Montreal's Olympic Stadium finally paid off

[Roger Clemente]

Why not move the Penguins there?

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[pollux]

I say since they already spent all that money on the darn thing, they might as well do everything they can to have things going on inside it. If they were really pro-active they would do at least some of the following;

1. Invite the Montreal Alouettes back to play there at a reduced cost. It seems silly that they have offices there, practice there and then play most of their home games across town.

2. Apply for a minor league baseball team (AAA) or (AA). Just because they couldn't support the Expos (and I blame that more on management than I do the fan base) doesn't mean there isn't a taste for baseball- especially in the Greater Montreal Area.

3. Apply to host a minor-league all star game. If you can't get a team, you might as well host at least one game.

4. If the International Bowl goes over well, try and start one up in Montreal too, I hear they like football.

5. NBA exhibition game- preferably with the Toronto Raptors and/or whatever team Steve Nash might be on at the time, Suns or otherwise.

6. Exhibition NFL game- Pre-season with New England or Buffalo as the "home" team.

7. Commonwealth Games; okay it's not on par with the Olympics, but at least all the proper facilities are already in place.

8. There really need to be more advertising for conventions, trade shows, and fairs to be held here. It has all the feel of Europe, with all the comforts and closeness to home- and you can drive instead of flying there if you like.

9. A major annual rock festival. Organize a multi-day event featuring some major label acts and many potential up-and-coming. Think of it as something along the line of Toronto's Film Festival only for the music industry.

10. Advertise more liberally to both film and television productions looking for a stadium for simulated sporting events. Movie productions like domes- the weather remains the same, the lighting conditions can stay constant, the sound tends to stay indoors, ect.

11. Offer to be a "tune up" spot for bands practicing to go out on tour. Many bands like to test their act in an empty venue first to see how it sounds.

12. Crazy idea, but since Edmonton already did it, why not have an open-air NHL game? Just open the roof...well try to anyway.

13. WWE Not my cup of tea, but hosting a Royal Rumble might go over well.

14. National Political Party Conventions might also be an idea. I know it's not quite the way it's done here in the States but the gathering principle is still the same. Besides Quebec as a whole is a national political stronghold.

15. Monster Truck Rallies. Take up the turf, lay down the dirt and let the trucks come ripping through.

I'm sure I'm missing quite a few things, can anyone else suggest something they would try to hold if they had a stadium in need of events?

1 - They're not playing across town, they're playing right in the downtown area, which is much easier for people to hang out after work and before the game. And much more easier to access it than in the eastern part of Montreal.

2,3 - That would actually work, but the problem would be the freaking lease... Why play in a 55,000 seats stadium when you're palying in front of 500 to 1000 attendance?

5 - Basketball isn't really popular in Montreal... Wanna proof? We had the Dragons as part of the NBL for 2 years. Didn't draw any big crowds. We have (or had) the Matrix in the ABA. Haven't heard a thing about them on TV or on radio since they started two years ago.

6 - That would probably work. I've read something to that effect as well. I'd definitely buy tickets to see any NFL team play in Montreal.

7 - Totally agree.

8 - Fairs and conventions have unfortunately moved from the Big O to the 'Palais des Congrès', which is downtown. Again, accessibility is a big factor here.

12 - Open-air isn't an option anymore at the facility. We installed a fixed roof after funding three (or four) retractable roofs. The retractable ones, while a good idea, was made of a textile that wasn't able to sustain temperatures variations of Montreal. So they scraped the idea for a fixed roof.

14 - Again, the Liberal party just held theirs in the 'Palais des Congrès', must more warmth than an empty bowl...

15 - Already done.

-----

As stated, the big O is still used about 200 days a year. It's not necessarily going to waste, but its location definitely doesn't help. That's why the Expos wanted a stadium downtown.

It may be finally paid off, but its too little too late for the stadium. The Expos are gone

yep, that's the main factor here. Why not make it into a Soccer Specific Stadium nad apply for a MLS expansion team for 2009 or 2010?

The Montreal Impact, playing in the USL-1, will move from their current home to a brand new facility paid by private funding. While it would have been an interesting idea, I don't think any team likes to play in front of an half empty attendance, no matter how big the facility is.

[-Helix-]

Although it probably won't happen now with Toronto having a soccer specific venue - What about making it the national team stadium? All the Team Canada soccer teams could play their friendlies and qualification games there. Junior, Senior, and Womens = a lot of games.

If not all, then they could at least try to get some.

[CC97]

Although it probably won't happen now with Toronto having a soccer specific venue - What about making it the national team stadium?

Judging by your sentence I think you already know this, but just in case I'll mention it anyways. The new stadium in Toronto has been designated as the new national team stadium when it opens... I believe Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton is the current one.

[-Helix-]

Although it probably won't happen now with Toronto having a soccer specific venue - What about making it the national team stadium?

Judging by your sentence I think you already know this, but just in case I'll mention it anyways. The new stadium in Toronto has been designated as the new national team stadium when it opens... I believe Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton is the current one.

I remember reading that now. Must've slipped my mind.

Well I'm out of ideas.

[Bucks6thMan]

I say since they already spent all that money on the darn thing, they might as well do everything they can to have things going on inside it. If they were really pro-active they would do at least some of the following;

1. Invite the Montreal Alouettes back to play there at a reduced cost. It seems silly that they have offices there, practice there and then play most of their home games across town.

2. Apply for a minor league baseball team (AAA) or (AA). Just because they couldn't support the Expos (and I blame that more on management than I do the fan base) doesn't mean there isn't a taste for baseball- especially in the Greater Montreal Area.

3. Apply to host a minor-league all star game. If you can't get a team, you might as well host at least one game.

4. If the International Bowl goes over well, try and start one up in Montreal too, I hear they like football.

5. NBA exhibition game- preferably with the Toronto Raptors and/or whatever team Steve Nash might be on at the time, Suns or otherwise.

6. Exhibition NFL game- Pre-season with New England or Buffalo as the "home" team.

7. Commonwealth Games; okay it's not on par with the Olympics, but at least all the proper facilities are already in place.

8. There really need to be more advertising for conventions, trade shows, and fairs to be held here. It has all the feel of Europe, with all the comforts and closeness to home- and you can drive instead of flying there if you like.

9. A major annual rock festival. Organize a multi-day event featuring some major label acts and many potential up-and-coming. Think of it as something along the line of Toronto's Film Festival only for the music industry.

10. Advertise more liberally to both film and television productions looking for a stadium for simulated sporting events. Movie productions like domes- the weather remains the same, the lighting conditions can stay constant, the sound tends to stay indoors, ect.

11. Offer to be a "tune up" spot for bands practicing to go out on tour. Many bands like to test their act in an empty venue first to see how it sounds.

12. Crazy idea, but since Edmonton already did it, why not have an open-air NHL game? Just open the roof...well try to anyway.

13. WWE Not my cup of tea, but hosting a Royal Rumble might go over well.

14. National Political Party Conventions might also be an idea. I know it's not quite the way it's done here in the States but the gathering principle is still the same. Besides Quebec as a whole is a national political stronghold.

15. Monster Truck Rallies. Take up the turf, lay down the dirt and let the trucks come ripping through.

I'm sure I'm missing quite a few things, can anyone else suggest something they would try to hold if they had a stadium in need of events?

12. That's what I was thinking. A Canadiens-Leafs outdoor game could easily draw 50,000.

13. The only WWE event that would even come close to drawing 50,000 is Wrestlemania. But the last 3 Wrestlemania's were scheduled for NBA arenas because they can no longer draw enough people to justify using a stadium. In fact, last year's Mania that was scheduled for the United Center in Chicago had to be moved to Allstate Arena (one of the WORST buildings in the US, BTW) just to make it look like they had a packed house.

That said, it'll be interesting to see whether or not another "bomb threat" moves this year's Mania from Ford Field to the Joe (inside wrestling fan joke).