Superdome East

Superdome East

Superdome provides residents and organized sports teams with year-round access to much-needed facilities in the east end. Originally called “Thunderdome”, the $2.6 million Superdome is a state-of-the-art, air-supported sports dome that provides a FIFA-approved international soccer field that can be reconfigured into three mini-fields for seven-on-seven play and practices. The field is also suitable for a wide range of sports including soccer, football, rugby, lacrosse, Ultimate, cricket, and more. Parents, kids, coaches and players appreciate the climate-controlled, mosquito-free playing environment.

Benefits of Superdome to residents

• Utilization of a Public Private Partnership (P3) has ensured productivity, efficiency, and best value for the City through the acquisition of a specialized private partner who takes on many of the risks associated with this project.
• Addition of much-needed indoor space for soccer, Ultimate and other recreational and sporting activities during the winter months
• Increased recreational programming and services respond to the significant growth in demand in the east district of the city, without incurring debt
• Home to the Ottawa Gloucester Soccer Club
• TMSI, the facility’s private-sector partner, provides use of the facility to community groups throughout the year at a market rate.

Location

The Superdome is located at 1660 Bearbrook Road. View a map to Superdome.

Milestones

The process leading up to the completion of the Superdome began in 2002 when staff at the City of Ottawa defined a need for a year-round field sports facility in the east-end. City Council approved staff’s recommendation for a new facility in April 2003, and the search for a private-sector partner was launched. In September 2003, TMSI was awarded the contract to build the facility, and construction was launched in July 2004. Superdome was completed in only four months by November 2004, when an opening ceremony was held inside the new dome, and fields became available for use.

Project Partners

Superdome was created as a result of a Public-Private Partnership between the City of Ottawa and Thunderbird Management Services Inc (TMSI) which was selected for the project as a result of a competitive bidding process. The proposal received from TMSI was determined to provide the best value to the City.

About TMSI

Thunderbird Management Services Inc. (TMSI) is a locally owned and operated company that manages and owns recreational facilities in the Ottawa area and eastern Ontario. Currently, TMSI manages a number of tennis, golf and soccer facilities and programs, as well as one of the largest summer camp programs in the area. Learn more about TMSI by visiting the TMSI Web site.

Contact the Superdome

Superdome is available for use year round. Visit their Web page for the latest contact info.

About the Facility

Superdome is located at 1160 Bearbrook Road where it supports all sorts of activities and includes:

• A 24-metre-high, state-of-the-art dome that surrounds 80,000 sq. ft. of climate-controlled environment
• FIFA-approved full soccer field, containing three mini fields
• 51-oz artificial turf field
• Opaque insulated dome, which provides cooler temperatures in summer and better heat retention in winter
• Expansion of the field house to improve change rooms
• Enhanced lighting inside the dome as well as in the parking lot
• Computer-controlled energy and inflation system with special sensors designed to reduce energy consumption and optimize the dome according to weather changes
• Easy access off the Queensway’s Montreal Road exit
• Ample free parking

Other features, such as a raised foundation sill and upgraded Tedlar-coated dome fabric help ensure that Superdome will be maintained at peak condition over the years.

All facilities built in partnership with the City of Ottawa are wheelchair accessible.

How the Partnership Works

The Superdome facility was completed under an innovative Public-Private Partnership (P3) between the City of Ottawa and TMSI Sports Management, which ensured best value for the City. The terms of the partnership are:

• The City and TMSI have a 25-year P3 agreement, including a 5-year renewal option.
• The facility will transfer to the City for a nominal fee at the end of the agreement’s term.
• TMSI was responsible for the design and construction of the project, with City approval.
• TMSI operates, manages and maintains the facility, and is responsible for the development, marketing and delivery of programs.
• The City is responsible for winter maintenance of the parking lot and fire lane.
• TMSI and the City entered into a Municipal Capital Facilities Agreement to provide the facility with relief from property taxes, development charges and permit fees.
• TMSI sets hourly rates for the use of the facility.
• Agreement was reached between TMSI and the Ottawa Gloucester Soccer Club for the use of field, field house and canteen services.
• Users purchase time directly from TMSI.

Financial framework

• TMSI invested $1.5 million in the purchase and construction of the dome, and future expansion of facilities.
• City prepared the site for the facility by upgrading the power supply, improving the parking area and extending municipal services including water and sanitary – at a cost of $1.1 million.
• During the term of the lease agreement, TMSI will repay the City’s capital investment cost through an annual rent paid to the City.
• During the same period, the City will pay the replacement cost for the artificial turf at the end of its lifecycle (in about year 12).

FAQs

What is Superdome?

Superdome is an air-inflated sports facility serving east-end Ottawa residents.

What is special about Superdome?

Superdome has many advanced features, such as sensor-based climate and inflation control, 51-ounce rubber Omnigrass to reduce player injury, Tedlar-coated exterior fabric to increase life of the dome as well as reduce discolouring, enhanced interior lighting, leading-edge insulation to help optimize field conditions in all four seasons, and more.

How big is Superdome?

Superdome measures 330 x 214 ft. and has a 65 ft. high ceiling.

How big are the fields at Superdome?

Superdome’s FIFA-approved field measures 330 x 214 ft., and can be configured into three mini-fields measuring 93 x 214 ft. each.

Where is Superdome located?

Superdome is located at 1660 Bearbrook Road, just off the Montreal Road exit of Highway 174. View a map to Superdome.

What types of activities does Superdome support?

Superdome supports a wide range of field sports, including soccer, football, rugby, Ultimate, cricket, and more. The facility holds a number of summer camps for kids and the facility can be used for any activity that needs a flat, weatherproof and climate-controlled year-round space.

How do I contact Superdome?

Superdome is available for use year round. Visit their Web page for the latest contact info.

Committee and Council Reports

Along the path towards completion of new city facilities under Public-Private Partnerships, there are a number of reports presented to various Committees and Council, which form the basis for decisions about location, scope, budgets, timelines and other issues related to the facility. You can review the reports related to Superdome, as follows:

26 June 2002
Public-Private Partnerships

23 October 2002
Public-Private Partnership (P3) Projects for Earliest Implementation

20 March 2003
Public-Private Partnership (P3) for New Indoor Sportsfield Domes

19 August 2003
Public-Private Partnership (P3) Project – Domed/Indoor Playing Facilities

16 September 2003
Public-Private Partnership – Domed/Indoor Playing Facility