OTTAWA, February 6, 2024 – Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, the ‘Big O‘ is about to become and even bigger owe. Quebec’s Minister of Tourism, Caroline Proulx announced on Monday, that the Quebec government will spend $870 million to replace the unsafe, torn roof of the iconic, controversial site of the 1976 Summer Olympic Games.
“We’re investing for 50 years. That’s what we’re doing,” Proulx said at a news conference held in Montreal on Monday, along with Olympic Park President and CEO Michel Labrecque.
The Quebec government in a press release said they are hoping the repaired stadium will “generate economic spin-offs of nearly $1.5 billion over 10 years.”
“We’re investing for 50 years. That’s what we’re doing. We’re doing this for you, your kids and your grandkids with all the commercial potential that is available here in the stadium,” said Proulx, who also suggested that repairing the former home of the long defunct Montreal Expos would attract big entertainment acts that the city has missed out on in the past due to lack of a large enough venue.
Montreal’s Olympic Stadium is the city’s largest venue with a capacity of approx. 50,000 spectators.
“We’re looking at the Beyoncé tour and the Taylor Swift tour – only to speak about them. What they generate as fiscal revenues for either the government or the city is tremendous. So we have an obligation in regards to the building itself to go forward once and for all.”
The new roof
The new roof will no longer offer a retractable option. It will be rigid but it feature a transparent glass hoop, providing a view to the sky.
“This distinctive element will become the largest window on the sky in Montreal, allowing the enclosure to be flooded with daylight or offering the public a view of the starry night, thus honouring the idea of its designer, Roger Taillibert (the original architect).”
Mayor Valérie Plante welcomes a permanent solution
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says the Big O is the most recognisable landmark in the city’s East end, and welcomes this permanent solution proposed by the province.
“We may like it or not, like the Big O, but ultimately it’s there to stay. It’s part of our symbols,” said Mayor Valérie Plante. “I think today the government of Quebec is doing the right thing by saying, ‘okay let’s find a permanent solution so we don’t go back to that story in five, 10, 20 years later.”
When will it be finished?
The construction work for the new roof is expected to start this summer and is to be completed in 2027. It goes without saying that the stadium will be closed during the fours years of construction, but operations at the rest of the park won’t be affected.
lead photo Montreal Biodome in front of Olympic Stadium and its tower, by storem CC BY-SA 2.0
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