SFSS reopens possibility of creating a stadium after all

SFU football may not have had a win on the field this season, but their field might be getting its own win.

After the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) abruptly cancelled the stadium project as part of Build SFU last August, the announcement that the project would be reviewed came out this week.

This comes after the decision to cancel the project was met with severe backlash, and came in the midst of a series of controversies for the SFSS. Now, as this board winds down the last two months of their elected term, they are seemingly making good on the claims from SFU Athletics that “SFU students deserve better.”

Since that time in August, the Board of Directors appointed a team of three to review the stadium project, find out what went wrong, and think of how the project could be salvaged. Their research revealed some flaws and recommended some changes, including the following as stated in the press release:

• The SFSS would no longer take out a loan, but would make a contribution of $10 million over 15 years. This eliminates approximately $4 million in interest costs that the SFSS would have otherwise been required to pay to a bank.

• SFSS would only contribute $10 million. SFU would cover any additional costs.

• The minimum scope of the project would be 1,800 seats, a full roof, and a press box.

• The University would be responsible for building the stadium within 3 years (by April, 2020).

• SFU would provide the SFSS with $50,000 annually for 15 years to be used to assist undergraduate students (SFSS members) experiencing financial need.

The decision will come down to the upcoming SFSS Board of Directors meeting on March 13 at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will take place in MBC 2290 for interested parties.