Raising The Roof

The venue that hosted the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, has closed for construction of a new retractable roof that will debut in summer 2011.

BC Place’s $458 million steel, fiberglass and fabric all-weather roof revamp will allow the venue to go topless during warm months and remain “winterized” the rest of the year.

Other improvements to the venue will include improved lighting and sound systems, a new four-sided electronic video board and flexible draping system.

During the renovations, a temporary venue will be erected on the former grounds of the city’s Empire Stadium, which will house the BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps soccer teams beginning in June.