WEEKEND OCTOBER 29-31, 2010 ADVERTISEMENT - Raj

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› SPORTS
WORLD SERIES Texas Rangers starting pitcher C.J. Wilson pitches to the
San Francisco Giants in the first inning of Game 2 Thursday in San Francisco.
For game results, visit vancouver.24hrs.ca/sports. — REUTERS
PHOTO JEFF CHIU
Empire not so
good for PNE
BOB MACKIN
QMI Agency
The B.C. Lions are losers in the
2010 Canadian Football
League standings, but the Pacific
National Exhibition still
expects to be a winner at Empire
Field.
The original budget was estimated
at $3.525 million in food,
beverage and parking sales and
TicketMaster fees, and $2.432
million in direct costs. PNE
president Mike McDaniel estimated
there would be
$500,000 to $600,000 less revenue
generated because actual
gate attendance has hovered
around 20,000 to 21,000.
The city-owned PNE projected
a 25,000 average attendance
at the 27,500-capacity
temporary stadium.
“It’s not going to be a disaster
by any stretch,” McDaniel said.
“We’ve done well down there,
but not as well as we would’ve
liked.”
McDaniel said the lower-
than-expected attendance has
meant lower expenses.
He expects the PNE will
eventually be $650,000 in the
black.
The Lions end their first outdoor
regular season since 1982
on Sunday against the
Saskatchewan Roughriders, but
it won’t be the last football game
of the year.
Empire will host the Subway
Bowl high school football playoffs,
which end Dec. 4.
Provincial taxpayer-owned
B.C. Pavilion Corporation
signed deals worth $16.34 million
to build Empire while B.C.
Place Stadium is closed for its
$563 million renovation.
The biggest contract is
$12,171,047, with stadium contractor
Nussli.
The Vancouver Whitecaps
debut in Major League Soccer
at Empire in March. Both the
Whitecaps and Lions are expected
to move to B.C. Place
late next summer.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
OCTOBER 29-31 2010
√ QUESTIONABLE
Minnesota Vikings quarterback
Brett Favre missed practice for a
second straight day Thursday.
Despite the injury, the 41-yearold
future Hall-of-Famer said he
will wait until Friday to see if the
“swelling and pain subsides”
before making a decision on his
status. Favre broke two small
bones in his left ankle during
last Sunday’s game.
√ SIDELINED
New York Giants defensive end
Mathias Kiwanuka was placed
on injured reserve with a
bulging disc in his neck, head
coach Tom Coughlin confirmed
Thursday. It’s unclear
when and how the 27-year-old
suffered the injury.
√ ADDITION
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers
added former B.C. Lions quarterback
Zac Champion to their
practice roster Thursday. The
26-year-old threw only 34
passes and two touchdowns for
the Lions in 2008 and 2009.