Olympic Stadium (Montreal)

           The Olympic Stadium (French: Stade olympique) is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics. It subsequently became the home of Montreal's professional baseball and Canadian football teams. Since 2004, when the Montreal Expos relocated to Washington, D.C., the stadium has no main tenant, and with a history of financial and structural problems, is largely seen as a white elephant. It currently serves as a 56,040-seat multipurpose facility for special events (e.g. concerts, trade shows), and continues to serve as a 66,308-seat venue for playoff and Grey Cup games hosted by the Montreal Alouettes. The Montreal Impact also use the stadium on occasion when a larger capacity venue is needed or when the weather restricts outdoor play in the spring months. La tour de Montréal, the tower incorporated into the base of the stadium, is the tallest inclined tower in the world at 175 metres (574 ft), and is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers. The stadium's nickname "The Big O" is a reference to both its name and to the doughnut-shape of the permanent component of the stadium's roof; "The Big Owe" has been used to reference the astronomical cost of the stadium and the 1976 Olympics as a whole.

                  It is the largest stadium, by seating capacity, in Canada.

Location  : 4545 Pierre de Coubertin Avenue, Montreal, Quebec H1V 3N7

Coordinates : 45°33′28″N 73°33′7″WCoordinates: 45°33′28″N 73°33′7″W

Broke ground :  April 28, 1973

Opened : July 17, 1976 (Olympics)

                April 15, 1977 (Baseball)

Owner : Régie des Installations Olympiques (Government of Quebec)

Surface : Grass (1976; June 2, 2010)

               AstroTurf (1977-2001; 2005-2006)

               Defargo Astrograss (2002-2003)

               FieldTurf (2003-2005)

               Team Pro EF RD (soccer; 2007-present)

Construction cost :  C$ 770 million

                                 C$ 1.47 billion (2006 - including additional costs, interest and repairs)

Architect : Roger Taillibert

Capacity :    Baseball: 43,739

                    Football: 66,308

                    Concert: 78,322

Field dimensions :     Foul Lines – 325 ft (1977), 330 (1981), 325 (1983)

                                   Power Alleys – 375 ft

                                   Center Field – 404 ft (1977), 405 (1979), 404 (1980), 400 (1981), 404 (1983)

                                   Backstop – 62 ft (1977), 65 (1983), 53 (1989)

Tenants

Montreal Expos (MLB) (1977-2004)

Montreal Alouettes (CFL) (1976-1986, 1996-1997, 2002-present) [playoff games only])

Montreal Manic (NASL) (1981-1983)

Montreal Machine (WLAF) (1991-1992)

Montreal Impact (USL-1) (2009 [CCL knockout round games only])

Montreal MLS 2012 (MLS) (2012-future)

1976 Summer Olympics (1976)

Grey Cup (CFL) (1977, 1979, 1981, 1985, 2001, 2008)

2009 Trophée des Champions

1982 Major League Baseball All-Star Game