Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[northernlights99]

Yes they could just leave Olympic stadium there to rot. Close the stadium, condemn it. No money to demolish it, no money to renovate it. Wait till the economy improves and financing comes more available, let a future government deal with this mess. Closing the stadium might be the most politically safe way of dealing with this. Insurance will likely not cover the stadium much longer, they already do not insure the stadium for events between November and March.

[elly63]

RDI is covering the announcement live now

$870 million - Lifespan of roof 50 years

Work starts July 2024 Ends 2028

Will include a transparent glass hoop.“This characteristic element will become the largest window on the sky in Montreal, allowing the enclosure to be flooded with daylight or to offer the public a view of the starry night.

CTV Reports the new roof will have a translucent strip as well as a skylight.

The consortium formed by Groupe Construction Pomerleau-Canam will lead the project. (They did the Lansdowne Park redevelopment)

The stadium would have to be closed within two years if nothing is done, Proulx said.

[elly63]

Quebec to spend $870M on a new roof for the Olympic Stadium
Stadium to be closed 4 years starting this summer
Erika Morris CBC News February 5, 2024

Quebec on Monday morning confirmed that repairs to the Olympic Stadium's roof and ring will come with a price tag of $870 million.

The move is part of an action plan signed in 2018 to revitalize Montreal's east end. The government also wants to further commercialize the Olympic Park by doubling its capacity for tourists, increase the number of events held at the stadium and have room for large-scale concerts, conventions and trade shows.

The government predicts that, with its new roof, the stadium will attract larger events, possibly generating as much as $1.5 billion from tourism and other sources over 10 years.

It also expects to make $61 million in gross revenue per year from the Olympic Park, while the stadium itself could generate tax revenues of more than $20 million per year.

The roof will be fixed, rigid and feature a transparent glass hoop, so the tower will be visible from the inside. It will also flood the stadium with daylight and offer a view of the night sky.

The work will be done in three phases and is expected to take four years to complete, starting this summer. The stadium will be closed during this time, but the rest of Olympic Park will still be accessible.

[MalcolmTucker]

I like how they say gross revenue and don’t predict net, since net is currently -$44 million a year!

[jonny24]

Any details about the new structure? With Canam part of the consortium I would assume steel trusses of some kind. Do drawings exist?

[EpicPonyTime]

100% on board for a new roof, mostly cause I don't have to pay for it.

[thurmas]

Here is some images and video clip from lapresse. The video clip appears to show the lower bowl reconfigured to a new football and soccer orientation yet there doesn't seem to be any mention of budgeting for renovating the lower bowl so not sure if it will actually happen or not?

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/g...0-millions.php

[Martin Mtl]

Great News!

Originally Posted by thurmas

Here is some images and video clip from lapresse. The video clip appears to show the lower bowl reconfigured to a new football and soccer orientation yet there doesn't seem to be any mention of budgeting for renovating the lower bowl so not sure if it will actually happen or not?

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/g...0-millions.php

[BlackDog204]

Originally Posted by thurmas

Here is some images and video clip from lapresse. The video clip appears to show the lower bowl reconfigured to a new football and soccer orientation yet there doesn't seem to be any mention of budgeting for renovating the lower bowl so not sure if it will actually happen or not?

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/g...0-millions.php

The province of Quebec tripling down on the biggest mistake in North American sports stadium history.

Everyone: "The Calgary arena deal is probably one of the worst in professional sports."

Quebec: "Hold my poutine..."

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

100% on board for a new roof, mostly cause I don't have to pay for it.

Well, if you live in Canada and pay federal taxes, chances are you're going to pay for it !

[elly63]

That first image looks like the one that I was confused about posted by CBC. I didn't understand the dark ring which I thought was supposed to be transparent (it is). It was captioned: The Olympic Stadium's new $870-million roof will be fixed, rigid and feature a transparent glass hoop. (Tourism Ministry of Quebec)

[elly63]

• Video Link

[Acajack]

https://twitter.com/AnatoleMarsouin/...432682/photo/1

[elly63]

The video playing in the background here gives a good representation

[elly63]

[thurmas]

Originally Posted by elly63

From these pictures the lower bowl redesign looks similar to mosaic stadium lower bowl in Regina. I did see on en direct with patrice roy on RDI yesterday they had construction equipment in the lower bowl and had started removing blue paint from the lower bowl and saw some construction materials on the floor.

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by elly63

In all honesty, it doesn't look that different from 2008
The lower bowl that is ....

[blueandgoldguy]

Damn, $870 million just for the ring and roof. No renovations to the concourses, locker rooms, seat replacements/realignment, etc. Who knows how much more that would cost?

I'm sure they would like to draw many more concerts, trade shows and other events annually than they did 10 - 15 years ago when the roof wasn't a major issue. I have my doubts they actually will. Back when IG Field opened in Winnipeg, bold claims of attracting 3 - 4 concerts per year were made. Well, the stadium never has never hosted more than 2 concerts in 1 year, and there has been 1 concert in the past 9 years. There also has not been a a major soccer game at the stadium in something like 5-7 years. Oh yeah, I forgot about that disastrous NFL exhibition game 5 years ago that drew "20,000 people."

I think similar claims were made for Mosaic Stadium in Regina. They hoped to draw a few concerts and possibly some other sporting events each and every year following the opening of the new stadium in 2017. I don't think they have hosted a concert since 2019 or a major sporting event since that very same year.

Granted, Montreal is a much bigger city and the stadium is much larger, but again, I doubt they will attract significantly more events.

[BlackDog204]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Damn, $870 million just for the ring and roof. No renovations to the concourses, locker rooms, seat replacements/realignment, etc. Who knows how much more that would cost?

I'm sure they would like to draw many more concerts, trade shows and other events annually than they did 10 - 15 years ago when the roof wasn't a major issue. I have my doubts they actually will. Back when IG Field opened in Winnipeg, bold claims of attracting 3 - 4 concerts per year were made. Well, the stadium never has never hosted more than 2 concerts in 1 year, and there has been 1 concert in the past 9 years. There also has not been a a major soccer game at the stadium in something like 5-7 years. Oh yeah, I forgot about that disastrous NFL exhibition game 5 years ago that drew "20,000 people."

I think similar claims were made for Mosaic Stadium in Regina. They hoped to draw a few concerts and possibly some other sporting events each and every year following the opening of the new stadium in 2017. I don't think they have hosted a concert since 2019 or a major sporting event since that very same year.

Granted, Montreal is a much bigger city and the stadium is much larger, but again, I doubt they will attract significantly more events.

The stadium replaced the 60 year old Winnipeg Stadium, which needed replacing. Price tag? $200 million. So we get a CFL team, University teams, the occasional heritage NHL game, and a few special events. They also host the Valour FC. The stadium also was host to the Grey Cup game once, and they plan on doing it again in 2025.

I'm not sure you are thinking this clear, since Olympic Stadium has been full of structural problems, and costs probably close $2.7 billion when the roof is completed, as opposed to $210 million at IG Field. Not to mention they only play host to an MLS Soccer team, as well as the occasional CFL playoff game in Montreal.

Not sure where you get the idea the stadium was going to attract 3-4 concerts per year, but just like the old stadium, it hosting one or two per year. We also hosted the Women's FIFA tourney in 2015.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by BlackDog204

The stadium replaced the 60 year old Winnipeg Stadium, which needed replacing. Price tag? $200 million. So we get a CFL team, University teams, the occasional heritage NHL game, and a few special events. They also host the Valour FC. The stadium also was host to the Grey Cup game once, and they plan on doing it again in 2025.

I'm not sure you are thinking this clear, since Olympic Stadium has been full of structural problems, and costs probably close $2.7 billion when the roof is completed, as opposed to $210 million at IG Field. Not to mention they only play host to an MLS Soccer team, as well as the occasional CFL playoff game in Montreal.

Not sure where you get the idea the stadium was going to attract 3-4 concerts per year, but just like the old stadium, it hosting one or two per year. We also hosted the Women's FIFA tourney in 2015.

This was a direct quote from a higher-up in the Bomber organization when the stadium was being constructed - 3 - 4 concerts per year. I remember it quite clearly...reading it in the Free Press. Of course, the stadium was needed regardless of what grandiose claims were made as the old one was in need of replacement 10 years earlier. By the way, it cost closer to $240 million after necessary alterations were made thanks to hiring an architect with no experience designing stadiums.

My point is selling this nearly $1 billion roof replacement is not going to lead to some sort of sudden boom in concerts, sports and trade shows compared to 10 - 20 years ago. It will likely lead to a similar number of events per year at Olympic Stadium as occurred in 2000- 2010 or 2015. Nothing to write home about...