BREAKING NEWS ----Montreal Stadium expansion details ----

Today the Montreal Alouettes announced they are delaying construction of expanding the stadium.

I was told this weeks meetings went well, but the city and the Alouettes are going to set up a much more detailed plan to the local residents.

I was also told my someone close to the Alouettes, that this will not be a issue but that they wan't to be sure that the city, and community support is strong when they expand.

I was also told that the Alouettes had been given city support on building a new stadium near downtown which is still a possibilty, but they are going to focus on expanding the current stadium.

A new stadium feasibility study suggests the Als would have to pay $75million of the $185million stadium.

20% of Als partners would have to pay $12million but they are able to take $35 of the Montreal Expos fund that was left for local athletic facilities.

The rest is going to be used to amatuer athletes, and $25million has been planned already to be used at universities.

$5million was given to the provincial athletic fund.

This news really reeks man. God if the people living downtown dont like all the festivals and sports events then go move to a quieter neibourhood!!!

First of all this was announced on Thursday!

Second The Office de Consultation Publique has only made a recommendation to the city. The city now has 2 options, Accept the recommendation or accept the plans as is.

So far it has done neither.

I am sick and tired of our imbecile Politicians and cry me a river citizens in Montreal and Quebec with Professional sports.

Molson Stadium expansion II will probably, finally get the go ahead eventually (but God only knows when), but this is ridiculous, how long has this gone on for?????????? Who cares about a stupid tree, especially when they are going to plant twice as many as they cut down!

The Montreal Canadiens (the worlds most famous and winningest hockey franchise) pays roughly 10 million a year alone in Municipal City taxes. That's more than all the U.S. teams combined pay in a year for city taxes. This has hurt the Habs over the years from being competitive and even breaking even at times, despite the fact that they lead the league in attendance every year. Yet the City refuses to lower or excempt the taxes despite the fact that the Bell Centre was built entirely with private money and no tax payer money at all.

Montreal lost the Expos, lost millions in taxes for Quebec and Ottawa, lost hundreds of jobs (and many more indirectly), lost major free advertising and tourism from Major League Baseball , U.S. tv outlets, newspapers etc. because the Governments wouldn't help.

We almost lost our F1 race, but Ecclestone proved very bribeable.

It's enough to make a major Montreal sports fan to wish that he lived in the U.S. where they know how to treat a professional sports franchise representing your City!

They realize the enormous benifits of having a professional sports team in your city, in your Province or State. The money it generates, the tax benefits, the free advertising and tourism, the jobs it creates, the excitement it brings, it lifts the whole moral of the city at times.

I don't live in Montreal but did make it to a game there last year. The only seats available for a "walk-up" are in the endzone, which is really too bad. We had a great time with the rowdy crowd in the endzone but not being able to even see the green grass between the white lines because we were so low to the field took more than a little bit away from the football experience, if not the social experience.

I hope that some resolution can be found to get more seats added because I would like to go back again, but not if it means a virtually horizontal view.

Perhaps I'll have the same problem if the team sells out even when more seats are added - but if that's the case, then more power to you!!

Why don’t the Als partner with the Saputo’s who are looking to build a new soccer stadium there? The Lions apparently are going to partner with the Whitecaps and Greg Kerfoot on a new stadium there in Vancouver after BC Place is torn down after the 2010 Olympics, and I bet my bottom dollar the Argos will be in the new soccer stadium in Toronto sooner than you can say lickety split. So why not the Als and the Impact?

The Impact are building a soccer only stadium way out in the East end, near the Olympic Stadium that seats about 15000 or so.

Molson Stadium is probably the best place to watch a Football game in North America. Yes it is old, but it is built on the side of Mount Royal with a great view of Downtown Montreal on one side and Mount Royal on the other. It is a small, intimite Stadium with a fantastic location to watch a football game. The fans are right on top of the action. It only needs some more seats.

If they don’t get permission to expand, then what you said is a possibility, but they will get approval eventually.

I hope they do get the permission to expand as the location of the stadium looks great on TV, never been to Molson Stadium. Maybe some politics going on there behind the scenes with people who don't care much for football, or the fans, not wanting more in the area where the stadium is located.
Good luck with this and thanks for the info AlsM.