Work is under way on a new stadium in Regina, which aims to put the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan on the international stage. The new $278-million Mosaic Stadium will replace another stadium bearing the same name, but located in a different part of the city, as the home field of the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Designed by HKS Architects Inc, preliminary construction on the new stadium began in early 2014 and is expected to be completed by August 2016. The Roughriders will move into the stadium for the 2017 CFL season.
On May 22, 2014, Regina revealed the first look of the 33,000-seater stadium, which is intended to provide a more modern fan experience. It will be an open-air stadium consisting of a sunken bowl with a partial roof around much of its rim, designed to shield spectators. The rim’s curved design will prevent snow from accumulating on the roof. The stadium will be built to support the construction of a full roof in the future.
The south end zone will not be covered by the roof, allowing a view of downtown Regina. To protect spectators from wind, the lower bowl will be located 10 metres (33 ft) below ground level. The stadium will individually seat 33,000 spectators, and can be expanded to seat up to 40,000 with temporary seating. 38 corporate suites and two levels of luxury seating will also be provided. The stadium will also feature an open concourse, circling the entire stadium.
The designer behind the new stadium, Mark Williams of HKS Architects, says the stadium compares ‘pound for pound’ with the company’s other projects, which include three NFL stadiums: Lucas Oil, AT&T and the under-construction Minnesota Multipurpose. Williams has expressed in media interviews that while designing the stadium, he kept the interests and passion of the fan base close at heart, hoping to convey the ‘raw energy’ of Rider Nation in the build.
The $278 million funding will be provided by multiple sources; the government of Saskatchewan will provide a grant of $80 million, and a $100 million loan to be paid off through ticket surcharges. The city will provide $73 million in funding, which will be subsidized through property tax increases. The remainder of the budget will be covered by the Roughriders themselves, primarily through naming rights.