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Expensive upgrades, including natural turf surface, slated for B.C. Place in time for World Cup

Vancouver’s B.C. Place Stadium will have a new look once the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives.

Among the slated upgrades include the replacement of its current artificial turf surface with natural turf.

The stadium underwent about half a billion dollars’ worth of upgrades following the 2010 Winter Olympics. The work included a retractable roof and replacement seating. The pending improvements aren’t expected to cost nearly as much but the price remains unknown.

While being a co-host for the World Cup is likely to generate revenue for the city, the costs associated with hosting such a premier event are significant.

Carson Binda, B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said when such events are held, FIFA prospers yet the host country’s taxpayers are on the hook with massive debt.