The iconic Olympic Stadium in Montreal is finally set to get a much-needed facelift.
The Quebec government announced $870 million in funding Monday for a new roof for the landmark sports complex that hosted the 1976 Olympics.
Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx said the plan will mean the Big O will be able to operate year-round and therefore “create new opportunities for holding trade shows, fairs, congresses, sporting events and large-scale shows.”
The tourist site could double the number of paying visitors, she added. It also means the stadium could host up to 150 events per year, up from 30.
“Our government wants the Olympic Stadium to once again become a positive symbol for the metropolis and for all of Quebec,” Proulx said in a statement.
The work will begin this summer and last for about four years. During that time, the Olympic Stadium will be closed but the park’s surrounding installations will remain open.
The new roof will be rigid and will have a transparent glass hoop to not only allow the light in, but also give stadium goers a look at the stars over the city. The lifespan of the new roof will be 50 years, according to the government.
“We’re investing for 50 years. That’s what we’re doing,” Proulx said at a news conference.
“We’re doing this for you, your kids and your grandkids. With all the commercial potential that’s available here at the stadium, we’re looking at the Beyoncé tour and the Taylor Swift tour.”
Bringing mega concerts like those to Montreal could generate “tremendous” fiscal revenue for both the government and the city, Proulx said.
It’s the latest move in the years-long quest to finally switch out the beleaguered venue’s roof — which has more than 20,000 rips in it.
The current roof is not only nearing its end, Proulx said, but the stadium would have to completely shut down within two years if nothing is done.
Proulx said demolishing the Big O would cost $2 billion and would be complicated by the fact the Montreal metro runs under the structure and because several businesses lease office space in the stadium’s tower.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said she’s satisfied with the announcement . The area around the stadium — which is home to a number of other attractions, including an indoor zoo, planetarium and nearby botanical gardens, all of which are run by the city — has become a major attraction, she told reporters in Montreal.
“You can love or hate the Olympic Stadium but it’s one of the symbols of Montreal,” she said.
Last October, Premier François Legault declared he wanted the venue to return to its former glory. He said he was well aware of high costs associated with installing a roof, but said it was important the Olympic Stadium have a new one.
— with files from Global’s Brayden Jagger Haines, Felicia Parrillo and The Canadian Press