turner Construction.
buildingthedream
Assembled luminaries Roger Brandvold, Mark Cohon, Pat Fiacco, Ken Cheveldayoff, Brad Wall and Jim Hopson (from left) were all smiles after plans for a new stadium were announced at a Roughrider game on July 14, 2012. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
were really fired up about getting it done.” ••• The official design was unveiled on May 22, 2014, when a 20-year extension of the naming rights deal with Mosaic was also announced. The design was highlighted by a sunken lower bowl, a translucent spectator roof, an open south end zone, LED lighting, individual seats (including backs, armrests and cup holders), a 360-degree concourse, and a general admission lounge on the west side. Equipped with 33,000 permanent seats, the stadium can be expanded to 40,000 for special events, such as a Grey Cup game. The one loose end is that the stadium must be roof-ready, meaning that a cover could be installed if it was deemed necessary and the money could be found. The snag: The
May 22, 2014
The official stadium design is revealed, along with a 20-year extension of the naming rights deal with The Mosaic Company.
June 16, 2014
Ground is broken at the stadium site, beginning the process of excavating 300,000 cubic metres of dirt.
Roughriders would have to be dislodged for a year for a roof to be installed — and myriad user groups would also be affected. “As we worked through the process, it essentially was confirmed that it was in the order of $200 million to put a roof on it,” says Sjoberg, who was the city’s executive lead on the stadium project. “There was a desire to have it retractable and all those kinds of good things. “There were the construction costs, but also the costs to maintain it, because you’re heating and cooling millions of square feet of dead space. Over the winter, to keep it going you’ve got to pump the heat in, and over the summer you’ve got to keep it cool, so the operating costs
Oct. 29, 2014
Excavation work is mostly complete. PCL Construction is using four cranes — 61, 66, 73 and 87 metres tall — for the first time while doing a commercial project in Regina.
June 16, 2015
One year into construction, 44 per cent of the stadium is complete and steel-structure work is underway. The city unveils a generalField of Dreams | J une 2017
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were very significant. “There was also a bunch of discussion that goes back to the history of the Riders. We’re hardy Saskatchewan football fans and there is a little bit to be said about the experience of being there and bundling up on those cold days. We complain about it, but sometimes it’s what brings us together as a community.” Fougere fields some complaints from people who lament the lack of a dome. “There are people who still say, ‘If you’re going to build this kind of stadium, you should have put a roof on it,’ “ he says. “I dreamed big, too. We all dreamed big to make this happen. But some things are just beyond your capacity and that’s one of them. Taxpayers would be paying for that for years, so it’s not within our means.” Despite some quibbles, the community at large embraced a project that quickly attracted curiosity-seekers. Ground was broken within a month of the design being made public, whereupon PCL Construction went to work. Substantial completion of the stadium took place on schedule, on Aug. 31, 2016, when tours were conducted for a variety of interested parties. Then came the first test event — a Canada West football game between the University of Regina Rams and University of Saskatchewan Huskies on Oct. 1 of last year. All 16,000-plus available seats were sold, setting a Canada West attendance record. “There was a blue sky and there was not a cloud in the sky,” says Fougere, who performed the ceremonial coin flip. “It was a perfect day — a magical day. Everything was incredible. The weather was perfect. The stadium was perfect. There was no problem with the stadium. “Everything was fine. It was just an incredible day. You couldn’t write a better script. I had goose bumps.”
For the record, the Rams won 37-29. “The truth of the matter is that I didn’t watch a lot of the game,” O’Donnell says. “I watched all the people. “Before halftime, I walked from where I was sitting on the east side over to the south end zone, just to hear the buzz. People were so happy and standing and having something to eat and drink and visiting with the people around them. “At halftime, I went over to the west side and I found that all the people who were on the east side had gravitated to the west side to meet their friends. “So that whole idea of it being a place to gather, to be with friends, to be a community place, was proven to me, and that’s what I walked out of the stadium feeling: ‘This is a community place.’ “I guess the football game was good, apparently, but I loved the interaction of the people — and I only saw smiles.” The reaction was much the same as various CFL types were introduced to the sparkling new complex. Roughriders head coach, general manager
admission lounge, which can accommodate 500 people.
Sept. 5, 2015 “Project Stadium Sneak Peek” allows
Sept. 1, 2015
The Riders’ new lease calls for the team to pay $230,000 per year to rent Taylor Field/Mosaic Stadium. The agreement is two years shorter than usual to cover the transition into the new stadium.
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Field of Dreams | J une 2017
Taylor Guy and Orishia Benevelli take a selfie at the Oct. 1, 2016, test event, where the University of Regina Rams defeated the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. M ICH A E L B E L L / R E gI nA L E A dE R-P o s t
members of the public to check out the stadium — which is slightly more than half complete — as it takes shape.
Nov. 9, 2015
Stadium is about 60 per cent complete.
and vice-president of football operations Chris Jones referred to the stadium as “unbelievable” during CFL Week in late March. That was the consensus among the league’s luminaries. “What can you say?” added Austin, who is now the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ head coach and vice-president of football operations. “It’s outstanding. It’s great for this franchise and really great for the league.” B.C. Lions head coach and general manager Wally Buono used the term “spectacular.” Toronto Argonauts GM Jim Popp offered another description. “Phenomenal,’’ he said. “Standards are set. This has been going on in the league now for several years in different places, with the upgrades. Everybody tries to out-do each other and I didn’t expect anything different here in Saskatchewan. It’s great to see and it’s great to be a part of.” ••• It is impossible to name and aptly credit all the people whose contributions, both big and small, have enabled the new stadium to become a reality.
March 16, 2016
Stadium 77 per cent complete. The structuralsteel roof is nearly finished.
Aug. 31, 2016
The city announces substantial completion of the new stadium, meaning in essence that all basics for the stadium’s intended purpose are in place. The stadium is completed on time and on budget.
buildingthedream “You go all the way back and there’s a lot of people who have their names written on that stadium,” Joseph says. “They’re part of it, and we’re all a product of that. “You can’t forget about people like Ron Lancaster and George Reed and those players from the past. They laid the table for us. They set the path for us. We had to continue to hold on that tradition. When we went out there and played, we had to think about those guys and what they did before us. “Even though it’s a decade after 2007, I think the whole province of Saskatchewan and the whole alumni of the Roughriders are truly going to enjoy seeing that place open up.” When Joseph was at his peak in 2007, the team was ascending to new heights of popu- Aerial view of new Mosaic Stadium on Oct. 21, 2016. t R oY F L E E C E / R E gI nA L E A dE R -P o s t larity and the economy was booming. The circumstances were conducive to discussions philosophy on the Roughriders’ part helped that, there would be no stadium.” and aspirations that, at one point, would have to establish a foundation for the confluence Instead, there were several meetings of elicited laughter or outrage. of events that culminated in the approval and minds — such as the informal discussion And what if such a project were to be sug- construction of a stadium. in Saskatoon — that led to a $278-million gested under the current economic climate? “The Riders made a change in terms of jewel. “I’ve said this many times, and I believe it their business plan and their business out“In the early days, we had talked about — we happened to be in the right place at the look, and I credit Jim Hopson and the board wanting to do this, wanting to do it right,” right time,” Hopson states. for that,” O’Donnell says. “They started to Cheveldayoff says. “At the end of our politi“When I look at the market today,” Brand- look at how their business model would be dif- cal careers, when we look back, you always vold adds, “am I ever glad we got it done in ferent. Rather than a hands-out (approach), it say you want to make your province better 2012 — because I’m not too sure that the con- was how do we include the community, how than it is today. You want to leave it better ditions would allow us to do one today.” do we build this up, and how do we make this than you found it. “It was a perfect storm of people coming worthwhile? “I think for sports and for culture and together and it happening at the right time,” “Because business in the province for recreation in our province, this is a faFougere says. “It was a very magical time, be- changed and you certainly had a premier cility that’s going to be something that we cause people all agreed on a big-picture (view) who was interested, their ears started to can all be proud of in the future.” and what could be possible to transform the open as far as what could be possible. But I In the immediate future, the pride city.” think that all along, the council and the ad- should be overflowing when the RoughridSjoberg feels that thinking bigger was a key ministration of the City of Regina said, ‘This ers make their regular-season debut at component of the entire process. is our community. We’ll have a facility. We’ll Mosaic Stadium 2.0. “There was maybe even a change of sen- look after it. How can we all pull this togeth“It will be a really remarkable day,” timent over the course of time, if you want er?’ So then it becomes a partnership. That’s Fougere concludes. “July 1 is going to be to call it ‘the new Saskatchewan,’ ” he says. what worked. That’s what really brought it great.” “There was a bit of a shift from ‘We can’t af- together. ford it’ to ‘We deserve this.’ “ “Had each one of those people not contribrvanstone@postmedia.com The implementation of a bigger-picture uted financially and saw the benefit to doing twitter.com/robvanstone
Oct. 1, 2016
The University of Regina Rams defeat the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 37-29 in the first football game — and the first test event — at the new stadium.
Oct. 29, 2016:
The Saskatchewan Roughriders play their final game at Taylor Field, losing 24-6 to the B.C. Lions. Closing ceremonies include
appearances by George Reed, Roger Aldag, Gene Makowsky and Darian Durant.
May 27, 2017
Bryan Adams is the headliner at the second test event at Mosaic Stadium, (right) where 75 per cent of the seats were available — an increase of 25 per cent from Oct. 1.
June 10, 2017
The Roughriders play their first game at Mosaic Stadium, opposing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in CFL pre-season action.
July 1, 2017
Winnipeg is to visit again — this time in the first regular-season game at the new facility. — Rob Vanstone
Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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‘ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE’: The SaskTel Maxtron video board dominates the south end zone. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
upGRADEs
Major
Fans in for a treat at new stadium
While Sauter marvels at the staggering size and larger-than-life presence of the stadium’s big screen, he stops short of calling it the upgrade that he’s most looking forward to experiencing when the whistle finally blows on opening day. e d K A pp Another feature that excites Sauter is ith a $278-million price the exclusive 500-seat AGT Lounge on the tag, the new Mosaic Sta- west side of the stadium, which the team’s dium expectedly has no website describes as “the most coveted shortage of bells and whis- seating and entertaining space in Mosaic Stadium.” tles. But Sauter says he’s most excited about A significant increase in the number of concession stands and washrooms — the overall experience fans will get on which will be complete with hot water — game day, rather than any specific bells has many Saskatchewan Roughriders fans and whistles. “It’s the whole experience,” Sauter says. eager to officially kick off the 2017 Canadian Football League campaign at the team’s “When we designed this stadium, we new digs. thought of the whole experience.” But one big-ticket upgrade in particular Sauter goes on to speak about the facilseems to have Rider Nation buzzing the ity’s accessible 360-degree concourse, the most: the super-sized SaskTel MaxTron variety of concessions, new aspects of the stadium that were implemented to envideo board. “Clearly that comes to mind right away courage social interaction among fans, and when you think about bells and whistles — the natural beauty of adjacent Confederait’s absolutely massive,” Roughriders vice- tion Park. “Really,” he concludes with a smile, “it’s president of business development and marketing Gregg Sauter says with a chuckle. the whole experience.”
W
On the other hand, when manager of stadium development Rod Schmidt is asked about bells and whistles, one feature seems to come to mind almost immediately. “Bells and whistles?” he responds. “The biggest thing that’s going to wow people is probably the centralized beer system. “We’ve got a number of beer sellers and, really, it’s a large room that’s a big cooler with stacks of kegs inside. There are lines that come out of there and run along the ceilings of the concourses into the concession spaces. “Beer will basically be available at almost every point-of-sale location throughout the building.” But fear not, teetotallers of Rider Nation — there are other features that appeal to non-drinkers as well, Schmidt is quick to reassure. Along with arm rests and cup holders — for non-alcoholic or alcoholic drinks alike — Schmidt says the seating at the new stadium will be a treat for fans. “I think people are really going to enjoy the seating aspect,” he says, referencing the facility’s larger seats. “With the old Mosaic Stadium, if you got there late, you may have six inches left out of your assigned 18 inches and you had to squeeze in there. But now you have your own seat, plus more leg room.” Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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Chef Lloyd Frank with a selection of two-foot-long hot dogs, available for purchase at Mosaic Stadium. T R OY F L E E C E / R E g i na L E a dE R -P O s T
COME
! Y R G HUN Vendors will offer fans a mosaic of menu choices
A s h l ey M A rt i n l i v e to e a t
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Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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n the southern United States, tailgating is a big part of football culture. That’s one reason Beer Bros. looked south for its menu at the new Mosaic Stadium, where it’s one of about a dozen food vendors. For nine years, the downtown Regina restaurant has cooked up good food inspired by good beer. For its expansion, “We looked at southern-style food and tailgate culture and beer culture,” says head chef Fabian Boersch. “We’re Beer Bros., we love our beer, and we wanted our food to pair off with that.”
Cinnamon roll on a stick from Sweet Ambrosia. T R OY F L E E C E / R E g i na L E a dE R -P O s T
Their overall menu has always been designed for beer pairing. Dubbed “beer cuisine,” they use “craft beer as almost like a spice rack,” says Darren Carter, managing partner and co-owner of Beer Bros. They’ve strived to offer “more adventurous food” than the average pub, says Carter. That philosophy applies to their stadium menu, too. You can still get your beef fix, but it won’t be a burger. It might be in the form of a sa-
Pulled pork poutine from Coney Island Poutine. T ROY FLEE C E/RE g i na L EadER-P O s T
Key lime pie on a stick from Sweet Ambrosia. T R OY F L E E C E / R E g i na L E a dE R -P O s T
mosa, or a meat pie like you’d find at a rugby game in Australia or New Zealand. The menu will morph depending on customer feedback and the seasons — “beerogies” and sausage might taste better at a cold-weather game than in 30-plus heat. There will be four to six items to choose from. In the planning stages, the main contender was the pulled pork sandwich, a staple on the menu since Beer Bros. opened. Their pulled pork takes a full 24 hours to prepare: marinating in spices for 12 hours, then slow-and-low-cooking the pork butt overnight. Lightly doused in an apple cider barbecue sauce, the pork is served on a fresh-baked beer Kaiser bun, then topped with pickled poblano peppers and coleslaw made of Granny Smith apples, cucumbers, carrots and purple cabbage. It’s a bit sweet, not too saucy, and goes well with a beer. Bacon-wrapped fennel sausage (courtesy of Butcher’s Best) will be another go-to, slathered in a sauce of butter, whisky and maple. Macaroni and cheese is another standby. In the restaurant kitchen, it is ready to eat within minutes: Add macaroni, then the cheesy Mornay sauce, to a pan sizzling with bits of thick-cut cherrywood-smoked bacon. Transfer to a bowl, top with breadcrumbs and a drizzle of sriracha — le voila. It’s quick, but will need to be even quicker during halftime at a Rider game. “It’s just a mass amount of people, so just getting that much food ready makes me a little bit nervous,” says Boersch. “It’s a chance to showcase your food on a huge scale.” That’s exactly why Carter wanted to be part of the stadium’s food operations. “I think the restaurant business is changing,” says Carter, whose restaurant career started at age 13 at the Cinnamon Inn coffee shop on Hill Avenue.
Bacon-wrapped sausage with whisky maple syrup from Beer Bros. M iC H a E L B E L L / R E g i na L E a dE R -P O s T
Pulled pork with pickled poblano peppers and coleslaw on a fresh bun from Beer Bros. M iC H a E L B E L L / R E g i na L E a dE R -P O s T
“There’s more and more competition, and there’s certainly more and more variety available. If there’s an event where 32,000 people are hanging out at one place, go where they are. I thought that was just a good place to be. And look at the stadium; it’s freaking awesome.” A challenge with stadium food service has been “figuring out a way to serve that scale of numbers” while avoiding long waits in lineups, says Carter. A solution has been to pare down the menu options, prepare a lot in advance, and limit the amount of ingredients per dish. “Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best ones,” says Boersch. “You have to be really smart with the ingredients you pick.” For the University of Regina Rams game
in October, a new stadium test event, Beer Bros. ran out of food, planning for a crowd of 16,000. For the 33,000 capacity at Rider games, they plan to serve 2,500 meals. Boersch is looking forward to getting into their new digs after “such a long buildup... I’m excited to get going.” NEW STADIUM, NEW OPTIONS Unlike the old stadium, you’re not limited to the vendor that’s closest to you anymore. You can even cross the stadium in search of something specific. At least once this season, I will probably have a Molson Canadian to wash down my go-to mustard-and-ketchup Harvest hot dog. It was my mainstay in part because there Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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were only a handful of food items available at Taylor Field. Now, there are many, many, many other options. The new stadium has a unique food service plan. Instead of one umbrella food company (think Aramark or Compass Group), which is typical of every other stadium in Canada, it’s a few individual companies providing the food. Most of them are local, and some offer really niche products. At the old stadium, butter chicken (Wok Box) was never an option. Neither were cupcakes (Sweet Ambrosia). The early list of vendors included: The aforementioned Beer Bros., Sweet Ambrosia Bakeshoppe and Wok Box, plus Victoria’s Tavern, Rock Creek, Coney Island and Western Pizza. Catering for VIPs, there’s the Willow on Wascana (also owned by Beer Bros. partners Carter, James Taylor and Greg Hanwell). Dome Concessions, which sells snacks at Evraz Place, will serve the usual stadium food favourites — hot dogs, hamburgers, pretzels and popcorn — much of which will be available at every concession stand. The stadium has 24 concessions and 272 beer taps. To buy beer, you won’t need tokens either. BEER ME The method of payment may have changed, but one thing that remains the same is the Riders’ sponsorship deal with Molson. That deal is the reason you were limited to cans of Canadian, Coors Light, Pilsner and the exotic Banquet in the old stadium. But there is hope. Molson has done “a decent job of acquiring other brands,” says Carter. They can distribute Lagunitas and Granville Island, among many other brands. Heineken, Belgian Moon and Strongbow were specifically named as new stadium options. And there will be local craft beer in the new stadium — although at the time of my deadline, the exact selection and availability remained question marks. I’m holding out hope I’ll have a Rebellion IPA in my hand (or in my handy new cupholder) for the next Snowbirds flyover. amartin@postmedia.com twitter.com/LPAshleyM
Green and white nachos. T R OY F L E E C E / R E g i na L E a dE R -P O s T
Beer Bros. head chef Fabian Boersch (left) and co-owner Darren Carter with some of the dishes the restaurant will be offering at the new Mosaic Stadium. M iC H a E L B E L L / R E g i na L E a dE R -P O s T
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SPONSORED BY EVRAZ PLACE
EVRAZ PLACE SCORES A TOUCHDOWN WITH ADDITION OF NEW MOSAIC STADIUM JONATHAN HAMELIN Postmedia Content Works
Evraz Place likes to refer to itself as the place “Where Everything Happens.” Sitting on 100 acres of land and boasting facilities such as the Brandt Centre, Queensbury Convention Centre, The Co-operators Centre and EventPlex, Evraz Place hosts approximately 3.5 million visitors each year. These visitors took in events such as Canada’s Farm Progress Show, Canadian Western Agribition and Queen City Ex, along with numerous sporting events, concerts, trade shows, awards shows, conferences and weddings. However, with Evraz Place serving as home of the new Mosaic Stadium, the “Where Everything Happens” saying may be a bit of an understatement. Soon, football fans will be pouring into the stadium to watch their beloved Saskatchewan Roughriders in action and also packing the stands for other major sport matches, concerts and special events. “It’s exciting to have Mosaic Stadium on the property because it’s another part of the overall property renewals that we have gone through in the last decade,” said Paula Kohl, director of marketing, communications and strategy for the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL – operator of Evraz Place). “With the addition of Mosaic Stadium and the International Trade Centre opening later this year, it’s a really exciting time for us. We’ve now become the hub of sports, entertainment and business events for the community.” Many people are especially looking forward to watching the Roughriders take to the field at the new Mosaic Stadium. The staff of Evraz Place will be wrapped up in all the action, overseeing dayto-day stadium operations, including food services, custodial work and security services. The team is also focused on long-term operation and maintenance. When it came time to select a food and bever-
Evraz Place is proud to serve as the home of the new Mosaic Stadium.
age model for the stadium, Kohl explained that REAL decided to stay true to its community roots by including local businesses. REAL is a community-based, not-for-profit corporation. “It’s a different model from a lot of different stadiums, where they only have one main food provider,” Kohl said. “We’re excited to provide a variety of different local food options. It creates a sense of community pride and it also gives those local restaurants a chance to reach maybe a different customer and also build their brands. We know that stadiums are getting a little more inventive with their food options. We examined those trends and looked at some of the restaurants in town who are big Rider fans and have lots of experience in the industry.” There are many ways for the public to enjoy the new Mosaic Stadium when the Roughriders aren’t playing. The facility boasts several premium service lounges and suites for hosting corpor-
REGINA EXHIBITION ASSOCIATION LTD.
ate meetings, receptions, luncheons and galas. The AGT Lounge is a two-level premium lounge with warm decor, views of the football field and access to an exterior balcony overlooking beautiful Confederation Park and its historic fountain. Harvard’s Studio 620 Lounge is a contemporary sports lounge with decor that features benches from historic Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field. For a more intimate setting, there is the Capital Auto Mall Suites and a variety of other party suites. In these premium areas, guests will enjoy delectable cuisine from award-winning chef Michael Zech. “We know what it takes behind the scenes to host a flawless, unforgettable event,” Kohl said. “Our team’s dedication and attention to detail ensure your event will leave a lasting impression on your guests. We can help bring your event vision to life at Mosaic Stadium.” One thing about the new Mosaic Stadium that
THIS STORY WAS CREATED BY CONTENT WORKS, POSTMEDIA’S COMMERCIAL CONTENT STUDIO, ON BEHALF OF EVRAZ PLACE.
.
Mosaic Stadium boasts several premium service lounges and suites for hosting corporate meetings, receptions, luncheons and galas. The AGT Lounge is a two-level premium lounge with inviting décor, outstanding views of the playing field and access to an exterior balcony. Patrons can watch the game in comfort while enjoying great food and refreshments. RE GINA EX HIB IT ION ASSO CIATION LTD.
IT’S A DIFFERENT MODEL FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT STADIUMS has generated quite a buzz is the big concerts and sporting events already scheduled. Evraz Place is the team behind these major events. The inaugural concert, Regina Rocks Mosaic Stadium, took place on May 27. It featured Canadian rock icon Bryan Adams, along with other stellar Canadian acts including Our Lady Peace and Johnny Reid. On Aug. 27, the American hard rock super group Guns N’ Roses brings their tour to the new Mosaic Stadium. Most recently, it was announced that the New York Cosmos from the North American Soccer League will face Valencia CF from Spain’s La Liga at the new Mosaic Stadium on July 22. During the announcement, Regina Mayor Michael Fougere declared the day, Soccer Day in Saskatchewan. “The opportunity to host some of those larger outdoor events at the stadium is exciting,” Kohl said. “I don’t think it’s too far of a stretch to think of future events like the Grey Cup taking place in the stadium. We first toured the stadium with a view of the spaces that we would be able to offer for events. I speak on the behalf on my colleagues when I say that the first reaction was ‘wow’.”
The corporate suites at the new Mosaic Stadium are definitely ‘wow-worthy.’ RE GINA EXHIBITION ASSOCIATION LTD.
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A look at the other eight stadiums in the CFL
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he new Mosaic Stadium is to play host to its first regular-season CFL game on Canada Day with the Riders playing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The $278-million facility replaces old Mosaic (formerly Park de Young and Taylor Field), which had served as the
Riders’ full-time home since 1936. Murray McCormick, who covers the Riders for the Regina Leader-Post, has visited each of the league’s stadiums over his years on the beat. Here’s his look at the stadiums the other eight CFL teams call home:
BC PLACE (Vancouver) There are many attributes worth raving about at BC Place, which underwent $544 million in renovations in 2011. There is the
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retractable roof, the food service is diverse and easy to access, and LED lights illuminate the outside of the stadium. The giant Jumbotron (68 feet by 38 feet) is the second-largest centre-field-hung scoreboard, after the one in AT&T Stadium (home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys). The Jumbotron image is so sharp that one gets caught watching its feed instead of the actual game. The downside to BC Place is its size. The 54,530 seats are too many for a CFL venue. The Lions have followed the lead of the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team by
closing the upper deck for regular-season games and the playoffs. This approach does create a demand for tickets. When the roof is closed, BC Place is among the loudest and warmest venues in the league.
COMMONWEALTH STADIUM (Edmonton) Commonwealth Stadium is one year away from marking the 40th anniversary of Edmonton playing host to the 1978 Commonwealth Games, an event that officially opened the stadium. The massive facility
has undergone many renovations and upgrades since those early days, including two years ago when the seats were replaced with wider ones and cup-holders were added. The stadium can accommodate 56,000 fans, making it the largest in Canada, but is oversized for the CFL. The Eskimos have closed off portions of the facility to boost the demand for tickets. Fans are still far from the action due to space for the track that was designed for the Commonwealth Games. There isn’t any changing that, which reduces the intimacy of the facility.
McMAHON STADIUM (Calgary) One of the best aspects of McMahon Stadium isn’t inside the 56-year-old facility. Calgary boasts the best tailgating action in the league. The smells of food cooking on grills in the parking lots almost makes one forget how dated the stadium really is, despite numerous upgrades and renovations. The view of the Rocky Mountain foothills from the cramped press box is still impressive, but that doesn’t make up for the age of the stadium, its tight concourse areas and the slowest elevator in the league. The Stampeders are hoping for a new home and they certainly need one.
This page (from top): Vancouver’s BC Place, Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium, Calgary’s McMahon Stadium. Opposite page (from left): BC Place, Commonwealth Stadium, McMahon Stadium. P o s t M E dI A F I L E s
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INVESTORS GROUP FIELD (Winnipeg) Earplugs should come with every seat at Investors Group Field, arguably the loudest facility in the league due to its undulating, corrugated metal roof covering most of the stadium’s 33,500 seats. The sound is bounced back on to the field, making it nearly impossible for opposing teams to communicate. The same goes for the media, which is tucked away in a corner with an obstructed view of the action. The concourses are cramped, but fans can still the catch the action on any of the 250 monitors. Access to the stadium is a challenge because IGF is a long way from Portage Avenue and traffic is often backed up. That’s the main downside to the stadium.
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TIM HORTONS FIELD (Hamilton) There aren’t any resemblances to Ivor Wynne Stadium and that’s a good thing. Ivor Wynne was long past its past-due date and Hamilton Tiger-Cats fans needed an upgrade. One change was the reorientation to north-south compared to east-west. The new orientation provides better sightlines
and some protection from the blustery winds blowing in from Lake Ontario. Fans can now sit in seats that range in width from 19 to 21 inches and include armrests and cup-holders. That’s a big change from the bench seats at Ivor Wynne. One thing that hasn’t changed is fans are still close to the action, at least in the lower levels. Binoculars are a must-have with the press box located high above the football field.
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This page (from top): Toronto’s BMO Field, Montreal’s Percival Molson Stadium, Ottawa’s TD Place. Opposite page (from top): Winnipeg’s Investors Group Field, Ottawa’s TD Place, Hamilton’s Tim Hortons Field. P o s t M E dI A F I L E s
BMO FIELD (Toronto) The Toronto Argonauts’ home is among the most intimate in the league thanks to its initial design as a soccer facility. Fans are on top of the action and the slope of the seats helps maintain that closeness to the field. BMO has the CFL’s only grass field, which lends a natural feel to the stadium. The turf is so well cared for that the players don’t mind playing on it. The facility is also easily accessible by transit. The Argos also have a tailgating area that is growing on fans. The Argos have to share the facility with Toronto FC, meaning they don’t have any access to the field other than on game days. The press box is cramped and many of the seats have obstructed views, often forcing media to watch the games on the TV monitors.
TD PLACE (Ottawa) TD Place is the centrepiece of a $450-million commercial and residential development on the site of old Landsdowne Park. It’s advisable to get to games early to sample the fare at many of the restaurants outside TD Place. One should also consider staying later because many of the bars are open long after the game. In the stadium, the spacious concourse areas offer access to the concessions. The 24,000 seats also provide decent sightlines. A downside is the seats are open to the elements, which might be a challenge with Ottawa playing host to the 2017 Grey Cup game.
PERCIVAL MOLSON MEMORIAL STADIUM (Montreal)
No press box offers a more impressive view of modern and old-style construction than Montreal’s stadium. The south view is of downtown Montreal and the north view of Mount Royal is stunning, especially in the fall when the leaves are changing colours. The stadium is 101 years old and has undergone renovations to bring it closer to the modern ones across the league. Seating leaves a lot to be desired because they are all bench seats without any backs. Leg room is cramped and the stairs are narrow without any guardrails for those making the climb to the nosebleeds. There is still an old-style charm to the league’s oldest facility that helps overcome some of its drawbacks. mmccormick@postmedia.com twitter.com/murraylp
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Ready to make some memoRies Longtime fans excited about prospect of new stadium d Oy l e F O X
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ince the announcement was made that a new stadium was coming to Saskatchewan, there has been a mixed bag of feelings from Saskatchewan Roughriders fans. But any reservations have now given way to the feeling of excitement. “When they first announced the new stadium, I was not necessarily a fan of the idea — mostly because of the expense — but once I got to go tour the new stadium, I thought it was spectacular,” said Dave Millar, a 40-year season-ticket holder. “It’s going to be a beautiful facility both for sporting events and concerts.” “I don’t think there is anything that we’ll want from the old stadium that we won’t have in the new stadium,” he added. For the past number of years, Millar has been going to Roughriders games with a small group of friends who have seats in the same area. He said being able to get seats together again in the same area was easy, but they will have to pay more because their seats are now in a more expensive zone.
Roughriders fans Kelsey and Zack Dumont, along with their four kids (from left): six-year-old Juliet, twoyear-old Rose, two-month-old Wells and three-year-old Oliver. t R oY F L E E C E / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
Zack Dumont and his wife Kelsey have been season-ticket holders for five years. During that time, they have gotten to know their seating neighbours enough to be able to exchange tickets in case they can’t attend. They won’t know who they are sitting with at the new stadium, but are looking forward to a new experience. “(We’re) excited for the possibility that there is just a little bit nicer place to enjoy that really good environment,” Dumont said. The Dumonts have four young children and have purchased two extra tickets to help introduce them to the Roughriders and the experience of being at Mosaic Stadium. “To try to get them to appreciate the games at home has been a challenge,” Dumont said about his children being distracted by toys and wanting to play outside when watching Roughriders games at home. “I grew up having season tickets with my parents so I went to all the Rider games and that is a fabulous memory that I’ve always had in my life and that’s something
I wanted to carry forward with our kids,” Kelsey said. As parents, they are hopeful the new stadium will be more accommodating for them. “Having children, especially, it would be nice that there are more vendors to hopefully reduce the lineup waits,” Kelsey said. “Hopefully, with the new place, there is an opportunity to get appetizers or something you could consider a meal, and you feel relatively OK with the sanitation issues,” Zack added. The Dumonts, as well as Millar, shared some concerns about parking at the new facility, but the overall feeling toward the opening of the new stadium was excitement. “I suspect even if the team doesn’t quite meet expectations, it will still be a very unique experience and a really interesting and fun experience to have,” Millar said. “We’re just looking forward to the season,” Kelsey added. “There is going to be a lot of excitement around the stadium. Hopefully the football players feel that excitement as well and we can have a great year.” Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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The view from the press box at the new Mosaic Stadium. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
new digs are plush and convenient, but this grizzled scribbler will miss his old stomping ground
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2 or not B2? That is the question ‌ that I will never ask (except to begin this column). I will always take the elevator to B2 — the level on which the new media room is located at Mosaic Stadium 2.0. No more stairs. No more ramps. No more post-game human traffic jams. Et cetera. Of all the amenities that can be found at the $278-million stadium, the aforementioned elevator is the one that most excites
me (self-interest always being paramount). Sure, old Taylor Field had an elevator. It was on the east side and it may have been personally inspected by Mr. Otis. It was slower than all but a few running backs the Saskatchewan Roughriders employed during the gory years, when the alleged press box was atop the east stands, on the south side. After games, approximately 237 people (most of whom had been occupying the club
seating) would attempt to shoehorn themselves into an elevator that could perhaps accommodate a dozen slender souls. Time being of the essence, the resourceful mongrels of the media would opt to negotiate the east-side grandstand, often climbing over the seats because the aisles were congested. Ian Hamilton, then of the Regina LeaderPost, could accomplish this in no time, given his supreme athleticism, but mere mortals such as this circular scribbler were left to make the cumbersome descent one … row … at … a … time. The Roughriders’ dressing room, of course, was on the other side of the stadium. How convenient. Oh, and did I mention that the east-side press box allowed reporters to have a great view of the sun? This vantage point ensured that people who were employed for the purpose of describing the proceedings to the public posed penetrating questions such as “Uh, what was that?” and the ever-popular “Who was that?” Let’s not forget the air conditioning and the heating — neither of which were ever close to being just right. Whiny reporter: “It’s cold in here.” A Taylor Field staffer would courteously crank up the heat. Same whiny reporter: “It’s hot in here.” I spent several years venting about the venting. Then, blessedly, the press box was moved back to the west side — where there were ramps. Each year, it seemed like two ramps (to go with my two additional chins) were added, just to make the trek toward the press box more arduous. But now, there is luxury. There is a temperature-controlled working environment. There is ample leg room (for anyone who requires room for an ample leg). And there is every reason to savour the new surroundings. Don’t get me wrong. I will miss the old place, ramps and all. It was like a second home, a place where I attended sporting events voluntarily and vocationally. It feels like I grew up at Taylor Field, watching Ron Lancaster, George Reed, Ed McQuarters, Bill Baker, Joey Walters, Roger
Watching games at Taylor Field meant witnessing the greatness of such players as Ron Lancaster and George Reed. R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t F I L E s
Aldag, Dave Ridgway, Joe Paopao, et al. Let’s not forget the Regina Rams — Gordon Currie, Frank McCrystal, Lenny Knoll, Ted Dolinski, Gerry Fellner, Maurice Butler, Marshall Hamilton, Kelly Hamilton and friends. In 1975, Taylor Field housed the opening ceremonies for the Western Canada Summer Games, the first multi-sport event I ever attended. Professionally, Taylor Field was an office away from the office. I always said a quiet, sincere thank-you to Leader-Post legend Bob Hughes when I waddled into the stadium for the purpose of covering a sporting event. (As a bonus, I always made it up to the press box without requiring a cart or CPR. I owe it all to the body-sculpting.) By the same token, I will always have a feeling of gratitude for the visionaries who allowed the new stadium — once a fantasy — to become a reality. And thanks to my fellow taxpayers as well. Having written about the stadium issue from the outset, I know there were some
objections. I know there are people who maintain that the facility should have been domed, and/or that it should have been situated downtown. In these economic times, there are bound to be objections to the ninefigure expenditure. I get all of that. I really do. But if you are one who frequents Mosaic Stadium, you have to appreciate the fact that construction is now complete. As a bonus, we will not have to hear “on time and on budget” with respect to a sporting edifice for the foreseeable future. Instead, we will watch the Roughriders welcome the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on the first of July while celebrating another first — the inaugural regular-season game at Mosaic Stadium 2.0. The game will be played on Canada’s 150th birthday and, thanks to the plush surroundings, my osteoarthritic right knee will no longer feel like it, too, is 150. Here’s to you, B2. rvanstone@postmedia.com twitter.com/robvanstone
The view from the press box at the old Mosaic Stadium, obscured by a scrawled farewell by Mitchell Blair of CKRM. R oB VA n s t on E / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
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CRAIG REYNOLDS: ‘It’s paying off now.’
Like everything else in their new facilities, the public entrance to the Roughriders’ new office space is decked out in the team’s colours. t R oY F L E E C E / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
HUDDLED Roughriders happy to house football and business operations in one facililty M U r r Ay M C C O r M i C K
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are no longer a team divided. That changed when the club moved into new Mosaic Stadium during the off-season. The move to the stadium brought the football operations and business sides of the CFL team under one roof. In the past, the football operations were located at old Mosaic Stadium and the training facilities were in the Regina Centre Crossing Mall. The business offices were at the corner of Dewdney Avenue and Albert Street, a short walk from old Mosaic Stadium. “The distance wasn’t insurmountable and we made it work because we were reasonably close,’’ said Riders president and CEO Craig Reynolds. “Having said that, it’s so much easier when you’re in the same building. It’s that much easier to have those conversations and a quick visit or a quick meeting because we’re in the same building. That happens formally or informally where you just run into people in the building and have those connections.’’
TOGEThER
The Riders’ business and football operations staff marked the unification with a reception at Mosaic Stadium. “It was just fantastic because it felt like one big family in a new home,’’ Reynolds said. “Nothing but positive things will come from being under the same roof. We have some graphics in our business office and our theme is ‘One Team.’ You can really talk about that now because we’re one team all working under one roof in this wonderful facility.’’ The flagship Riders store and the ticket office are also located at new Mosaic Stadium. The Riders store was originally located on the west side of Mosaic Stadium, tucked beside the ticket office. The new store is located at the north end of the stadium. “We wanted to make sure that we had a prominent presence for the Riders store,’’ Reynolds said. “It’s over twice as big as the old store at Mosaic and should be able to accommodate more fans on game day. We wanted to have a street presence near Elphinstone and that people saw it when they
accessed the Evraz Place property. That was really important to us.’’ Since the Riders moved into their new home in February, Reynolds has conducted numerous tours of the stadium. “I’m proud of our organization and proud of the people who played a big role in the design of it,’’ he said. “(Assistant vice-president of football operations and administration) Jeremy O’Day played a big role in the design of the football space and overseeing that. We really felt it was important that the users of the space had a say in the design of the space. We do have some ‘wow’ space, but we also have some very functional space. “That is the consistent feedback that we get. They talk about the ‘wow’ moments, but also about how we thought of everything and all of the little details. When you get the feedback you realize that a lot of energy and time was put into this facility and it’s paying off now.’’ mmccormick@postmedia.com twitter.com/murraylp
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Rob Bagg appreciates the amenities that make Mosaic Stadium a crown jewel among the CFL’s stadiums. Having said that, the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ veteran receiver knows it will take more than perks to make the team’s new home special. “It really does look like it dropped down from the sky and landed in Regina,’’ said Bagg, who is entering his ninth season with the Riders. “It’s such an amazing facility and it really is beautiful. “Still, the fans and the people make the experiences what they are,’’ he added.
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Every player’s locker has a dramatically lit compartment for his helmet. Below, tubs in the Riders’ physiotherapy room.
Roughriders spared no expense in outfitting players’ spaces
Clockwise from top left: the players’ auditorium, staircase to the second level, the barber shop, the gym and the locker room. tRoY FLEE CE / R E gInA LEA dER-P ost
“Without Rider Nation packing that house, it would just be another empty building without any feelings or personality. It’s beautiful to look at, the amenities are incredible, and everything else about it is spectacular. What really makes it for me is when it’s a packed house and I hear all of those Rider fans screaming.’’ Middle linebacker Henoc Muamba’s football travels have included stints with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys before signing with the Riders
late in the 2016 season. Muamba feels the Riders’ facilities are comparable to those he saw in the NFL. “In terms of what we need, we have everything and everything is top-notch,’’ Muamba said. “It’s definitely up there.’’ The Riders spent $19 million on their portion of the $278-million Mosaic Stadium. The franchise’s space is a total of 67,360 square feet, including 48,000 for football operations. Football amenities range from position meeting rooms to a 120-seat players’ auditorium to a 5,400-square-foot training facility to a 4,450-square-foot open-concept locker room. Among the perks is a onechair barber shop where players can cut each other’s hair. “I’ve never seen a barber shop anywhere,’’ Muamba said. “It’s definitely up there. Everyone cuts hair and it brings teams together. (Head coach and general manager) Chris Jones and the front office thought it would be a cool thing to have and I think it will be effective. It will be exciting to see where things go with the
whole chair stuff.’’ The Riders’ inner sanctum includes a players’ lounge and another lounge where wives, families and friends can hang out after games. “There really isn’t any reason to go home early after a work day,’’ Bagg said. “They have made it incredibly accessible to watch film, lift weights or do just about any type of work to improve your game because you have those resources. The players should feel fortunate and blessed to have them.’’ The facilities also increase the pressure on the Riders to perform. “We don’t have any excuses because we have every opportunity to be successful and improve our individual and team games,’’ Bagg said. “We now have resources that other teams don’t have and it’s up to us to make sure that our product is as good as our stadium. I take a tremendous amount of pride in it. I’m excited to prove that both the football team and the stadium are first-class.’’ mmccormick@postmedia.com twitter.com/murraylp
Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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Since moving into their new stadium, the Bombers say they have enjoyed an increase in their attendance and in the decibel level at home games. t oU R I s M W I n n I PE g
Prairie rivals already reaping the benefits of a new stadium M U r r Ay M C C O r M i C K
T
he transition from Canad Inns Stadium to Investors Group Field wasn’t without its challenges for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Investors Group Field was scheduled to open in time for the 2012 CFL season. However, high winds and frigid winter conditions led to construction delays that pushed back the opening of the new stadium until 2013. The delay meant the Blue Bombers were forced to play another season in Canad Inns Stadium even though some of the demolition of the old facility had begun. The Saskatchewan Roughriders, by contrast, are to make their debut at the new stadium on time. The Riders learned from the trials that the Blue Bombers endured, including the delayed opening of Winnipeg’s new stadium. “You watch what competitors do and of course you learn from them,’’ Blue Bombers general manager Kyle Walters said before making a lighthearted comment. “Shockingly, in Winnipeg with those winds in the winter, there were delays. “I think with every construction there were delays, but it all worked out. For (the Riders) to wait a year and have a trial run seems prudent.’’ The Blue Bombers are settled in their new
home and reaping some of the benefits of playing in the facility. “It was extremely important to move into a new stadium because it gives you different revenue streams in terms of corporate partnerships and premium seating and other options that a generation of sporting fans have come to expect,’’ said Blue Bombers president and CEO Wade Miller. “You’re competing with people coming to the games rather than watching them on TV. Mosaic Stadium will have the comforts and luxuries that people have come to expect.’’ Investors Group Field can accommodate 32,234 spectators, with a unique undulating canopy covering 80 per cent of them. The
KYLE WALTERS: ‘Wonderful to come to work.’
roof also bounces the noise from the fans on to the field, which creates a loud home-field advantage for the Blue Bombers. Among the amenities in the stadium are cup holders for each seat and 250 TV monitors throughout the stadium for fans to track the game while away from their seats. The Blue Bombers’ store and season-tickets centre are both at the stadium. Winnipeg’s football operations are also at the stadium, including the locker room, meeting rooms and training facilities. “From a football ops standpoint, the quality of what we have down there makes it wonderful to come to work,’’ Walters said. “In a small league, where there are only nine teams, all of the players know each other and word gets out there quickly. Come free agency, it helps to know that when you’re in your locker room that the practice field is right there and the organization is top-notch.’’ The Blue Bombers say they have averaged 27,845 spectators over 41 pre-season and regular-season games at Investors Group Field compared to 22,567 fans in 653 contests at Canad Inns Stadium. As well as an attendance increase, Winnipeg gained a morale boost throughout the organization after moving into its new stadium. “It’s like getting a new car or new home. It was a special time for everyone that is involved in the organization,’’ Miller said. “That’s a result of the fan base and every fan should look at it as their home and it being something special.’’ mmccormick@postmedia.com twitter.com/murraylp
Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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The exterior of the new stadium will be easily seen from many places in the city. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
lANDMARK
Local CrAig BAird
I
f people judge a book by its cover, the public judges a stadium by the features of its exterior. For Mosaic Stadium, the exterior was a major consideration during the design process and the City of Regina is excited to show off what it has been up to.
48
Field of Dreams | J une 2017
“It is the first thing people see,” said Rod Schmidt, manager of stadium development for the city. “As you go by every day, it is important to have that good outward face.” The main goal of the exterior features is to make it a gathering place for fans, both on Rider game days and outside of those games. “The northeast corner of Elphinstone Street
exterior of new stadium designed to make a good first impression
and 10th Avenue, the Riders hope that catches on as a fan nation kind of place,” Schmidt said. “It is one of the primary entrances of Evraz Place itself and the stadium. The main gates are right there. The design is really interesting as a place fans can stop there and take a photo even on non-game days. There will be lots and lots of photos taken there.”
ROD SCHMIDT: ‘A lot of planning.’
Two of the main features for the stadium’s exterior will be a statue, possibly more than one, and the fan wall. While no details have been provided on what the statue will be, Schmidt says much of the exterior is about celebrating the fans. “There will be a statue there and that is where they will have the fan wall,” Schmidt said. “People who have made donations will have their name on the fan wall. They also have plans for potentially a couple of other statues and more interactive kinds of features in the future.” The fan wall will recognize those who helped the stadium get built. “You can make a contribution to the development of the stadium and be recognized in that corner,” Schmidt said. The work that went into the exterior was immense, according to Schmidt, with a great deal of thought and planning on every detail, from the underground utilities to the trees and lights on the outside. “It is a lot of planning,” Schmidt said. “Some of the light poles have the opportunity to add light fixtures to wash the building in light. We have sound systems, and provisions for future additions for the lights that surround the space.” Several questions had to be asked by planners and the city, on nearly everything that goes outside the stadium. “Just choosing the lights that are out there, how far you put them from tree beds, how we protect the tree beds and make sure no one is hurt in them,” Schmidt said. “Vehicles, how do you handle those? How do you separate cars and people? There was a lot of planning that went into all of that.” cbaird@postmedia.com
While it may not cover the field, Mosaic Stadium’s partial roof is designed to enhance fans’ enjoyment of the games. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
TIGhT cOVERAGE
Teflon canopy offers protection from elements
It’s a unique feature for Regina’s new stadium, but the Teflon roof at the new Mosaic wants to be more than just a pretty face. From cutting down wind and sun to amplifying noise and pushing away snow and rain, the roof does more than one might think. Tim Switzer takes a look at the roof that is there and how it will work. What’s it made of? It’s a Teflon-coated fabric that is stretched between steel trusses surrounding the stadium. How will it cut down wind and other elements? Designers ran computer modelling with 100 years worth of weather data to determine how the wind might flow through the stadium depending on how it was built and which directions it faced. As it sits, the roof aims to direct 50 per cent of wind away from spectators. It should also
allow in sunlight which cuts down on both field shadows and power needed for lighting. Its shape and slant and are designed to cut down on the amount of snow piling up on top of it. How many seats does it cover? Around half the seats are fully covered and designers say all seats get some manner of protection by the roof. Does it trap noise? That’s the plan. Some of the sounds will be captured by the roof and amplified back toward the field. What do the designers say about it? “It would be very easy for me to say this is a very beautiful, sculptural roof that we moulded out of a piece of clay,” says Mark Williams of stadium designer HKS. “It is that, but the honest answer is it was driven more by making sure it was shaped to have a positive impact — on good days and bad days — with the wind and climate.” Field of Dreams | J une 2017
49
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Although the stadium’s design incorporates columns that could support a domed roof, it seems unlikely that would ever become a reality. t R oY F L E E C E / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
Dome dream isn’t dead, but don’t hold your breath t i M sw i t z e r
P
eople in Regina and across Saskatchewan will still point to problems with the new Mosaic Stadium. For some it’s the look. For many, it’s the cost. For others, it’s that big empty space where a roof could have been. Going back nearly a decade, many have dreamed of having a covering over Regina’s football stadium. First there was the bubble idea that could cover the old playing surface on the first Taylor Field. Back in 2010, a feasibility study done to look at the possibility of a downtown stadium gave options for a domed stadium (a mere $386.2 million for a standard roof or $431.2 million for a retractable one). Once that dream died and a new proposal for an open-air stadium developed, a new phrase was introduced into the Regina lexicon: Roof-ready. The dome debate seems to have died down in recent years, but that doesn’t mean it will lay dormant forever. The new Mosaic is indeed, “roof-ready.” Four “super columns” in the stadium’s open corners were built into the design with the idea they could eventually support a roof. But when will it happen? Well, the City of Regina’s director of stadi-
MICHAEL FOUGERE: ‘It’s not feasible.’
um development Rod Schmidt said the dome dream is not gone, but there are no plans, no talk and, perhaps most important, no price tag right now for the issues around adding a roof. “It’s an option for sometime down the road, but I couldn’t say we’re looking at it right now,” said Schmidt, adding that if a need were identified for a roof, the city and Regina Exhibition Association Ltd., which will manage the building, can look at it again in the future. The argument could, of course, be made for a need based on bringing events to the stadium in winter months — trade shows or concerts, perhaps — but that will be weighted against the cost. And, not to mention, the work that would go into building a roof.
A roof could also mean displacing the Roughriders for a season, which, once the old stadium is torn down, would be near impossible. As such, even Mayor Michael Fougere has conceded that a dome is unlikely. “Where do (the Roughriders) go? It’s not feasible. It’s not possible. We’d have to shut them down for a year, or part of a year, and that just doesn’t make sense,” Fougere said. “As much as it would be nice theoretically, in a practical sense we have a spectator domed stadium, which is so much different than the current one. It will be louder. Most people will be drier, depending on the direction of the rain or snow. It will be much more enjoyable.” Architect Mark Williams, who designed the stadium with his HKS colleagues, said while it’s not as simple as putting up a tree house, builders would not be starting from square one. “It’s not like we’d have to go tear out a section to build this big column. There’s heavy construction that has to happen, but part of the design eliminates the demolition and getting into public-type areas to do those columns. “Yes we would have to do some digging and tear up the corners but it wouldn’t be as impactful as it would be as I’ve seen on other buildings.” And, hey, perhaps Regina could emulate Dallas’ football stadium (also designed by HKS) and drop a 50-foot-wide centre-hung scoreboard from a roof. “I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to do that,” Williams said laughing. “We at least need to talk about it because I think that would be awesome.” tswitzer@postmedia.com
Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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Amenities ensure game can be watched in comfort
e d K A pp
O
ne of the overarching goals in designing the new Mosaic Stadium was to create an enjoyable and accommodating space for fans. With the facility’s inaugural season of hosting Canadian Football League games finally here, manager of stadium development Rod Schmidt can’t help but smile when asked about some of the new stadium’s features that were designed and implemented to improve the experience of the fan. “It will be different right from when you’re walking up to the building,” Schmidt, a fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, said before leading into the stadium’s four gates and 360-degree concourse which will allow fans to access their seat from any gate. “The 360-degree concourse will allow you to move around the building and go visit your friends. There are new spaces where you can meet with your friends for a drink, maybe, or to talk about what you’re going to do afterward the game or concert … You can enjoy each other’s company, so there’s more of a social aspect to it as well.” Once attendees are all caught up with their friends and ready to watch the action, their seat will actually be their seat. As opposed to bench seating at the old Mosaic Stadium, each generaladmission fan will have access to armrests, a cup holder — and about two inches more space than previously designated at the old facility. If fans didn’t have time to pick up food before being seated for the opening kickoff, it will be eas-
In addition to cup holders and armrests, fans will likely appreciate the additional leg room at the new stadium. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
ier than ever to quickly fill up at the new Mosaic Stadium, with 18 concession spaces throughout the facility and nearly 250 points of sale to lessen wait times. “That’s up substantially from the old building,” Schmidt said. Additionally, there will be 45 public washroom locations, including several that can be used by any gender. More impressive than the sheer amount of washrooms available, perhaps, is a long-soughtafter amenity at the old Mosaic Stadium: Hot water. “People are pretty excited about that,” Schmidt noted with a laugh.
Schmidt has been excited about this year, and the upcoming slate of Roughriders home games, since he assumed his position as manager of stadium development in 2012. Part of the extended stadium-building process was a “benchmark tour” of several of North America’s newest and most-advanced stadiums, plus the legendary Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The biggest takeaway from the stadium tour, which included Investors Group Field in Winnipeg, was a reinforced emphasis on fan accommodation. “You might ask ‘Why Lambeau?’ but they were undergoing renovation at the time, which gave us an opportunity to ask why they’re undertaking these renovations, and the biggest factor was maximizing premier spaces and fan accommodation,” Schmidt says. Is there a fan base that deserves these new amenities more than Rider Nation? “I don’t think so,” Schmidt offered with a chuckle. “You’d definitely be hard-pressed to find one.” Thanks to the 360-degree concourse, fans won’t be trapped on one side of the stadium like they were in the past. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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Thanks to its sunken bowl design, when wind whips the flags outside the stadium, things should be a bit calmer down at field level. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
Winds of
chANGE Kickers will have to adjust to new conditions
e
t i M sw i t z e r
veryone has a story about the wind in the old Mosaic Stadium. Maybe it’s sitting through a cutting October breeze or watching a gust push a field goal a few yards further — or stop it a few yards short. Take Oct. 27, 2001, for example. Some will recognize that date as the one on which Saskatchewan Roughriders kicker Paul McCallum set a CFL record with a 62-yard field goal during a 12-3 win over the visiting Edmonton Eskimos. Some will also remember it as a blustery day in Regina. Only, as far as windy days in Regina go, it wasn’t that bad at all. The breeze measured at 17 km/h that day with gusts coming in higher than that. Indeed, even McCallum knew that day the wind wasn’t a huge factor. “The wind helped me a little bit, but when it’s really windy sometimes that knocks it down,” he said that day. And even legendary Riders kicker Dave Ridgway, whose 60-yard record McCallum broke and who was in attendance that day, knew the wind
Riders placekicker Tyler Crapigna likely won’t have as much wind to contend with in the new Mosaic Stadium. d on H E A LY/ R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
had little to do with the record-breaker. ‘’With the wind or without the wind, it has to be a pure kick,’’ Ridgway said. ‘’That was a pure kick.” The four longest field goals in the history of the CFL (McCallum’s, Ridgway’s and 59-yarders by Saskatchewan’s Paul Watson and Edmonton’s Dave Cutler) were all kicked on Taylor Field. Which begs the question, with the new Mosaic Stadium designed to cut down climatic elements, are Regina’s record-breaking field goal days behind it? Tyler Crapigna, for one, is interested to see just how the wind flows through the new stadium. “It was never THAT bad,” the incumbent Roughrider kicker said of the old stadium wind. “But when it gets bad, it’s bad.” Given the open ends of the original Taylor Field, players and fans alike could usually count on a straight north or south breeze coming through. That sort of predictability was fine by most kickers. But to ask one of the few people who has kicked in a live game in the stadium so far (this publication went to press prior to the Roughriders’ pre-season game), kickers can expect a bit more of an in-stadium swirl. “It’s harder to judge but you don’t get that straight push,” says Daniel Scraper, the University of Regina Rams kicker who hit two field goals
(29 and 31 yards) and punted for a 35-yard average in a Canada West game in the fall. The advantage of that swirl, says Scraper, is that it can lead to a little more hang time under a punt. Riders punter Josh Bartel isn’t convinced it’s a good thing, saying a swirling wind is too unpredictable. “I actually enjoy kicking in wind,” he says. “To be a better punter, you have to test yourself against the wind. Anyone can kick on a still day.” The sunken-bowl design of the new stadium, he said, helps cut down the wind as well — something he has also seen in Winnipeg’s Investors Group Field. Stadium architect Mark Williams of Dallasbased HKS notes the new facility should take care of most of the wind on the field and in the stands. HKS did extensive computer modelling of the design and how it would be affected by the wind. The northwest corner, for instance, was built higher than others to block those cold winter winds that players and fans alike dread come November. Assuming the modelling turns out exactly how the designers intended, Bartel might speak for everyone who watches or plays in a game in the new stadium: “The 40 km/h winds will be nice not to see.” tswitzer@postmedia.com
Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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PARTYZONE Fans enjoy the game between the University of Regina Rams and the U of S Huskies from the terraces at the south end during the first test event at new Mosaic Stadium on Oct. 1, 2016. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
Standing-room south section figures to be raucous e d K A pp
If you’re a university-age Saskatchewan Roughriders fan who doesn’t mind standing, the place to be on game day is the south end zone at the new Mosaic Stadium. That section of the park is designed with younger fans in mind and designated for those 19 years of age and older. It will be standingroom only, and will hold between 800 and 1,500 people when filled to capacity. The south end zone is the Riders’ answer to several other football teams that have made their end zone stands a big part of the gameday experience, despite the less-than-ideal vantage point they offer to fans. While that region is far less sinister and intimidating than the infamous “Black Hole” belonging to the Oakland Raiders, and so far tidier than the Cleveland Browns’ “Dawg Pound,”
56
Field of Dreams | J une 2017
Green and White vice-president of business development and marketing Gregg Sauter expects tickets in the south end zone of the new Mosaic Stadium to soon be a hot commodity in Rider Nation. “The south end zone is going to be a very young, vibrant, exciting and happening place,” Sauter says with a smile in advance of the new stadium’s inaugural campaign. “I think that end zone is going to be one of the most-soughtafter places in the stadium. It’s meant to be young, very energetic, and, with the help of our partners, we’re going to have a lot of fun in that end zone. “It’s going to be great.” But that’s not to take away anything from the new stadium’s north end zone, where seating is fixed and there aren’t any age limits, Sauter adds. The south-side section, however, will be a little different than its northern counterpart — and most likely a little louder once the whistle blows. “If you’re young, if you like to stand, if you like to cheer loud and have a lot of fun at the games, that’s going to be your place,” he says.
The Dawg Pound in Cleveland. d AV I d M A X W E L L / AFP
“If that’s you, the south end zone is where you’re going to want to be.” That sounds about right, confirms lifelong Green and White fan Stephen Safinuk, who was a south end zone spectator for the University of Regina Rams’ 37-29 victory over the visiting University of Saskatchewan Huskies in the first game at the new stadium on Oct. 1. “It was actually a lot of fun,” Safinuk, a 12year Riders season-ticket holder, says with a chuckle. “There’s just something about standing up at a sports event … You’re standing, partying with a bunch of people who are there for a good time. That’s what I grew up on with the Roughriders. I cut my teeth in Section 28, so I’m used to that experience. “I think a lot of fans are going to have a really good time there.”
Rams QB Noah Picton throws a pass in the Oct. 1, 2016, test event. t R oY F L E E C E / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
pAssING
the test
u of R Rams inaugurated new stadium with a win e d K A pp
University of Regina Rams quarterback Noah Picton has one word to describe his October game against the visiting University of Saskatchewan Huskies. “Surreal,” the reigning first-team all-Canadian signal-caller offers in retrospect. Picton and the Rams helped curb a late comeback attempt from the Huskies, throwing for 370 yards and four touchdowns in the process, to win their fourth straight game at the time, 37-29. But it wasn’t the hard-fought win or gaudy statistics that were out of the ordinary for Picton, who won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the country’s top university football player in 2016. It was the fact that the game was the first of its kind at the new Mosaic Stadium, before a U Sports-record crowd of more than 16,000. “It was definitely surreal,” Picton says. “After the game, we were happy about the win, but the historical significance didn’t really set in. Everyone was asking about how it felt to be the first to do this or the first to do that — the first quarterback to throw a touchdown pass,
blah blah blah — but at the time I was just happy that we improved our record.” Many similar, historically influenced questions sprung up before the game, the former LeBoldus Golden Suns star says. Although the questions were surely interesting to ponder, the Regina-born gunslinger says his team was focused on the task at hand. “For me, the biggest part was remembering that it was just a regular game and we had a job to do,” says Picton, who in 2016 set a U Sports single-season record for passing yards (3,186) while leading the country in completion percentage (69.3) and touchdown passes (25). “The night before the game, we did our sightseeing and got that out of our system. We knew the circumstances and how many eyes would be on us and on the game, because it’s the first of its kind, but at the end of the day we were playing a good football team. If we got too distracted by the bright lights, we’d let the game get away from us.” The beautiful thing, Picton says, is that football is football once the whistle blows. But hearing the whistle, he adds with a laugh, may have
Rams cheerleaders get the crowd fired up at the Oct. 1, 2016, test event. t R oY F L E E C E / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
been the biggest challenge of the whole experience. “I couldn’t believe how loud it was,” the personable quarterback says with a smile. “Once you pack a full stadium for a Rider game, it’s going to be a pretty electric atmosphere for years to come.” While Picton was amazed by the new Mosaic Stadium and relished the opportunity to help christen the new facility, like any great quarterback, he was happiest to get the win — at least for the time being. “The focus was on winning the game, and I’m just happy we could do that,” Picton says, adding, “In the moment, winning the game was the best thing for the club. But 50 years from now, being a part of that spectacle and historic game will be pretty special too.” Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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pARTNER
Proud
20-year naming-rights deal looks like a good investment for Mosaic d Oy l e F O X
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or the next two decades, The Mosaic Company’s logo will pierce the Regina skyline from the new home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and will stand as a continuation of a partnership between the two organizations that dates back to 2006. “Mosaic believes in supporting organizations that are important to the places we have operations,” said Sarah Fedorchuk, senior director of public affairs with Mosaic. “I don’t think there is another thing that resonates with all the people of Saskatchewan like the Roughriders do.” Mosaic was the first company to have naming rights with the Roughriders’ home field, when Taylor Field was renamed Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field in the summer of 2006. It was an easy move for the blossoming phosphate and potash company. “In the beginning it was kind of a nice fit for Mosaic because we were a brand-new company,” Fedorchuk said. “We were incorporated at the end of 2004 and the leadership at the time was looking for partnerships that could be made with brands that already had a really strong presence in the province.” Fedorchuk said Mosaic entered into the partnership originally and continued it as a founding partner of the new Mosaic Stadium because the company wanted to grow its brand. She said it has blossomed into a point of pride for the company and its employees. “Everyone in Canada knows about the Roughriders and where they play and the logo is recognizable so it takes our brand and reputation to places where we wouldn’t have
been able to otherwise,” Fedorchuk said. Fedorchuk said the partnership with the Roughriders has helped energize employee engagement and is a conversation starter, especially during recruitment. In the days leading up to the opening of the new Mosaic Stadium, employees and their families will be offered a sneak peek of the facility and a chance to meet some of the players. Fedorchuk said it will give them a chance to feel connected to the investment. “The Riders have been fantastic partners,” she said. “They have done everything they could to include us in the exciting things that have happened to the organization over the years.”
Fedorchuk said that the feeling among the 2,200-plus people employed by Mosaic is excitement and pride, and that the 20-year agreement is a sign that Mosaic will be invested in the province and its professional football team for the long term. “I think that one of the things that we’ve been really impressed with the stadium is that it’s really going to be a place not just for the Riders to play, but a place that the whole community is going to gather,” she said. “It has beautiful conference spaces and the kids are going to be able to play sports there and it’s something the community should be really proud of. It’s a world-class facility and we’re really happy to have our name on it.” Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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BORN again Confederation Park gets a much-needed facelift
Confederation Park’s centrepiece fountain is being restored to its original state. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
CrAig BAird
One of the oldest parks in the entire city, with a beautiful fountain as its centrepiece, Confederation Park was once a shining example of a park in Regina. Built in 1927 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation, the park has slowly deteriorated over the years and had become a shell of its former self. Its once-beautiful fountain was left in poor condition, and its role as a gathering place diminished. Today, the park has been born anew thanks to a $2-million facelift and the construction of new Mosaic Stadium. From top to bottom, the park is enjoying a complete rejuvenation. “The park will include in the renewal: restoration of the turf, replacing the irrigation system and adding furnishings that are consistent with the designs of the park when it was originally built,” said Laurie Shalley, director of community services. “We are replacing the pathways and we will be adding new trees.” The fountain will also be returned to its original state, while students are helping to create artistic designs for panels that are placed around utility boxes. “It is an interesting project and the students are working with two local artists and exploring themes related to Confederation,” said Shalley. “They will create images that will be transferred to panels and be on display for people to enjoy.” The panels will be interpretive in nature and will tell the story of Regina’s role
Ninety years after it was first built, Confederation Park is being rejuvenated for generations to come. M IC H A E L B E L L / R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
LAURIE SHALLEY: ‘The time was right to make it a priority.’
in Confederation as well. They will also be translated in Cree. With Canada celebrating 150 years since Confederation, it was also felt the time was right for a revitalization. “We felt the time was right to make it a priority to renew the park and create a new space for the area,” Shalley said. “It will become a space that people can enjoy for many years to come.” Going forward, the park will support many activities for the stadium, and serve as a gathering spot for Riders games. “With the addition of the sidewalks and the lighting, it has really added to that space,” said Paula Kohl, director of marketing for Regina Exhibition Association Ltd. “We have always taken advantage of the park for our
events. There is nothing like a good outdoor place for gatherings, events or concerts.” “The park might be used for game day celebrations. There may be other activities connected with the stadium,” said Shalley. It won’t just be about Riders games for events at Confederation Park. “During Queen City Ex, we have held concerts in the past,” Kohl said. “We have also had requests from people to rent the space outright for weddings and such.” “The park we created is designed to be a gathering space,” said Shalley. “The effort is in part an effort to beautify the area and preserve the cultural significance of the area. As this is an area that attracts many people, we feel this is a great opportunity to create a vibrant space that people can enjoy.” The park is expected to officially open to residents in July. cbaird@postmedia.com
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SPONSORED BY MOSAIC
Building a Province for
TOMORRO
AT MOSAIC, WE TAKE PRIDE IN OUR ABILITY TO HELP CREATE BETTER COMMUNITIES
T
he Mosaic Company prides itself on supporting the things that are most important to the people of Saskat-
chewan. Whether it’s a company record grant of $7 million to build the province’s first Children’s Hospital or providing funding for an Applied Arts Lab at the new Langenburg School, Mosaic strives to make a big impact in the province. “At Mosaic, we take pride in our ability to help create better communities,” says Mosaic Senior Vice President, Potash – Bruce Bodine. “We are always looking for new ways to activate our partnerships and give back.” Topping the list of high visibility investments is Mosaic Stadium. In 2014, Mosaic announced plans to extend their stadium naming rights, but Mosaic’s partnership with the Riders goes far-beyond a name. The two announced a joint effort to support the Mâmawêyatitân Centre, currently under construction in North Central Regina, with $100,000. The Riders will bring programming to connect the team to the students and community members who will use the space beginning this fall. For the potash company, Mosaic Stadium is just one of many massive infrastructure investments they’ve made in the last five years. As the doors are set to open at the new home of Rider Nation, Mosaic’s new mine in Esterhazy has also reached a major project milestone – hitting potash. “Upon completion of K3, Mosaic’s Esterhazy operations is expected to be the largest, most competitive potash mine in the world,” says Bodine. Mosaic currently operates four mines and employs over 2,200 people in Saskatchewan – all of whom are proud Rider fans. The com-
pany provides over 2,700 tickets to their employees each season to enjoy home games. These employees join the masses in asking “what’s next?” when it comes to Mosaic upping the fan experience for the passionate 30,000 plus crowd.
OW In 2015, the company brought the first ‘card stunt’ to the CFL on Labour Day, stunning the crowd with an energizing “Bring ‘Em Out” message followed by a patriotic Canadian flag. Last year, to say farewell to historic Mosaic Stadium, they lit up the night with LED wristbands to take the sold-out
crowd through the emotional post-game ceremony. Mosaic’s work is a shining example of what can be accomplished when communities and companies come together to help grow our special province. Learn more at mosaicco.com.
ELECTRIC UMBRELLA IMAGES.
THIS STORY WAS CREATED BY CONTENT WORKS, POSTMEDIA’S COMMERCIAL CONTENT STUDIO, ON BEHALF OF MOSAIC
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Grand
Acclaimed architect is no stranger to stadium megaprojects Mark Williams of HKS Architects at the 2014 unveiling of the design details for the new Mosaic Stadium. His firm is now working on the new Los Angeles Rams stadium (model at right). d on H E A LY/ R E g I nA L E A dE R -P o s t
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rom the time he was in Grade 7 in Marshalltown, Iowa, Mark Williams knew he wanted to be an architect. He also knew that sports was a big part of his life. Little did he know then that he’d eventually combine the two at HKS Architects and design some of North America’s most impressive new stadiums. Williams spoke to Tim Switzer about what goes into making a facility like the new Mosaic Stadium in Regina come to life. How does one end up helping design some of the most celebrated stadiums in North America?
A
I was able to position myself in the
infancy of our firm building a sports group. I spent 20 years: A. Working on incredible sports venues and; B. Helping develop and grow and nurture a sports group which is
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now one of the pre-eminent sports and entertainment architectural firms in the world. (Growing up with sports) was a factor. I don’t think I’ve quite fully clicked the experience of that and what sports means to our world, whether you’re on the field or you’re watching it. That all came together when I started working on these projects. It was the attraction of working in sports and working in architecture. But it didn’t really come together and develop and become as impactful until I was doing that. Looking at the list of buildings you’ve worked on, many are some of the most impressive at least in the NFL right now (AT&T Stadium in Arlington, home of the Dallas Cowboys; the new Los Angeles Rams stadium in Inglewood). Do you have a favourite one?
A
The reality is there’s pieces and parts from all of them that I love. They’re all so very unique creations. You look at the city, the league, the team, the demographics. All of that stuff is treated very specific to the projects we work on and what grows out of that and the understanding of that is a very unique. I can give a couple examples that rise to the top. An obvious one that stands out to people that know these buildings is what we did at Cowboys with the centre-hung scoreboard. That was a game-changer in taking a football stadium and treating it like an arenatype environment. The biggest competitor to not going to the venue was you could stay at home with technology and get a closer experience. Another one was at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis was the integration of the Final Four at a higher level. We worked with the NCAA to reconfigure how the Final Four is experienced by doing the whole centre-court configuration.
A lifelong Vikings fan, Williams felt privileged to work on U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis (above). HKS also designed AT&T Stadium in Arlington (below), home of the Dallas Cowboys. A P F I L E s
You grew up a Minnesota Vikings fan. What was it like getting to work on that team’s new U.S. Bank Stadium?
A
My first NFL game was a Minnesota Vikings game and I’ll never forget that. It’s like it was yesterday. Walking into an environment like that and seeing the scale and the crowd and the noise. The energy was just unprecedented. A lot of us experience that. I’ve been very fortunate with several of the projects to have a very long-term bond and come back years and decade later and you’re doing something. I talked a lot about that on (the design for the) Vikings and what it meant for people to walk into that building and what it meant to me and my dad and brother.
or five games before we started all the design work. I was fortunate to have some time to get to understand the existing stadium and the team and the region. That was a big factor. How can we celebrate and even, at a higher level, energize the energy that was in that old stadium? And the climatic response was a big factor too. Having been there and experienced very cold games, the other side of the coin and having the ability to work with the design to mitigate winds, mitigate the discomfort from the climate, was a big piece. How can we, on the worst of days in Regina, make sure that we’re helping protect and make the experience from a fan
level from what it would be sitting out in the open wind out of the northwest? Does the football aspect of the design come into play when when looking at climate or is it more about the fans?
A
A lot of it is fans. Once we make sure we’re not creating a wind tunnel that’s not going to have a huge impact on sections of the seating bowl … then that’s obviously going to have a positive effect on the playing service as well. You take care of one, you’re taking care of the other at the same time.
Was there a particular inspiration or vision you had when designing the new Mosaic Stadium?
A
The thing that I got the first time I went to a Roughriders game, they talk about the sea of green ... just the raw energy I felt in Mosaic Stadium. I went to four Field of Dreams | J une 2017
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Is there a particular element of this stadium you’re most excited about?
A
I have a soft spot for the club that faces Confederation Park. I just love that club, I love that view. I love the connection to the field. The second-favourite spot is sort of an untapped commodity that I think the Roughrider fans and the city are gonna just learn more and more about and love more and more – the (south) end zone that faces the downtown side. I say it’s untapped because there’s a lot of things you can do down there. Things will grow and develop and get tried. I think it’s going to be one of those spaces. When you’ve done billion-dollar stadiums, is it tough to scale back when you’re working with a quarter of that money?
A
We’re doing a $65-million high school stadium (in Katy, Tex.) which is unprecedented in the country the thought that’s going into
it. We’re doing the latest and greatest CFL stadium for you guys and we’re doing the latest and greatest NFL stadium (in Inglewood). All have different scales, size and budget, but the process is identical. Can you do more things with more money? Yes, but I can tell you the thought in the new Mosaic Stadium and the Katy Texas Independent school district’s new stadium and the Los Angeles Rams’ stadium, the thought process is identical. It used to be if you had seats and a place to get a beer and a hot dog, you were good. Now stadiums need to be more than that. Is there a big thought process that goes into that?
A
I think we’re just in the infancy of that. The days of when you park, you go to your seat, you get up a couple times and the rest you spend watching whatever’s on that field or sheet of ice and then you leave … right or wrong, those days are changing. I still scratch my head because there’s a lot of people younger
than me that want to go to a Roughriders game, but No. 1 on their list is not necessarily even seeing the field. They want to be there, they want to be with their friends, they want to experience different things; technology is a huge component. When I see the future of these sporting venues, that traditional seating bowl, a good portion of it might go away. You might not even have them in the future. You’re in this building where you can go do certain things – and yes there’s a live event going on and maybe you can be close to that – but maybe that’s not what you do. Which is very foreign and sounds ‘How can that be?’ but you have to look at how everybody else is functioning, right or wrong. This can be everything that’s true about our society or everything that sad and completely wrong abut who we are, but the reality is that most people who are 30 and south don’t necessarily want to experience concerts or football games or hockey or whatever it is in the same way I would. (Interview edited for length and clarity.) tswitzer@postmedia.com
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