Should a multi-purpose stadium be built in Surrey in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, and where?

These are key questions as the city completes a feasibility study that includes a 12,000-seat stadium at Tom Binnie Park in Whalley, with sites in Newton and Cloverdale also considered.

Vancouver-based company has pitched a soccer-primary stadium that could be used for concerts, conventions and other events, for the all-in price of around $35 million, according to Adam Torpey, vice-president of business development.

乌鸦传媒淲e have proposed this as a permanent stadium, although because of how we build it, prefabricated and modular, if the city wanted to relocate it in 15, 20, 30 years, we can do that,乌鸦传媒� Torpey explained.

During the World Cup, national soccer teams could use the Surrey stadium for training when in Vancouver for the seven games to be played at BC Place Stadium, he noted.

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Torpey emailed the Now-Leader two images that serve 乌鸦传媒渁s an illustration of the potential乌鸦传媒� of stadiums built by SixFive 乌鸦传媒� one with a roof, the other without.

乌鸦传媒淲hile the design hasn乌鸦传媒檛 been finalized, our discussions (with the city) so far have centered on this particular stylistic stadium,乌鸦传媒� noted Torpey, whose company built a similar soccer stadium near Langley Events Centre.

Surrey is undertaking 乌鸦传媒渁 market analysis and feasibility study for a mixed-use entertainment and sport facility,乌鸦传媒� according to Jeff Arason, Director of Strategic Initiatives.

乌鸦传媒淎s part of this study,乌鸦传媒� Arason stated in an email Wednesday (May 15), 乌鸦传媒渨e are evaluating a variety of facility formats, including an open air stadium and an arena. Also as part of this study, we will be determining the ideal seating capacity for each facility format. The City is not evaluating any specific proposal by any proponent.乌鸦传媒�

The 12,000-seat stadium concept and Tom Binnie Park site are backed by Anita Huberman, CEO and president of Surrey Board of Trade.

乌鸦传媒淭he first thing is that you know, this is not going to be a concrete BC Place type of stadium that costs millions and millions of dollars,乌鸦传媒� Huberman said.

乌鸦传媒淚t can be repurposed for other events, it can be sectioned off for corporate events, whatever it may be to help with, you know, other sporting teams that we have here in the city and be at one of our destination assets.乌鸦传媒�

She乌鸦传媒檚 urging city hall officials to fast-track stadium approval and construction.

乌鸦传媒淚 know the city is looking at a public-private sector funding model to try to make it happen,乌鸦传媒� Huberman said. 乌鸦传媒�, but we haven乌鸦传媒檛 heard anything, so now it乌鸦传媒檚 in the mayor乌鸦传媒檚 hands.

乌鸦传媒淲e don乌鸦传媒檛 have a lot of time to decide,乌鸦传媒� Huberman added. 乌鸦传媒淵es, I know they乌鸦传媒檙e trying to do their due diligence to the taxpayers through these studies, but we don乌鸦传媒檛 have time. It could be built regardless (of hosting World Cup activities or not). Time is falling short for us to be not only a part of the FIFA ecosystem but to have a real destination asset here in Surrey.乌鸦传媒�

Torpey said there is 乌鸦传媒渁 primary soccer tenant乌鸦传媒� eyed for the Surrey stadium, 乌鸦传媒渁 professional team,乌鸦传媒� but wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 get into specifics.

The park site is adjacent to the BC Lions乌鸦传媒� training facility, and drawings show the stadium positioned on land where the existing football building is located. The Now-Leader has reached out to the CFL team for comment.

Surrey Coun. Linda Annis says Tom Binnie Park 乌鸦传媒渋s a perfect spot乌鸦传媒� for the stadium.

乌鸦传媒淚 really like the idea of being close to SkyTrain, close to where the BC Lions practice field is. For that reason, it will attract people into Surrey and you know, we need to be building an entertainment area around there so people can go and have dinner and so on.乌鸦传媒�

She said in Surrey, 乌鸦传媒渨e乌鸦传媒檙e missing a convention center, we乌鸦传媒檙e missing places where people can go to concerts, we need stadiums for all sorts of sporting activities and whatever we build has to include all of that.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 still early stages,乌鸦传媒� Annis added. 乌鸦传媒淭he mayor listed three different spots in her State of the City address, so we haven乌鸦传媒檛 even nailed the spot yet. We need to get it right, and in my estimation we shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be building a small stadium, we should be looking at something between 15,000 to 20,000 seats. We should be building something for the future, and in terms of urgency I think we need it yesterday. We have nothing like this in Surrey.乌鸦传媒�

Torpey said SixFive could build the stadium in time for the World Cup soccer tournament in Vancouver just over two years from now, June and July of 2026.

乌鸦传媒淩ealistically, in an ideal world, it would be great to have a year before the World Cup. For this size capacity, we can probably build it within 12 to 14 months, so it is doable to get it done and ready before the World Cup and other events. From my inside information, if we build a stadium, if it is a grass field for the World Cup, we would nearly be locked on to be a training host city, which would be fantastic for Surrey.

乌鸦传媒淢y recommendation for the city is to use grass for the World Cup, until that乌鸦传媒檚 finished, then afterward put turf on it to become a multi-use stadium that could be seven days a week, much more versatile. We see it being used for community events, concerts. It could have a domed roof or retractable roof over the stadium. It all comes down to the final design and footprint and obviously budget.乌鸦传媒�