Mayor Sam Katz was simply incredulous that media were not allowed into Investors Group Field to witness the extensive flood damage done by a spring melt due to a poor design.

Both the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BBB Stadium Inc., have declined numerous requests to document the damage since the Winnipeg Sun first disclosed the problem Tuesday.

"A request went to BBB Stadium and the media was declined?" Katz said Wednesday. "As the mayor, I'm very disappointed to hear that ... The realities are that, in my mind, this is a public facility. As you obviously know, the taxpayers footed the bill. The Bombers football club will repay the majority of that over time. But, in the meantime, I am very dismayed to hear that."

An eyewitness told the Sun that flooding had caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to the stadium's suites.

In a statement, BBB Stadium said normal access won't resume until the site has been cleared.

"This decision was made based on consultation with our construction manager, who has advised that the area in which the repairs are being done is a construction zone and any traffic would potentially interfere with the remediation process that is underway," it said.

Sport Minister Ron Lemieux said the local CFL team does have the right to lock the public out, as managers of the stadium.

Katz noted that taxpayers just spent more than $200 million to open the stadium.

"If it's a flaw in the construction, then they should be looking at that situation. As you know, the city was not involved in the design or the building, etc."

The province promised $3 million to winterize the facility a year after it was opened. The stadium was also opened a year late due to a number of other problems.

"In my opinion, there should been much more time devoted to details which, for some reason, were overlooked," Katz said. "The fact that we have a press box that is not enclosed, with all due respect, that's just poor planning."

Lemieux believes that the cost of fixing the flood damage will be the builder's responsibility. Those costs are still being assessed.

"There are some concerns and there are some problems that have taken place there," Lemieux said. "We want to get them rectified."

— With files from Kristin Annable

jim.bender@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @bendersun