B.C. Lions' vice president George Chayka speaks to the press next to a photo representation of Empire Fields, the future temporary home of the CFL club, and the soccer Vancouver Whitecaps. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)

The B.C. Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps are returning to their roots.

The CFL Lions will play their 2010 CFL schedule in a 27,500-seat temporary stadium located on the site of old Empire Stadium, it was announced Tuesday. The Whitecaps will begin their inaugural Major League Soccer season in 2011 at the same facility.

That move is necessary because of construction of a new $458-million retractable roof at BC Place Stadium in downtown Vancouver.

David Podmore, chair of the BC Pavilion Corporation which owns BC Place, told a news conference hosted on the Empire Stadium site it will cost $14.4 million to build the temporary facility, then remove it. The cost is included in the budget for BC Place.

The work on BC Place is expected to be completed by July 2011.

Site has an illustrious history

The Lions played their first home CFL game at Empire Stadium, located on the Pacific National Exhibition grounds in east Vancouver, against the Montreal Alouettes on Aug. 11, 1954. The 32,375-seat stadium also hosted the first Grey Cup west of Ontario in 1955.

Stars like Joe Kapp, Willie Fleming and By Bailey played for the Lions before the team moved to BC Place in 1983.

The Whitecaps began play in the old North American Soccer League at Empire Stadium in 1974 before moving to BC Place. The team currently plays at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, B.C.

George Chayka, the Lions vice-president of business, said returning to the Empire Stadium location means the team will play its first outdoor home games in 27 years.

"I think it will be a tremendous opportunity for our fans to rekindle and relive numerous memories," he said.

"We are going to do our very best to make 2010 a season to remember, tying in the retro aspect and the history of our club [while] also giving our fans an opportunity to look forward to the future."

The Lions will host the 2011 Grey Cup.

The Whitecaps will spend the 2010 season playing in the newly formed NASL. The 2011 MLS season will begin in mid-March, meaning the Whitecaps will need a larger stadium. Lenarduzzi isn't sure how many games the Whitecaps will play at the temporary facility before moving to BC Place.

Chayka said the shift to the Empire facility will be an adjustment for both the Lions and the team's fans.

"Based on what the look and feel of the stadium at the Empire site is going to be, I think it exceeds a lot of our fan's expectations," he said. "We are very pleased."

Podmore said the temporary stadium will have lighting for night games, concession stands and a press box. It also will have 12 private boxes.

Empire Stadium was opened July 30, 1954, and was built for that year's British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

During the Games, both Roger Bannister and John Landy ran the one-mile race in under four minutes. A statue honouring the race stands at the entrance to the PNE grounds. The stadium had an illustrious history.

Empire Stadium hosted its first soccer match in June 1956 when Everton of the English First Division played Scottish League champions Aberdeen.

Elvis Presley performed there on Aug. 31, 1957, one of only three appearances he made outside of the United States, and the stadium hosted the only Canadian date on the Beatles' first North American tour on Aug. 22, 1964.

Empire Stadium was demolished in January 1993.