B.C. Place to get retractable roof

How about a little fresh air—and some gambling—to cure your post-Olympic hangover? The Province newspaper reports today that the B.C. government has concluded a colossal deal to develop the lands west of B.C. Place Stadium, which will get a new, retractable lid as part of the agreement. The linchpin of the deal is the sort of sprawling casino and entertainment complex that is never an easy sell in Vancouver; an existing one, according to The Province’s report, will likely be shut down to accommodate the new facility. Meantime, the cost of the retractable roof to replace the stadium’s existing pillowy top comes in at a whopping $563 million. Just in case you’re wondering, that’s four and a half times what it cost to build the concrete-and-Teflon monstrosity, which opened in 1983. We’re not talking inflation-adjusted dollars, here. Still, it seems like a lot just to catch up to Toronto.

The Province