Even though they draw in thousands of fans each year, the Bell Centre and Saputo Stadium have both had a decrease in taxes for 2017.
In 2013, the Bell Centre paid $10,755,872.85 in taxes, but in 2017, it dropped to $6,774,447.85.
Over five years, that’s a decrease of 37 per cent.
READ MORE: Joey Saputo wants Montreal Impact to win MLS Cup within 5 years
For Saputo Stadium, in 2016, they paid $1,608,251.28 in taxes.
In 2017, they paid $1,216,492.77. A decrease of 24 per cent in one year.
The reason for the decrease is because of a reduction in property value.
“Usually, properties go up — they don’t go down,” Marvin Rotrand, Montreal city councillor, said. “It make me curious, nobody is commenting. If there’s a perfect and easy-to-understand explanation, why isn’t anybody saying anything?”
READ MORE: Partial road collapse on Drummond Street, near Montreal’s Bell Centre
The Montreal Canadiens said they wouldn’t comment on private business matters in public.
A spokesperson for the Montreal Impact said they went through the city’s mediation process.
“We’re trying to do the best work we can on establishing a property value, but we’re subject to challenge,” Pierre Desrochers, Montreal executive committee member, said.
Desrochers said both sports complexes challenged their property values, and won.
“There might be an explanation,” Rotrand said. “I think a lot of people are going to be very curious about this one.”
Comments