Winnipeg Stadium

Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Winnipeg Stadium

Location| 1465 Maroons Road
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3G 0L6
Coordinates| 49°53′22″N 97°11′54″W﻿ / ﻿49.889570°N 97.198320°W﻿ / 49.889570; -97.198320
Owner| City of Winnipeg
Operator| Winnipeg Enterprises Corporation
Winnipeg Football Club
Capacity| Canadian football:
15,700 (1953)
17,995 (1954)
32,946 (1978)
33,675 (1987)
29,533 (1999)
Record attendance| 51,985 (1991 Grey Cup)
Surface| Grass (1953–1987)
AstroTurf (1988–2002)
AstroPlay (2003–2012)
Construction
Broke ground| November 1952
Opened| August 14, 1953 (1953-08-14)
Closed| January 3, 2013 (2013-01-03)
Demolished| April–August 9th 2013
Construction cost| $483,000 CAD
($5.42 million in 2023 dollars[1])
Architect| Moody and Moore
Tenants
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL) (1953–2012)
Winnipeg Goldeyes (NL) (1953–1964, 1969)
Winnipeg Whips (IL) (1970–1971)
Winnipeg Fury (CSL) (1987–1992)
Winnipeg Goldeyes (NL) (1994–1998)
Winnipeg Rifles (CJFL) (2002–2012)

Winnipeg Stadium (also known as Canad Inns Stadium) was a multipurpose stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

The stadium was located at the corner of St. James Street and Maroons Road, immediately north of the Polo Park Shopping Centre and the now-defunct Winnipeg Arena. Although built for the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the stadium also accommodated baseball and soccer, and was used by various iterations of the Winnipeg Goldeyes and Winnipeg Whips. The stadium was demolished after the Blue Bombers moved to the venue then-known as IG Field in 2013.[citation needed]

## History

[edit]

During the Blue Bombers' early years, the team played at Osborne Stadium, a much smaller venue located near the Manitoba Legislative Buildings. The fast passing-dominated play of Bombers quarterback Jack Jacobs dramatically increased attendance at Blue Bombers games and precipitated the need for a new, larger stadium.

In the wake of several unsuccessful proposals for a new stadium, Winnipeg Enterprises Corporation, a newly created non-profit organization led by Winnipeg Football Club president Culver Riley, presented a plan for the construction of a new 15,700 seat stadium in the Polo Park district. The plan was approved by the City of Winnipeg in August 1952.[2] Winnipeg Stadium was officially opened on August 14, 1953, with a fundraising gala to benefit the Winnipeg Unit of the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Foster Hewitt served as the master of ceremonies as 12,000 spectators watched an array of Shriners, athletes, politicians, and Hollywood actress Corinne Calvet inaugurate the stadium. The following night, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers played the first football game at the new facility against the Ottawa Rough Riders. The stadium became known as "the house that Jack built" in recognition of the contributions of Jack Jacobs.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers game at Canad Inns Stadium, August 2010

The on-field success of the Blue Bombers and their growing fan base led to numerous expansions of the facility beginning in 1954, when capacity was raised to 17,995. Of those seats, only 10,166 were on permanent concrete grandstands, with the remainder being temporary seating in the stadium corners. Further additions included the construction of new north end-zone seating in 1966 and expansion of the west side grandstands, including a new upper deck, in 1972. In 1978, the east side grandstands were expanded, with a new upper deck, raising capacity to 32,946. Seats were also added in 1987 when the stadium was configured to accommodate baseball, at which point its capacity peaked at 33,675.

AstroTurf was installed in time for the 1988 season (when it was installed, the Edmonton Eskimos became the last CFL team to have a natural grass surface, but it would switch to a next-generation artificial surface in 2010), which the team welcomed with a Grey Cup victory that year at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa. In 1999, the lower deck benches were replaced by theatre-style seats, the press boxes were enlarged, and a club lounge was added. As a result, seating capacity was reduced to 29,533 and remained that way until the stadium's closure. The artificial turf was replaced by a next-generation AstroPlay surface in 2003.

Winnipeg-based hotel chain Canad Inns acquired the naming rights to Winnipeg Stadium in 2001, after which the facility became known as Canad Inns Stadium. In 2004, Winnipeg Enterprises Corporation was dissolved and operation of the facility was turned over to the Winnipeg Football Club.[3]

## Baseball

[edit]

The original baseball grandstands were built in 1954, at a cost of $184,000, and located in the southwest corner of the complex. The grandstands housed the original incarnation of the Winnipeg Goldeyes and the Winnipeg Whips, the Class AAA affiliate of the Montreal Expos. The grandstands were demolished in the early 1980s to make way for the Blue and Gold Room and, for nearly a decade, baseball could not be accommodated at the stadium.

The stadium once again became a multi-sport venue in the late 1980s. Artificial turf, retractable seats on the east side stands, and new seating behind the home plate area (the northwest corner of the football field) were installed in an effort to attract another professional baseball team to Winnipeg. Although official minor league baseball never returned to the city, the new Winnipeg Goldeyes, an independent team, began play at the stadium in 1994. The Goldeyes played five seasons at the stadium, which included a Northern League championship in 1994 and an independent baseball single-game attendance record of 22,081 set in 1997. The Goldeyes moved into their own ballpark in 1999, which marked the end of baseball at Winnipeg Stadium.[4]

## Major events

[edit]

The stadium hosted the opening ceremonies of both the 1967 and 1999 Pan-American Games. The 1967 Games saw the construction of new north end zone seating. The 1999 Games saw several improvements in preparation for the event, including new seats to replace old benches, additional media and club seating facilities, improved lighting and sound, and a new Sony JumboTron scoreboard.[citation needed]

The CFL's championship game, the Grey Cup, was held at the stadium in 1991, 1998, and 2006. In each instance, temporary seating was installed to increase the stadium's capacity. The stadium's attendance record for football was set at the 1991 game, when 51,985 fans watched the Toronto Argonauts defeat the Calgary Stampeders. For the 2006 game, temporary seats were erected at the south end of the football field, raising the Stadium's capacity to 44,784.[5]

The stadium also hosted numerous outdoor concerts, including big-name acts such as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, the Eagles and U2. Many outdoor music festivals, such as Festival Express, Edgefest and Rock on the Range, were also held at the stadium.

## Closure

[edit]

Increasing maintenance costs and the accidental death of a fan during a football game in 2006 intensified discussions on the future of Canad Inns Stadium. By 2009, it was estimated that the aging stadium would require over $52 million in upgrades as early as 2012 in order to make it safe and viable for another decade.[6] Faced with the decision on whether to refurbish the old stadium or replace it, the Manitoba government fast-tracked financing for a new stadium. In 2010, Premier Greg Selinger, together with the Winnipeg Football Club and the University of Manitoba, unveiled plans to build $190 million Investors Group Field on the university campus in south Winnipeg. The stadium was slated to be completed in time for the 2012 CFL season, after which Canad Inns Stadium would be demolished.[7]

West side stands of Canad Inns Stadium

In anticipation of the scheduled move to Investors Group Field, the Blue Bombers held a special ceremony to close out Canad Inns Stadium prior to their last regular season game of 2011. However, as construction delays at the new stadium pushed back its opening date by several months, the team was forced to return to Canad Inns Stadium for the 2012 season.[8][9] The Blue Bombers played their final game at the stadium on November 3, 2012, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 19–11.[10] The football club officially closed its offices at Canad Inns Stadium on January 3, 2013.[11]

### Demolition

[edit]

In June 2012, the city announced the proposed sale of the stadium to Polo Park Holdings Inc, owner of the nearby Polo Park shopping centre, for $30.25 million. The sale was finalized in April 2013 and demolition began soon after. The stadium was dismantled piece-by-piece over a period of four months, beginning with the north end zone and west side grandstands.[12][13]

Fans had the opportunity to purchase memorabilia from the old stadium prior to its demolition, including seats, pieces of turf, and other equipment not moved to Investors Group Field. Other fixtures, such as stadium benches, were donated to local community clubs and sports teams.[14]

The site is currently being developed into a retail and commercial park known as The Plaza at Polo Park. Demolition of the stadium has also permitted the city to connect two segments of Milt Stegall Drive (formerly Arena Road) which were separated by the stadium.[12][13][15]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Canadian Football League stadiums

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 1688 to 1923: Geloso, Vincent, A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850 (December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2021. and table 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
2. ^ Lett, Dan (May 21, 2010). "Not much has changed since last stadium was built". Winnipeg Free Press.
3. ^ Winnipeg, City of. "News : 2004 News Releases - City of Winnipeg". www.winnipeg.ca. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
4. ^ "nlfan.com: Goldeyes Goldeyes "Deformity Field" Remembered". www.nlfan.com. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
5. ^ CTV.ca | Grey Cup organizers still hoping for a sellout Archived November 16, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ "Stadium money pit deepens?". Winnipeg Free Press. October 9, 2009.
7. ^ "Sod turned for new Bomber stadium". CBC. May 20, 2010.
8. ^ "Blue Bombers prepare for final regular season game at Canad Inns Stadium". 24 October 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
9. ^ "404". TSN. Retrieved 20 May 2017. `{{cite web}}`: Cite uses generic title (help)
10. ^ Bombers set to move into new stadium, Slam! Sports, 3 November 2012, archived from the original on June 28, 2013`{{citation}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
11. ^ Bombers set to move into new stadium, Winnipeg Free Press, 17 December 2012
12. ^ a b "Stadium demolition to get started soon". Winnipeg Free Press. April 18, 2013.
13. ^ a b "Canad Inns Stadium being torn down". Winnipeg Sun. April 23, 2013.
14. ^ "Winnipeg Blue Bombers stadium sale includes urinal trough". CBC.ca. October 30, 2012.
15. ^ "Polo Park Target now open". Winnipeg Free Press. October 17, 2014.

Events and tenants

Preceded by

Osborne Stadium

|  Home of the
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1953–2012  | Succeeded by

IG Field

Preceded by

First stadium

|  Home of the
Winnipeg Goldeyes
1994–1998  | Succeeded by

CanWest Global Park

Preceded by

Estadio José María Minella
Mar del Plata

|  Pan American Games
Opening and Closing Ceremonies
1999 | Succeeded by

Estadio Olímpico Juan Pablo Duarte
Santo Domingo

* v
* t
* e

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

* Founded in 1930
* Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Franchise|

* Franchise
* Records
* Players
* Seasons
* Head coaches
* Starting quarterbacks

Stadiums|

* Osborne Stadium
* Winnipeg Stadium
* Princess Auto Stadium

Culture|

* Buzz and Boomer
* Labatt Blue

Lore|

* Labour Day Classic
* Banjo Bowl
* Swaggerville
* First team from Western Canada to win the Grey Cup

Important figures|

* Paul Bennett
* Ralph "Dieter" Brock
* Less Browne
* Tom "Citation" Casey
* Tom Clements
* Carl Cronin
* Andrew Currie
* Matt Dunigan
* Bill Frank
* Harry Peter "Bud" Grant
* Tommy Grant
* G. Sydney Halter
* Frank Hannibal
* Fritz Hanson
* John Helton
* Dick Huffman
* W.P. Billy Hughes
* Jack Jacobs
* Eddie James
* Gerry James
* Greg Kabat
* Les Lear
* Leo "Lincoln Locomotive" Lewis
* Earl Lunsford
* Chester "Ches" McCance
* Cal Murphy
* James Murphy
* Ken Ploen
* Joe Poplawski
* Russ "The Wisconsin Wraith" Reholz
* Frank Rigney
* Joseph Ryan
* Karl Slocomb
* Milt Stegall
* Art Stevenson
* Robert Porter "Buddy" Tinsley
* Troy Westwood
* Chris Walby
* Bert Warwick

Key personnel|

* CEO: Wade Miller
* General Manager: Kyle Walters
* Head Coach: Mike O'Shea

Grey Cup
Championships (12)|

* 1935
* 1939
* 1941
* 1958
* 1959
* 1961
* 1962
* 1984
* 1988
* 1990
* 2019
* 2021

Western Division
Championships (18)|

* 1935
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1941
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1950
* 1953
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1961
* 1962
* 1965
* 1984
* 2019
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023

Eastern Division
Championships (7)|

* 1988
* 1990
* 1992
* 1993
* 2001
* 2007
* 2011

Current
league affiliations|

* League: Canadian Football League
* Division: West Division

* v
* t
* e

Pan American Games stadiums

20th century|

* Buenos Aires 1951
* Mexico City 1955
* Chicago 1959
* São Paulo 1963
* Winnipeg 1967
* Cali 1971
* Mexico City 1975
* San Juan 1979
* Caracas 1983
* Indianapolis 1987
* Havana 1991
* Mar del Plata 1995
* Winnipeg 1999

21st century|

* Santo Domingo 2003
* Rio de Janeiro 2007
* Guadalajara 2011
* Toronto 2015
* Lima 2019
* Santiago 2023

* v
* t
* e

Pan American Games venues in football

1951
Estadio Monumental
1955
Estadio Olímpico Universitario
1959
Hanson Field, Soldier Field
1963
Parque São Jorge
1967
Winnipeg Stadium
1971
Estadio Pascual Guerrero
1975
Estadio Azteca, La Bombonera, Estadio Cuauhtémoc
1979
Estadio Country Club, Estadio Sixto Escobar, Hiram Bithorn Stadium
1983
Brígido Iriarte Stadium
1987
Kuntz Memorial Soccer Stadium
1991
Estadio Panamericano
1995
Estadio General San Martin de Tandil, Estadio José María Minella
1999
Winnipeg Soccer Complex, Red River Community College
2003
Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium, Estadio Mirador Este, Estadio Panamericano
2007
Estádio Engenhão, Centro de Futebol Zico, Estádio do Maracanã, Miécimo da Silva Sports Complex
2011
Estadio Omnilife
2015
Hamilton Pan Am Soccer Stadium
2019
Estadio Universidad San Marcos
2023
Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander, Estadio Sausalito

Authority control databases: Geographic |

* MusicBrainz place
* StadiumDB

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