Stadium Expansion

[GoodTimes2008]

With all this talk of MLS coming to montreal, Saputo stadium will undoubtebly go through some renovations. Does anyone have any ideas on what part of the stadium will go through renovations.

I was at the Olimpia game and the current open space between bleachers creates some severe wind tunnels. This created a disadvantage for the Montreal squad.

it would also be great to have more covered seating areas to go along with any additional seats.

[Indiscretion]

im hoping that they will fill in those areas with more seats ala Red Bull Arena giving the stadium a full enclosure....but for goodness sakes they HAVE TO make a better grandstand

[Real Corona]

What about those weird white tents? They need to get rid of those, and I like the idea about enclosing the stadium. One issue that urgently needs to be addressed is that entrance to the players locker rooms. Half time traffic jams are nuts.

[zidja]

What about those weird white tents? They need to get rid of those, and I like the idea about enclosing the stadium. One issue that urgently needs to be addressed is that entrance to the players locker rooms. Half time traffic jams are nuts.

No plans have been released, but it's pretty safe to assume the side with the vip tents/patio will have a 4th stand. The simplest way they could do it would be to just copy the other endline stand. Maybe they'll do something more to it like put some vip booths on top or a partial roof. As far as filling in the corners goes, I think the concrete stand with the building can't be connected at all. Maybe the 2 corners on the opposite side could be filled in.
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/9985/splashimageib7.jpg

[Daniel from Montréal]

No plans have been released, but it's pretty safe to assume the side with the vip tents/patio will have a 4th stand. The simplest way they could do it would be to just copy the other endline stand. Maybe they'll do something more to it like put some vip booths on top or a partial roof. As far as filling in the corners goes, I think the concrete stand with the building can't be connected at all. Maybe the 2 corners on the opposite side could be filled in.
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/9985/splashimageib7.jpg

You need to expand by around 7k. Stand capacities are currently around 6.5k for the big stand, 2.5k for the end stand and 4k for the covered stand.

Adding another similar end stand will find you 4.5k short with nowhere much to go. If that end stand gets as high as the side stand, you're looking at probably 4k instead of 2.5k. Then you might be able to get the 3k by connecting the corners of the big stand to the end stands. You can't fill in the other corners due to an agreement with the OIB.

On top of that, you'd have to add a great number of permanent facilities in the entrance area, like bathrooms and concessions, all the current stuff is temporary.

You can't cover the endstand because of the video screen, and covering the other stands would devaluate the grand stand.

Apparently, the setup of the current covered stand, with everyone walking in front of the first row, and that one walkway being blocked for player entrances and exits, is awful. That needs to be addressed.

[Chef Medeski]

No plans have been released, but it's pretty safe to assume the side with the vip tents/patio will have a 4th stand. The simplest way they could do it would be to just copy the other endline stand. Maybe they'll do something more to it like put some vip booths on top or a partial roof. As far as filling in the corners goes, I think the concrete stand with the building can't be connected at all. Maybe the 2 corners on the opposite side could be filled in.
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/9985/splashimageib7.jpg
Theres no way they could fill the 7k they have talked about without doing the corners. Personally I remember reading somewhere they were going to keep the 4th side open for the view of the Olympic Stadium. I mean they don't really have enough room to put another stand like the one end stand there because then as soon as you entered you would have to underneath it. Disastrous.

Personally I think the wisest would be to fill the corner and add a second tier to the grand stand, scrap the boxes and make it so that people can enter form the top as well. Or have the boxes between the two tiers but you would have to scrap the VIP entrance. They better have something in the works because I really hope their plan isn't for their brand new stadium to be barely able to hold 20k with ragtag additions. Not only do we know that stadium could easily fill 25k for a lot of game within 5 years but we would be stuck with it since it would be brand new for quite awhile. I think Saputo has better sense than that. But I will be eagerly awaiting details.

[Chef Medeski]

Well I did some investigating and found out some interesting stuff.

The initial plans for the stadium, which was supposed to be at a different location looked like this:

http://www.impactsoccer.com/images/nsplan.jpg

Yup, thats one of the corners being filled with the other empty. Odd.... As well no 4th stand. The interesting part though is that, that stadium was slated to have an initial 13k seats and be expandable to 17k. I'm guessing that original 13k included the wrap around corner and the expandable was either another stand or a stand on the 4th end with wrap around. Thats 3.5k. So if they want to add 7k to the current stadium as is projected, one of the current stands has to go cause even with the wraparound and a new stadium and all corners filled, i doubt it'll be 7k. Since the seats don't even extend all the way on the North Stand (Cage FC section) I doubt you could even wrap around there. That leads me to believe 2nd tier on Grand Stand, new South Stand to maintain a pretty simple and quick expansion to get 20k.

Also if anyone feels bold, we could call up or swing by the architect, he must know a bit more.

http://www.ziplocal.com/companies/1752107-Zinno-Zappitelli-Architecte

Also of note, but completely unverified, the Stade Saputo page on the French Wikipedia says a 4th stand will be added. Although its not backed up so take it with a grain of salt. Just interesting variations between the two languges.

[Real Corona]

Pure speculation here.


But by simple guesstimation, I am going to say that the Vip booths get a stand, and they build a second level over the uncovered grandstand.

[Daniel from Montréal]

Also of note, but completely unverified, the Stade Saputo page on the French Wikipedia says a 4th stand will be added. Although its not backed up so take it with a grain of salt. Just interesting variations between the two languges.

I don't know one person who would say a 4th stand is not part of the solution. That was always the plan. The point is that the extra 7k can't be found in just one endstand.

[GoodTimes2008]

hats off to your research. interesting stuff, my personal preference would be to leave the 4th end open, and fill in as many corners as allowed and to totally revamp the grandstand(hey if money wasn't an option why not).

I just don't know why expansion plans are so limited. i mean talk is that they will expand to 17,000 seats, is that enough? i mean shouldnt they look at something around 22,000? i think thats an ideal size all while maintaining the intimacy of the stade.

Soccer is HUGE in this city and the popularity of this team is just going to skyrocket quickly,trust me.

[austinwetherby]

If your averaging 12k for being a usl team you need atleast 25,000 or more. Clearly these owners know so little about the sports industry. But thats the MLS motto, Think small and maybe something big will happen, idiots

[Daniel from Montréal]

If your averaging 12k for being a usl team you need atleast 25,000 or more. Clearly these owners know so little about the sports industry. But thats the MLS motto, Think small and maybe something big will happen, idiots

Only you clearly have no idea of the footprint of the stadium.

In the medium-term, 18-20k would make sense, and is pretty much as big as the stadium can get without rebuilding the entire thing.

[Real Corona]

hats off to your research. interesting stuff, my personal preference would be to leave the 4th end open, and fill in as many corners as allowed and to totally revamp the grandstand(hey if money wasn't an option why not).

I just don't know why expansion plans are so limited. i mean talk is that they will expand to 17,000 seats, is that enough? i mean shouldnt they look at something around 22,000? i think thats an ideal size all while maintaining the intimacy of the stade.

Soccer is HUGE in this city and the popularity of this team is just going to skyrocket quickly,trust me.


I can't wait for the Toronto-Montreal matches.

[Real Corona]

If your averaging 12k for being a usl team you need atleast 25,000 or more. Clearly these owners know so little about the sports industry. But thats the MLS motto, Think small and maybe something big will happen, idiots

Thanks for stopping by.

[Daniel from Montréal]

People drawing what they hope expansion will look like: http://impactsoccer.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8102

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/8655/stadesaputo1nh2.png

[Real Corona]

That one doesn't look big enough. They basically just put in another stand and a roof.

[Oscar E.]

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/7590/saputojx4.jpg (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=saputojx4.jpg)
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/saputojx4.jpg/1/w889.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img253/saputojx4.jpg/1/)

[Nazzer]

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/7590/saputojx4.jpg (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=saputojx4.jpg)
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/saputojx4.jpg/1/w889.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img253/saputojx4.jpg/1/)

This looks nice. But wouldn't that require rebuilding the cement stand that has the roof over top of it right now? I would think it cheaper to tear down the bleacher style stand opposite from the cement stand and put 2 or 3 tiered proper cement stand there.

[Real Corona]

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/7590/saputojx4.jpg (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=saputojx4.jpg)
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/saputojx4.jpg/1/w889.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img253/saputojx4.jpg/1/)


That is something along the lines of what I would guess they will do. I know they said that the stadium was designed specifically to be easily expanded, maybe that's what they meant. Tear down the cheap bleachers and rebuild a double decker. All just speculation. But keep the pictures coming.


Edit: I just realized that the picture is backwards from what I was thinking. The double decker side, in my imagination is the open bleachers, not the covered area.

[NF-FC]

There's not much room behind the east grandstand for expansion. Best bet would be to enlarge the north stand to the same size as the east stand (35 rows) then fill in the corner and duplicate on the empty south end. Then you'd have a giant 35 row C shaped stand opposing the west stand, and about 20,000 seats.