Saying goodbye to Empire Field…again
Posted Oct 19, 2011 07:19:19 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It served BC Lions fans relatively well for a season and a half. The temporary stands at the PNE are being torn down now that the renovated BC Place is open.
The Leos used to call the field home and for many fans it was a flashback to Vancouver’s old days with the CFL.
What will happen to upcoming events at BC Place?
A shiny new stadium, a Major League Soccer finale, and a $100-million Grey Cup game; tens of thousands of sports fans are watching the latest salvos in the labour dispute at BC Place.
After 600 unionized stadium workers issued 72-hour strike notice yesterday, Whitecaps fans immediately started wondering about the final match of the season on Saturday. Twenty-thousand people are expected for fan appreciation night.
Karen Tankard with the BCGEU says they haven’t decided yet if they’ll walk off the job this weekend. “But we do not have to exercise that legal position at this time. So, we’ll have some decisions to make in the next couple of days.”
That depends on PavCo, the owner’s response. “Our members do not want to strike. They want a fair collective agreement,” says Tankard.
Also threatened are three BC Lions games and the Grey Cup on November 27th, which is a huge party worth $100 million. Pavco says it’s optimistic that all of the games will go ahead.
