Opening Day: June 19, 1983
Capacity: 21,000 for soccer, 54,320 for football
Surface: LigaTurf
Current Owner: PavCo
Team Website: whitecapsfc.com
Team Phone: 604-669-9283
Address: 777 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6B 4Y8
Directions:
From Vancouver International Airport: Follow Grand McConachie Way West toward the Aurora Connector, then make a u-turn at Aurora and keep left to merge onto SW Marine Drive. Turn left onto Cambie Street, then continue onto Smithe Street before turning right onto Beatty Street.
From Vancouver: Go west and turn right onto W 12th Avenue. Turn right onto Cambie Street, then continue onto Smithe Street and turn right onto Beatty Street.
BC Place has a storied history outside of MLS soccer. Opened in June 1983, the stadium was originally designed as an enclosed dome with an inflated roof, similar to the now-demolished Metrodome in Minneapolis, MN. Renovations conducted between 2009 and 2011 outfitted the stadium with a retractable roof, designed to open and close in approximately 20 minutes, among other features detailed below. BC Place was the site of a visit by Pope John Paul II for his “Celebration of Life” event, and also served as the main stadium of ceremonies for the XXI Olympic Winter Games and X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. Today, it serves as the home of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, as well as the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League.
For soccer fans, BC Place offers a panoramic, inclusive viewing space, especially when the roof is closed and the four-sided scoreboard is hung above the middle of the field, the roof narrowing into a circle of light like the aperture of a camera lens. The roof is also equipped with a lighting system known as the “Northern Lights Display,” which can be custom tailored to suit soccer matches, football games and national events alike. As part of its recent renovations, BC Place installed Polytan LigaTurf 240 RS+, which meets FIFA’s highest standard for soccer stadiums. This artificial turf can also be covered by panels in the events of concerts and other non-sporting events.