New Mosaic Stadium gets a trial run Saturday

Nine months before its official opening, the new Mosaic Stadium in Regina is ready for its first test event this Saturday.

It will be a 50 per cent test — the stadium will be half full for a university football match between the University of Regina Rams and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

The stadium that will be the new home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders next fall is on time and on budget according to Regina mayor Michael Fougere, with a final price tag of $278 million.

Fougere said the new facility went through complete system checks this week, from electrical to mechanical.

"This to make sure, when we take over the system and we open up in June of next year officially, that all the systems work well and all the kinks are out of the system," Fougere said.

"That's why we want to test it well in advance of that date to make sure that if there are any issues that come up we can fix them promptly."

The first kink turned out to be the drinking water. It turns out the water isn't yet drinkable and there will be signs on all the washroom telling people this, City of Regina officials said Thursday.

Graham Edge, vice-president of food and beverage for Evraz Place, the city agency that will oversee operation of the stadium, said that — similar to food trucks — the vendors at the stadium for the first test event will be self-contained units with their own water supply.

Edge said some of the vendors have been in contract talks to become permanent vendors at the stadium for major events.

"I think we have a really good, wide range of food options for folks," Edge said. "Something a little outside of what they are used to. We did research around North America and we think fans may be demanding a little bit more and I think we found it for them."

He added that the old standbys, like hot dogs and burgers, will be still be available.

"Or you can have it on steroids — there's the two-foot hot dog with a pound of meat on it and a Coney Island double-stacked burger. I think we've got sundaes on a stick and all sorts of fun stuff."

The test event for the stadium is not just about the fans. There will be a football game going on.

Rams president Dan Johnston noted university teams in Canada are used to playing in different stadiums but not in front of 16,500 spectators.

"The players on both teams are going to have kind of a life-changing event," he said. "[It's] something they're going to remember for a long time."

Johnston added the large crowd will be a financial windfall for the football program, but noted there are a lot of expenses that go along with it too.

Kick-off on Saturday is 2 p.m. CST. Gates open at noon.