It’s not like renovating the ruins of Rome’s Colosseum to make a high-tech stadium but… The fact remains that Montreal’s current Olympic Stadium is a dilapidated shell to be rebuilt or demolished. It’s not like renovating the ruins of Rome’s Colosseum to make a high-tech stadium… The fact remains that Montreal’s current Olympic Stadium is a dilapidated shell to be rebuilt or demolished.
So the decision was made to rebuild, and as we know, $870 million was spent. A good choice? In these days of Super Bowl LVII, held at the gleaming Allegiant Stadium, it’s a good time to think about it.
Demolishing it would cost several hundred million Canadian dollars, 2 billion according to the promoters of the refurbishment, and… we’d be left without a stadium. Doesn’t a city the size of Montreal need such a facility, capable of attracting 60,000 people? Yes, absolutely.
For a population of 4 to 5 million, a modern stadium is an essential public asset. Some cultural and sporting events simply cannot be held in a 20,000-person arena, that’s now an objective fact. So what to do? Let’s take a look at the costs of the three most high-tech stadiums in the USA.
Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where this year’s Super Bowl was held, cost US$1.9 billion before the pandemic; we can easily imagine US$2.5 to 4 billion if construction were to start this year. Los Angeles’ SoFi stadium, where the Rams play, cost US$5.5 billion. The Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T stadium cost US$1.3 billion… in 2009!
You already understood that building a stadium costs at least a couple of billion to be competitive and meet the new international standards. Demolishing the Olympic Stadium and building a new one would cost a minimum of 3 to 4 billion, so there’s no need to add that this choice is out of the question and that we have to choose the lesser evil.
The presumed sum of 870 million for rebuilding the roof and its technical ring is acceptable in context, but… Renovating the Olympic Stadium, let’s be clear, will not cost CAD$870 million. Renovating its shell is only the first step in a much longer process, and its promoters might be well advised not to shout it from the roof… in the process of being renovated.
Just how much will it cost to fix the faulty acoustics? Very expensive, as Montreal’s stadium is a dunce in this respect, perhaps the worst in the world. The late architect Roger Taillibert, its designer and great aesthete, obviously hadn’t thought about it.
I personally attended most of the mega-concerts up until the 90s. As time went by, my profession led me to attend concerts in other stadiums around the world, which were far more acceptable sound-wise. At a late stage in my career as a pop music columnist, I promised myself I’d never go back in such mediocre conditions again.
I’d like to add that none of the concerts I’ve attended at the Olympic Stadium – Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd, U2, David Bowie, the Stones, Madonna, George Michael, Bruce Springsteen, in short – have been handicapped by poor acoustics. It’s easy to understand why only 3 musical programs have been presented there in the last decade… You really have to be motivated to go there, and I haven’t been one of those believers for a long time now.I’d like to add that none of the concerts I’ve attended at the Olympic Stadium – Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd, U2, David Bowie, the Stones, Madonna, George Michael, Bruce Springsteen, in short – have been handicapped by poor acoustics. It’s easy to understand why only 3 musical programs have been presented there in the last decade… You really have to be motivated to go there, and I haven’t been one of those believers for a long time now.
How much will it cost to replace and reconfigure the outdated seats? Very expensive indeed. Considerable work will be needed inside the structure to create a better feeling of proximity.
How much will the audiovisual equipment cost? A fortune. Since stadium led screens are now a fundamental part of the experience, we can’t skimp on the cost of such equipment, which the Olympic Stadium doesn’t have. The SoFi stadium in LA cost 40 million a few years ago, so it’s easy to imagine the Olympic Stadium costing twice as much (in Canadian dollars).
And then there are the passageways, the food stalls, the VIP boxes – in short, everything a stadium needs in 2024 to attract megastars, major sports tournaments and top professional teams.
Let’s face it, it won’t cost C$870 million to compete with international offerings. A refreshed shell, as beautiful and historic as it may be, won’t be enough. Let’s consider at least doubling, and possibly tripling, the cost, so that the Olympic Stadium experience can meet the new standards of the global market. Otherwise… we’ll have another signature work on the outside and a permanent mess on the inside.
