EXCLUSIVE! Olympic Stadium: Encouraging Signs for Interior Renovations

The Olympic Stadium is the talk of the town.

The roof replacement, as well as the soundproofing, acoustics, lighting, and funicular modernization work, are all on track, both in terms of the completion date and the initial cost estimates.

However, for the past three weeks, there has been talk about the importance—and urgency—of renovating the interior before the stadium's reopening, still scheduled for 2028. Section 100 has been completely removed, and the stadium's interior hasn't been modernized in decades. There had been no major work done on the Olympic Stadium in 25 years prior to the current project.

We all agree that renovating the upper levels but leaving the floor untouched would make no sense. Just like renovating the upper levels now and then modernizing the interior sometime in 2030 or 2032!

What would we do with the stadium until then? Host 17 Monster Truck competitions?

In short, here we are facing the inevitable: we must renovate the stadium's interior before 2028 at all costs, or else we'll look like a bunch of weirdos who agreed to spend a billion dollars on the roof, sound system, lighting, and tower without ensuring we have a modern, usable stadium for the future.

Any good news this week?

I've spent the last few weeks chatting with dozens of people involved in the Olympic Stadium project. From the start, they were clear with me: the government won't bring forward funds budgeted for 2030 and 2032 to renovate the stadium's interior while it's under construction

“With the upcoming elections, that would be a suicidal move for the current government. There's no public support for it.”

Except that my initial tweet
, Alexandre Pratt's article, Don Garber's visit, and the countless columns and debates
that followed are giving current decision-makers pause. Several sources have told me that the new Minister of Tourism, Amélie Dionne, is currently giving the matter serious consideration and that the premier may have to make a decision sooner rather than later. It could happen in the next few hours, I'm told.

Reminder
: the National Assembly will adjourn for the summer on Friday. Approving such a project can be done by the Cabinet during the summer, but it's always better to get things done while the legislature
is in session.

According to my sources, it's only a matter of time before a first wave of interior renovations is announced. Some expenditures already budgeted for 2030 or 2032 are expected to be moved up to 2027 and 2028.

“The current government will announce it in the coming days, or the government elected in October will announce it in the weeks that follow. The only thing that worries me a bit in the short term is the fact that the finance minister called out the premier just a few days ago, but I don't think that will stop the train that seems to be rolling.”

Will it be too late for CF Montréal, whose survival is directly tied to these major investments to modernize the Olympic Stadium? I don't think so. If it's announced in the coming days, we'll be on track for the stadium's reopening in 2028, and if it's announced in November, December, or January, there will still be about 20 months left to complete the work.

It's worth noting that Don Garber mentioned last week that he is aware the Olympic Stadium won't be 100% renovated on Day 1 of its reopening. And that won't be a problem.

What will be the first renovations?

According to my information, the first renovations inside Olympic Stadium are expected to be as follows: new bleachers (closer to the field), new seats, restrooms (which will need to be adapted for people with reduced mobility), and locker rooms.

We're talking about locker rooms that meet MLS requirements.

However, there is a logistical issue, according to what I've been told. Replacing the roof requires using all available floor space. That's why the lower bleachers were removed before construction began. We could renovate the locker rooms, restrooms, and seats on the upper levels, but it might be difficult to build new bleachers when there's no space inside. Could we build them elsewhere and then bring them into the stadium? Maybe…

One thing is certain: things are looking up today compared to three weeks ago, when the issue seemed to have hit a dead end. Let's hope that public pressure can indeed tip the scales in this matter.

Keep an eye out for the premier's public appearances this week; we might have some good news regarding the modernization of the Olympic Stadium.

And, by extension, the future of CF Montréal.

Extension

– Why was the roof replacement announced so quickly, without gauging public opinion and without knowing if there was social acceptance for this megaproject, when we're now extremely cautious about interior renovations?

“There was an urgent need to act on the roof. It was a safety issue.”

– Why not install a retractable roof instead of a fixed one?

“With a stadium built in 1974 and featuring architecture that's unique in the world, we could never have gotten insurance for a retractable roof. Even for the roof, the ventilation, and the technical ring, it was complicated. We almost always have to have parts custom-made.”

– The roof won't be translucent, but there will be windows several meters wide all around the roof, to connect with the technical ring. So yes, natural light will come in… through the sides.

– In the medium term, we'd like to renovate the concourses so that people can watch the action on the field while walking through the stadium or heading to the concession stands. The folks at the Olympic Park visited the Rogers Centre in Toronto and want to take inspiration from it. Keep in mind that the Rogers Centre was renovated over several consecutive winters, meaning it involved several separate construction phases.

– I've been told there's no baseball configuration in the Olympic Park's new plans.

– You might laugh at the MONSTER SPECTACULAR, but this event brings in more revenue than dozens of Expos games did back in the day. These are the kinds of events the Olympic Stadium will target in the future, to complement the CF Montréal seasons (and the Alouettes', perhaps, though their enthusiasm for moving to the stadium seems less intense than CF Montréal's, I'm told).

– Whether or not the Olympic Stadium is modernized, CF Montréal will have to find solutions for the 2026 playoffs (if they qualify in November), the sprint season (early 2027), and the 2027–28 season. The Olympic Stadium won't be ready before then.

– Upgrading the Olympic Stadium to MLS (3.0) standards would cost approximately $500 million, according to my information.

– From what I've heard, MLS is willing to accept an artificial turf surface at the Olympic Stadium, provided it meets the latest global technological standards.

– Martin Leclerc would like to see the Saputo family invest private funds in the modernization of the Olympic Stadium. I believe, however, that this could lead to a potential conflict of interest. I'd rather see the Saputos invest in the roster—as well as in an MLS Next Pro team—to continue promoting Quebec soccer on the international stage. And lease the Olympic Stadium as a private company with no ties to the Olympic Park…