PNE still committed to eventual Playland redevelopment into a theme park

Nov 4 2022, 10:07 pm

The head of the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) says they still fully intend to proceed with a major redevelopment and expansion of Playland at some point in the future.

Following today’s press conference announcing the construction of a new launch roller coaster for Playland, PNE President and CEO Shelley Frost told Daily Hive Urbanized there are still plans to undergo a major transformation of Playland, but the timeline to achieve this vision — originally set forth more than a decade ago — has been lengthened.

The new launch roller coaster opening in 2024 will be the fastest of its kind in Canada. It will be built on the former footprint of the Corkscrew coaster, which was removed in 2019 in anticipation of the start of the Playland redevelopment and expansion north into the area currently occupied by horse barns and a large surface parking lot.

But the pandemic put a pause on the Playland redevelopment, and attention and resources were redirected towards planning a new state-of-the-art covered outdoor PNE amphitheatre with a capacity for about 10,000 spectators.

PNE Amphitheatre

Artistic rendering of the potential “best scenario” concept for a new PNE Amphitheatre. (PNE)

Vancouver City Council approved the $65-million amphitheatre project in 2021, and City staff subsequently selected Revery Architecture — the same firm behind the designs of Senakw, The Butterfly, and the UBC Chan Centre for the Performing Arts — to complete the detailed design of the venue. Construction is expected to begin in 2024 for an opening in 2026.

“I think this new launch coaster is one of our first steps forward in regards to the Playland redevelopment,” said Frost.

“When we decided to go forward with the amphitheatre, we decided that is going to be our absolute focus until that project is done, and that meant setting aside expanding Playland. But we did commit then to still make investments inside Playland and bringing it to its full potential.”

skybender playland pne f

The new Skybender ride at Playland. (PNE)

She adds that once the amphitheatre project is complete, they will turn their attention to the Playland redevelopment and expansion plan “in a more aggressive way.”

This past summer, the PNE opened Skybender, a Gryphon-type ride, at a cost of $2.7 million to replace aging rides such as Music Express.

Today’s announcement of a new launch roller coaster at a cost of $9 million represents the single largest investment into a ride or attraction in Playland’s history. Not only is this a high-tech marquee attraction that complements the other marquee ride of the Wooden Roller Coaster, but it will carry extensive theming — marking the beginning of Playland’s evolution from an “amusement park” to what can technically be qualified as a “theme park.”

Artistic rendering of the new launch roller coaster at Playland. (PNE)

Artistic rendering of the new launch roller coaster at Playland. (PNE)

Artistic rendering of the new launch roller coaster at Playland. (PNE)

Artistic rendering of the new launch roller coaster at Playland. (PNE)

The Playland master plan calls for redeveloping the amusement park’s existing 15-acre footprint with rides and attractions integrated with extensive beautification. Playland would also expand by an additional seven acres north of the former Corkscrew coaster site, bringing its total size to about 22 acres. The seven-acre expansion would also surround new rides and attractions with extensive theming. The master plan envisioned adding major rides such as a driving track, suspended family coaster, rapid river, and a launch roller coaster.

In June 2021, a City of Vancouver staff report to Vancouver City Council that provided an update on the Playland project noted “significant capital investment is required with estimated capital costs for Playland exceeding available funding sources,” and that the “Playland redevelopment would require significant reinvestment of future revenues.” At the time, City staff also stated the plan to complete the new Playland can no longer be accomplished within a 10-year timeframe before the end of the 2020s, even in multiple phases.

playland pne

Model of the concept for the Playland redevelopment. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

playland pne

Model of the concept for the Playland redevelopment. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

These findings are based on the project’s completed business case, which was delayed in 2020 due to the pandemic. A decision was made by PNE’s board of directors in April 2021 to pause the redevelopment, and revisit the project’s plans in early 2022 with “a focus on reducing the project scope.”

Up until the early 2000s, the PNE and Playland were owned and operated by the provincial government as a crown corporation. The City of Vancouver owns the PNE, which is now operated as a not-for-profit organization, with City officials holding key positions on the organization’s board of directors.

PNE Playland expansion

Early concept for the renovation and expansion of Playland at Hastings Park. (PNE)

Playland PNE

Site plan of the Playland redevelopment and expansion project. (PNE)

Playland PNE

Artistic rendering of the Playland redevelopment project. (PNE)

Playland PNE

Artistic rendering of the Playland redevelopment project. (PNE)

Playland PNE

Artistic rendering of the Playland redevelopment project. (PNE)

Playland PNE

Artistic rendering of the Playland redevelopment project. (PNE)

Playland PNE

Artistic rendering of the Playland redevelopment project. (PNE)

Playland PNE

Artistic rendering of the Playland redevelopment project. (PNE)

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