VANCOUVER -- The roof of Vancouver's B.C. Place stadium is about to go from marshmallow to pancake in just 30 minutes. Flat.
The pillowy, white, inflatable roof has been a landmark on Vancouver's skyline since B.C. Place opened in 1983.
But the dome will droop to make way for a $460-million retractable covering above the downtown stadium.
The Tuesday morning deflation was expected to take about half an hour, once 14 fans blowing air under the four-hectare roof are turned off.
B.C. Pavilion Corporation, which owns and operates the stadium, has said most of the roof fabric will be removed and recycled over the next two months while spars supporting the new retractable roof should start appearing by July.
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One of the first events to be held under the new roof will be the 2011 Grey Cup.
