Remember the days of tailgating at the PNE fondly Lions fans…it’s unlikely you’ll ever have it that good again. That said, Tailgate Empire will live on in the streets in Vancouver thanks to our friends at Easy Park.

The BC Lions sent out e-mails to their season ticket holders yesterday offering parking 6 blocks away from the stadium under Pacific Centre Mall. And while the price is definitely right at $21.36 including taxes for all four games at BC Place, an underground parking lot obviously can’t facilitate tailgating.

The Lions staff took some much appreciated time to speak with me yesterday and while they wished us the best of luck in our tailgating future, there isn’t much they can do about it. Parking lots around the stadium are disappearing at the expense of real estate development and those that remain are privately owned lots that refuse to allow tailgating.

The PNE model proved once again that if tailgating is done with planning and some simple rules in place, it provides a great game day atmosphere for fans and even creates new ones for the team. Tailgate Empire will continue to pursue this tradition in Vancouver until we simply have no options left.

With that said, our regular group of tailgaters will be setting up shop at the Easy Park lot at Main and Terminal. The great folks at easy park gave us this lot during the last season at BC Place, and have graciously offered it to us once again on our return. The lot is one skytrain stop or a 10 minute walk to BC Place.

This is a small lot so spots are limited. Also there are some critical rules you must adhere to of we wish for this to continue.

1) Your spot must be paid for apon arrival. If that means you pay extra for arriving early, that means you pay extra.

2) NO CHARCOAL BBQ’s

3) All garbage must be removed by tailgaters. COME PREPARED.

4) All beverages must be in plastic cups.

5) There are no washrooms on site. Do not make the lot your washroom.

6) Eachl tailgater vehicle can only take up one parking spot.

There is another option for Lions fans pregame entertainment and that is the official club Street Party outside of Terry Fox Plaza on Beatty Street. The Lions staff have put a lot of effort into providing a great atmosphere for fans of all ages and on September 30th it will be their biggest event yet to celebrate the reopening of BC Place stadium.

I want to thanks the great people at Easy Park, in particular Greg Watrych who has gone out of his way to give us a home! Whenever you park downtown, please consider their lots for your parking needs!

So Tailgate Empire, we’ll see you on Sept. 30th at our new/old home!

Dear PNE and the BC Lions Football Club,

We started off with a blip and ended with a bang and as avid tailgaters we are here to say thank you.

After our rocky start, you stepped up to the plate and gave football fans in Vancouver the best tailgating experience this city has ever seen. There have been large tailgate parties in the city before. But nothing compared to what you provided for us. It was real, it was encouraged and it was awesome.

You proved beyond a doubt that tailgating is not an evil activity. You proved that with the foresight to provide garbage cans and washrooms and a few non-meddling authorities to watch over the proceedings that tailgating is an activity that just adds to the game day experience of fans, and boy did Lions fans have it good for the last year and a half.

Great steaks, prime ribs, homemade burgers, crepes, French toast, cedar plank salmon and other delicious meals were created in Lot 9. Footballs were thrown around, new friends were made and the BC Lions game experience rivaled that of our friends in Calgary, where the standard for this pastime has been set in the CFL.

The tailgaters in your lot were mostly season ticket holders, many who have never tailgated before. They are now wondering why they never did this before, and where they will do it when the games move downtown. They may be in for a shock.

We’re hopeful that those involved will make something happen downtown. It can only fill the parking lots, and create new fans if it’s done the way you showed them how to do it.

To the BC Lions we thank you as well. We know that both the PNE and the club worked together to make this happen for the fans. We hope you can work with your new partners to make sure this great football tradition doesn’t disappear in Vancouver. Your fans are now hooked.

Lastly to all the fans that came out and joined the tailgate experience thank you as well. You picked up your garbage. You respected the lot and your fellow tailgaters and you showed all the parties involved how great this can be.

We’re all members of the Tailgate Empire and it was a great ride!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Signed,

Tailgate Empire

We invite you to share your memories of the great tailgates at Empire Field, we would love to hear them.

Tailgating is a passion for members of the Tailgate Empire. It is something that we look forward to all winter. When the summer finally arrives, we constantly look for a reason to tailgate. Should we go to training camp and tailgate? When is the first pre-season game? A love of food and Canadian Football is what brings us together. The camaraderie and respect for the tradition keeps us coming back.

Tailgating in Vancouver started from humble beginnings for us. We were about a dozen people barbequing in the lot at Georgia and Beatty until the security there sent us on our way. By the time we left that spot there were probably 30 or so regulars looking for a place to carry on our pastime. We settled on a great spot under the Cambie Street Bridge and had a great time there. The Tailgates really started to grow and with the growth came a lot of issues. Mostly new tailgaters that didn’t respect or weren’t educated to the rules that we followed. Rules like putting your beverage in a cup, packing out your garbage, and only using propane BBQ’s.

This ultimately came to a head at the 2007 Western Final against the Riders. This was probably the largest downtown tailgate Vancouver had ever seen. The Roughrider fans were in full force and so were the Lions fans. We estimated 5000 people were there that day. Unfortunately at the end of it there was so much garbage left behind that even Global News had to show what a mess was made. I remember shaking my head when I saw the news report. I was not shocked at all when we showed up for the first pre-season game of 2008 and were turned away by the operators of the parking lot.

In search of a home once again we began the 2008 season. We found a great spot beside the Costco on Expo Blvd. It was a privately owned lot and there were no real issues there. Unfortunately like most pieces of property downtown it was eventually being used for a construction project. A nomadic tailgate group we were. It is really tough to plan a tailgate when you don’t know if you’re going to be asked to leave. Hard to understand why you can grill up some wieners in any other public space in this great province, but if you do it before a football game you are considered a nuisance.

After some lobbying from one of the Empire members we were granted a home by the great folks at Easy Park. It’s about a 15 minutes walk from BC Place but as long as we paid for any spots being used and continued to be the respectful group that we had always been, we could set up at Quebec and Terminal. We like this spot as it does have some benefits, but the distance to the stadium is the only real downfall.

Then the bombshell was dropped. The Liberal government was going to completely renovate BC Place Stadium. This was excellent news for the football fans of BC. Empire Field would become the temporary home of the BC Lions and off to East Vancouver we would go. The temporary stadium was built and with it an Empire of Tailgaters would emerge.

Really, tons of kudos has to go to the PNE, who operate Empire Field. After initially denying tailgaters a home, they put their heads together and came up with a set of rules for tailgating at Empire and have even supplied portable toilets and trash cans. This forward thinking and quick response has really helped tailgating in Vancouver turn into one of the can’t miss activities of the summer. The people who operate the PNE deserve a lot of praise.

With all the fun times at Empire Field, we look ahead to September 10th. It will in all likelihood be the last tailgater at Empire. A lot of thoughts run through my head when thinking about it. It will be sad to see it go, but it is a great reason to celebrate the great history and the fun times had at the corner of Hastings and Cassiar. I encourage everyone to come down early and be a part of it. We are planning a breakfast menu because of the early start time. Crepes, French toast, bacon, sausages and other types of goodness will be on hand.

Our hope would be that the BC Lions see the value of this great pastime that so many of their season ticket holders have come to enjoy. We would be thrilled if a local lot can be found to make BC Lions pregame tailgating the envy of CFL Fans across the country. As cities in the U.S. have know for years, the PNE setup has proven beyond a doubt that with some common sense rules, washroom and garbage options, tailgating is a very fan friendly event that produces great pregame fun and builds friendships as well as new fans.

Another chapter in the Tailgate Empire has yet to be written and we will continue to produce great meals and good times! Be sure to check back and see where we are and what we are doing as we look forward to the Grand Re-opening of BC Place Stadium.

Happy tailgating from all of us in the Tailgate Empire!

There comes a time in every man’s life when he looks in the mirror and decides that nothing less than his “A” game will do. For the Tailgate Empire that day was last Friday at Empire Field. Members of the Tailgate Empire put their pants on one leg at a time just like everybody else, but on this particular Friday afternoon something was different. Something smelled different and we were counting on something tasting different.

The football club was 0-3, but that would not damper our spirits. There was no running game to be found in Jacques Chapdelaine’s play book, but the Tailgate Empire were prepared to run through a wall. Travis Lulay’s squad were a pass happy bunch, but the Tailgate Empire were happy to merely pass the mustard. The football club was struggling, but the tailgater’s were in mid-season form.

A tailgate menu is not unlike a coach’s game plan. We usually start preparing for the next game right after the last game has ended. It takes careful planning and preparation, and it will only be a success with proper execution. The menu this week was the best it has ever been. A slow cooked rotisserie Prime Rib, some Candied Yam, and a Garlic Lovers Caesar Salad. This was definitely an “Adult” tailgater. Well planned out and brilliantly executed.

We had to bring a full size BBQ down to Empire in order rotisserie the Prime Rib. It is a little bit more work, but a small price to pay for the epic meal that was in store for us. We started with getting our smoke box loaded up with Mesquite chips. We placed the smoke box close to the flames. We found a nice central spot on the roast to run the spit through so that it spins evenly. Once that was done we salted the fat by hand with a generous portion of table salt, and then rubbed the entire roast with Montreal Steak Spice. The roast is now ready for flame. We had a three burner BBQ, so we place the roast over the middle burner and we lit the two outside burners so as to cook the roast with indirect heat. This will ensure that we cook the inside of the roast without burning the outside.

We roasted it on medium for about 2 ½ to 3 hours checking occasionally. It is always best to use a meat thermometer. We wanted an internal temperature of 140-150 degrees for a nice medium to medium well Prime Rib. We usually like medium rare, but in this case we like to see the marbling in a Prime Rib cook thoroughly and inject more flavor into the meat. We pulled the roast off of the grill and tented it in foil to rest for about 10 minutes before we carved it up.

The Candied Yams are a favorite of ours from way back. They are easy to do and quite enjoyable. First, peel your yam and slice them into silver dollar sized pieces. Next, position the yam pieces into a domino like row on a sheet of foil with one yam piece leaning on the next. Drizzle some honey over the yams and sprinkle some brown sugar as well. Add a dollop of butter and wrap into a foil pack. Cook on the grill with indirect heat for about 15-20 minutes and they’re ready to serve.

We will spare you on the details of cutting lettuce, but we will hook you up with the only Caesar dressing recipe you’ll ever need. 3-4 cloves of garlic minced added to one egg in a tall container. Add ½ cup of vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of olive oil while blending with a hand mixer. Once we’re all mixed in then we can fold in with a fork a dash of pepper, ½ tsp of mustard powder, tsp vinegar, tsp of lemon juice, tsp of Worcestershire sauce and ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add this dressing to some romaine lettuce and croutons and your have the only Caesar you’ll ever need!

We definitely brought our “A” game this time out. It was some of the best Prime Rib we’ve ever had. The best part is that we pulled this gourmet beauty off in a parking lot and then headed in to Empire Field to see another entertaining football game. Check back next week as the Roughriders are in town and Cedar Plank Salmon is on the menu. Only three games left at Empire!

Related: For more photos from last Friday’s tailgate party, check out the gallery!

Follow the BCLionsDen.ca Tailgate Empire on Twitter @TailgateEmpire

The Lions may have lost the game but once again the tailgate party was a winner! Tailgate Empire kicked it up a notch with some outstanding food. Take a look at some of the fun in this photo slideshow!

Readers of this blog will recall that Sunday was going to be a special day. It was the first fathers day without my dad, and I wanted to do a nice tribute to him by cooking his French Toast at the tailgate party on the site where he took me to my first professional sporting event.

I never got to do that because of the tailgate issues, and along with some of the food I had purchased, the idea went to waste.

I have to admit, that last night I was pretty down. What should have been a great day filled with great memories had a real damper put on it, and I wondered if I would ever bother to tailgate again. I didn’t blog last night because I wanted to do so of clear mind and I wanted to see what today would bring.

I have to say, I’m thrilled with what has transpired today.

I did a lot of media requests today. Global TV, The Bill Good Show, The Sun, The Province and 24 HOURS. I received a nice call from the BC Lions and was informed that President Dennis Skulsky personally spoke to the PNE. Then late this afternoon, I got the call from the same media outlets that claimed the PNE was going to allow the tailgates to proceed.

Our group has always been respectful, and tried to do things the proper way. We prove ourselves by our actions, and back up our promises. It’s the reason why we already have an open invitation to return to the lot given to us last season.

There are many people to thank here:

• First to our regular group, that took yesterday’s news in stride. No one lost control, no one was disrespectful, and I think that was probably relayed in the discussion that took place today.
• Then there was the media. Starting with Global’s Ted Field and ending with CKNW’s Jim Mullin. These two really got the ball rolling for us in the last 24 hours, Jim especially. Jim has been a regular visitor to the tailgates for years, and his football knowledge and experiences proved to be a valuable tool for our cause.
• The BC Lions for quickly addressing the issue, and trying to work on our behalf. Arlene Stewart-Irvine took the time to personally call me and that was a nice gesture.
• To the PNE for letting common sense prevail. I promise our group will not disappoint you, AND we will ensure people new to tailgating are educated on the culture.

If you’re new to tailgating, and are thinking of joining the fun there is a basic code you need to follow to ensure you and others around you have a good time. Here is the one we live by and will be promoting in the lot.

So…it’s “gate” on for July 10th and time to get back to enjoying all of this again, in a beautiful new place to watch a game! Unfortunately all this talk about the price of parking and the tailgate situation detracted from what was a great first game at Empire Field. The Lions have done an outstanding job and I can’t wait for the next one!

See you there!

When Saskatchewan comes to town, it’s always a fun night. Even better when their loyal fans join the tailgate, no doubt our best of the year to date!

Thanks for coming everyone! Hope you had a great time, (despite the game result hehe).

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I’ve been a CFL fan, and a BC Lions fan in particular, for most of my life. When I was a child, my parents took me to games at Empire Stadium. Later, I attended games at BC Place. My mother was an Edmonton Eskimos fan and used to torture the family by screaming as she watched them on TV. She must have been happy in those years, as some of my earliest CFL memories included the Eskimos hosting the Grey Cup. Unfortunately, none of my friends were interested in going to games and most of my thirst for the Lions and the League in general were satisfied through newspapers and television. That was until 2002.

It was in that year that I met other fans through the internet and in 2003 I was back under the dome, attending games. By 2004 I had bought my own season tickets.

One of the greatest pleasures I’ve experienced since returning to games has been the wonderful people I have met across Canada. I have made friends and acquaintances from, literally, every CFL city. Over the last few years, many of these people have become good friends, and we routinely visit each other throughout the regular season and every year during Grey Cup week.

This latest road trip took me to the province of Alberta – to both the Eskimo Empire and the land of the tailgate party in city of the Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders. The following words and pictures tell that story.

Thursday July 16th

My flight is at 7:00 am so it’s up early. It’s funny how when you go on a trip you have no trouble waking up. The flight to Edmonton is great – just over an hour long. I am greeted at the airport by Brian Edwards, a long time CFL and Edmonton Eskimo fan. Brian and his wife Linda are gracious hosts every time I visit their city.

Our day starts with a little breakfast, followed by a trip across Edmonton’s high level bridge on an old Japanese streetcar. The streetcar was built in 1921 and then rebuilt in 1947. It remained in service in Osaka until 1990, before coming to Edmonton. The train leaves from a location near the old landmark Strathcona hotel. It travels over the High Level Bridge and back, providing a breathtaking view of the city and the North Saskatchewan River.

It was a hot trip, so from there it was a no-brainer that we hit Julio’s Barrio on Whyte Avenue for some lunch and a few Bulldogs. Bulldogs are double margaritas with a bottle of Corona placed upside down in the glass. Let me just say…tasty and potent folks! Julio’s is a must stop for me on every trip to Edmonton. I was also thinking that stopping for drinks on Whyte Avenue will be good karma for new Lions kicker Sean Whyte, who would start his first CFL game that night.

After returning home and having a brief rest…err letting the Bulldogs wear off, it was off to Commonwealth for the Lions vs. the Eskimos.

Dante Marsh sent a tweet this morning on Twitter that the team is ready and he’s preparing by riding the bike and doing some stretching. He calls tonight’s game “huge,” and I have to agree. You can now follow Dante on Twitter: @dantemarsh

The Lions have gone 2 and 2 at the games I’ve attended at Commonwealth. It’s a great place to watch a game and it’s supposed to be nice tonight, so sitting outside in an open air stadium will be a treat.

We arrive at Commonwealth around 6:30 pm. The atmosphere around the stadium is noticeably retro. The 60’s version of the Eskimos fight song is playing. Cheerleaders are dressed like they were in the 60’s – shiny gold suits with big belts and headbands. They look really good!

Inside the stadium, I see lots of Lions fans in orange and black. As I get my first view of the field, I see the Lions warming up and instantly become a fan of the retro uniforms. It is, hands down, the best look I have seen the Lions wear. My Eskimo hosts tend to agree, and their team looks sharp as well.

The game starts a bit slowly. However, after Buck Pierce goes out with an injury, the Lions pick it up with Jarious Jackson at the controls and go on to a big 40-22 win on the road. Despite the lop-sided win, the atmosphere in the stadium is great, the weather is awesome, and I realize on nights like this one outdoor football cannot be beat.

After the game, we head to a downtown pub called 1905 to discuss the game and have a bite to eat. We run into another happy BC Lions fan who chats with us for a while. He’s a transplanted Lions fan from BC with Eskimo season tickets, so tonight he celebrates (but states the Eskimos are his second favorite team).

After a nightcap back at my hosts’ place, it’s off to bed as tomorrow we drive to Calgary for Friday Night Football.

Friday July 17th

During the drive to Calgary, we were entertained by the comedic talents of Russell Peters on the radio. We talked about stories of past CFL road and Grey Cup trips. Don McAskill has joined Brian and I for the trip, and I look forward to meeting up with friends in Calgary at the tailgate party – a huge highlight for me on any Calgary road trip.

After checking in and waiting for our friend William “Hoof” Allen to arrive, I head over to meet friends on the west side of McMahon Stadium. As I stroll through the parking lot, the smell of barbeques fills the air – Canada’s best tailgate party is well under way. Elaborate tailgate setups are the norm here and there’s some serious grub being grilled throughout the lot.

Finally, I meet up with my old college friend, Brian Allan, his son Zach and his new wife Catherine. With them is Brian’s friend Ray, who’s been a regular at the tailgates for years and is known to put on a nice spread for friends and guests alike. I get to sample my first Spolumbo’s sausage, and it lives up to its famous reputation. TSN stops buy to do a promo shot of the sizzling grill and mock dust up between Ray and a visiting Argos fan. Thanks again to Brian and Ray for the hospitality they showed me that day and a great tailgate party experience.

I head into the stadium and find I have great seats courtesy of Ken and Jacky Smith, two Stampeders fans who have moved away from Calgary but still keep their season tickets. They can’t make it to the game, so there I sit on the 50 yard line. I am joined by my friend Hoof, Jacky’s sister Rande, Rande’s husband Mike and their friend Ryan – great people who made it a really fun night.

These two teams also look sharp in retro, although it took a while for me to warm up to Calgary’s. For some reason, the Argos were the only team with their names on their jerseys all weekend.

Much like the Lions and Eskimos, the first half of this game was close. However, the Stampeders opened the floodgates in the second half and shut the Argos out the rest of the way. In the end, it was another blowout, this time by a score of 44-9, setting up a battle of two 1-2 teams the following week when Calgary would visit BC

Ralph the dog tried to steal my Lions hat, but I head faked him, took my hat off and put it on his head (much to the chagrin of fans around me). You have to be quicker than that Ralph! I think you need to get on the same training regiment as Leo the Lion!

While in Calgary, I had the chance to visit another great CFL fan – Scott Oberg. Scott’s a great guy and I thank him for the hospitality he showed me.

Following the game and some parking lot mingling, it was off to the Big T Barbeque across from McMahon for some delicious pulled pork and more banter among friends. This was followed by a few drinks at the hotel. Another great day of CFL football fun for the books!

Saturday July 18th

After driving back to Edmonton, we watch the Hamilton vs.Winnipeg game, followed by parts of the Saskatchewan vs.Montreal contest before heading out to dinner. My BlackBerry revealed that a storm may be heading to Edmonton and, sure enough, I got to witness a good old-fashioned prairie thunderstorm – complete with lightening, rain, hail and wind. The storm knocked out power to the Edwards’ house and surrounding area. From a spectator’s point of view, the light show was spectacular and the storm very impressive, but unfortunately it caused a lot of damage throughout the city. After a late night, it was off to bed for an early flight back to Vancouver.

The best thing about being a CFL fan is the opportunity to meet other fans you from across the league, and then reunite with them, year after year, to share a common passion for Canadian football. At the end of the year, all of these friends gather at Grey Cup to celebrate the season, meet new people, develop new friendships and plan future road trips when we’ll meet again to enjoy the experience of the CFL.

Take a look at the trip through photos!

It came down to the wire, but Easy Park and the City of Vancouver finally showed BC Lions tailgaters a bit of love when they agreed to let us use their lot at Quebec and Terminal to hold our football tailgate parties prior to BC Lions games.

Thank you to everyone that came, and for all the cooperation and support you gave. If we keep it up, we’ll have a home for years to come!

Thanks to Easy Park, Councilors Andrea Reimer, and Kerry Jang, the parking lot security staff, and the police as well!

Here are some pictures from the party!

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Well, after a stressful couple of weeks wondering if many of us had attended our last BC Lions tailgate party, I am pleased to announce that a deal has been reached with the City of Vancouver, as well as the Easy Park group.

First things first I have send a huge than-you to Vancouver City Councillor Andrea Reimer. She spearheaded this with the Easy Park representatives and without her we wouldn’t be making this announcement today. I also want to thank Greg Watrych and Mel McKinney and the folks at Easy Park for giving us this opportunity to continue this great pastime we all love.

The Lot we will be using is located on the north east corner of Quebec and Terminal. It is across from the skytrain station, and beside McDonalds (Image below) and there are some rules we MUST abide by should this be allowed to continue.

• All cars in the tailgate lot must use one spot and must pay for that spot by purchasing a ticket from the meter in the lot. DO NOT buy tickets from street people.
• Parking stalls are available on a first come, first serve basis.
• All garbage must be bagged and secured in vehicles prior to departure for the game, and must be taken home with you to dispose of. Bring extra garbage bags. There are no exceptions to this rule.
• All barbecues must be attended at all times, and a fire extinguisher must be present at the tailgate. If you have one, bring one. NO CHARCOAL BARBECUES ARE PERMITTED.

• There shall be no “public” bathroom use of any kind. All tailgaters must find an appropriate washroom to use.

I’ll be at the lot early on Friday to begin setup. I’ll have extra supplies on hand for those tailgating newbies, but if  you can bring the usual, cups, garbage bags and be prepared to take your garbage with you, that will be great. I look forward to seeing the regulars and maybe a few newcomers. Come on out and join us and ROAR YOU LIONS ROAR!

I’ll also have CFL Fans Fight Cancer shirts for sale if you would like to support that cause!

Lot location:

The lot is located on the northeast corner of Quebec and Terminal: