The Garage. GM Place, Vancouver.
Written: Dec 09 '02
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Pros: GM Place - Awesome View, Awesome Sound.
Cons: Price of Hockey Tickets
The Bottom Line: Awesome sound system. Great, unobstructed views, comfortable seats. Lots of choice for food, while it is expensive, it's also halfway decent. Their own microbrewery!
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| saotome's Full Review: General Motors Place |
I have been to G.M. Place many times, for nearly every type of event that is offered there.
When it finished construction in Sept. 1995, G.M. Place opened as a permanent venue for the Vancouver Canucks Hockey franchise. Located in downtown Vancouver, this facility was constructed as a replacement arena for the aging Pacific Coliseum. The Coliseum is still used by the WHL Vancouver Giants hockey franchise, and by the Pacific National Exhibition during the summer months.
While G.M. place is bigger than the arena it replaced, it is likely only average in size to most NHL arenas. It's seating capacity is just over 18,000. It has 88 executive suites, which are available on an annual lease, with each suite having the capacity for 14 guests per game or event. Other "Hospitality" suites may be rented by groups on a per event basis. Currently, the NHL Vancouver Canucks and the NLL (Lacrosse) Vancouver Ravens are the permanent tenants. The arena is located right next door to the 60,000 seat B.C. Place CFL football stadium. The NBA franchise "Grizzlies" were a former tenant of G.M. Place in years past.
Okay here are the opinions and reviews. I have been to more hockey games there than any other kind of event. I have also been to concerts, Ravens games, and NBA games there. I don't live in Vancouver, so it's always a major event for me to attend a function at the arena. The huge jumbotron suspended from the ceiling in the center of the arena has eight sides, and is visible from every single seat in the house. Perfect. Fans don't want to miss the commercials they would normally see on TV just because they decided to come out to the game!! ;] Which leads us to the view (for sporting events). Others have said that there is no bad seat in the house. This is true, and because the arena is not as massive as some others, even the topmost seat has a fantastic, unobstructed view. Yes, I said unobstructed. Not a single seat has an obstruction in the entire building, not even if you sat behind an individual 7 feet tall.
The food is typically expensive, and isn't exactly gourmet. But the beer is good. G.M. Place hosts it's own microbrewery, and offers the typical Canadian beers by Molson, as well as Pale Ale for those who drink for the taste. There are three permanent gift shops on the balcony level (upper level), White Spot Restaurant, Boston Pizza, and a host of beer/hot dog stands. There's also the "Brew House Grill" a restaurant that offers seating that windows into the arena itself. On the plaza level (Main level), there are two permanent gift shops, and more of the same food amenities as the balcony level. There is also the club section, currently called the "Air Canada Club", hosting seating sections that are open to the public, but closed to all but ticket holders to those sections (You have to buy tickets in section 104-108 to access this part of the concourse). I sat in the Air Canada Club zone for the first time in 2002, and it's worth it. It's not as busy, and it there's waitress' that carry little ATM's with them and bring you beer to your seat. Absolutely brilliant. In this section there's another permanent gift shop, and additional food/drink outlets.
I've never attempted to park at the arena. There is parking available, but I don't recommend it. The skytrain has a station right at the stadium, so park and ride. It's cheaper, and you can enjoy your beer that much more, knowing you don't have to drive home.
GM place seems to have very good sound. They boast state-of-the-art and all that, and for my money, it can't get better in a facility that large. The audio is LOUD, even during sporting events. They also broadcast the play-by-play right in the building on AM radio for those who wish to bring headphones and a walkman.
For concerts, there are many types of setups. I've only seen the "Concert club bowl" setup, which is the smallest configuration of the seats, making use of far less than half the arena for spectators. Friends that have seen the "full Center stage" configuration have told me that they will never see a stadium concert anywhere else again, the acoustics are that good. We live close to Seattle and GM place rocks over any kind of stadium event there.
All in all, my verdict is as high as I can give a stadium. It would be nice if the seating capacity was a bit bigger, I know the hockey team sells out quite a bit, and sometimes it's rough trying to get scalpers to lower their prices. The food is expensive, but the seats are comfortable, the view is good, and the audio rocks. This is truly one of North America's best full sized arenas.
Recommended:
Yes
Seat Location: First 20 Rows
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Epinions.com ID:
saotome
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Reviews written: 2
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