Saputo Stadium (French: Stade Saputo) is a soccer-specific stadium at Olympic Park in the borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The stadium opened on May 21, 2008, and is the current home of CF Montréal (formerly the Montreal Impact). The stadium is built on the former practice track and field site on the grounds of the 1976 Summer Olympics, while the stadium's east side has a view of Olympic Stadium's inclined tower. It has a capacity of 19,619,[1] making it the second-largest soccer-specific stadium in Canada, after BMO Field in Toronto.
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 Saputo Stadium in 2012 | |
  Saputo Stadium Location in Montreal  Saputo Stadium Location in Southern Quebec  Saputo Stadium Location in Quebec  Saputo Stadium Location in Canada | |
| Address | 4750 Sherbrooke Street E |
|---|---|
| Location | Montreal, Quebec |
| Coordinates | 45°33′47″N 73°33′9″W / 45.56306°N 73.55250°W |
| Public transit |  Montreal Metro:  Viau Pie-IX |
| Owner | Saputo Inc. |
| Operator | CF Montréal |
| Capacity | 19,619[1] |
| Field size | 110 by 70 yards (101 m × 64 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 18, 2007 |
| Opened | May 18, 2008 |
| Expanded | June 16, 2012 |
| Construction cost | C$47 million[2][3][4] |
| Architect |
|
| Services engineer | CIMA+ Engineering[5] |
| General contractor | Broccolini Construction Inc. |
| Main contractors | Dant Clayton Corporation |
| Tenants | |
| CF Montréal (MLS) (2012–present) Montreal Impact (NASL) (2008–2011) Montreal Impact U23 (PDL) (2014) Montreal Impact Academy (CSL) (2010–2012) Canada men's national soccer team (2008–2010) FC Montreal (USL) (2015–2016) | |
Construction
editThe stadium cost CA$17 million ($23.4 million in 2023 dollars)[6] to build, with $7.5 million paid by the Saputo family and the rest financed on a 25-year term.[7] Saputo Stadium is now CF Montréal's administrative headquarters and also includes a training field, 34 corporate suites and full player welfare areas. The complex covers approximately 150,000 square metres (1,600,000 sq ft). It was designed and fabricated by Dant Clayton Corporation and built by Broccolini Construction Inc.
The stadium features a natural grass playing surface and was reportedly preferred over BMO Field and its then-artificial turf by members of the Canada men's national soccer team.[8] BMO Field has since installed a heated and irrigated hybrid (mixed artificial and natural grass) field.[9]
Anticipating a Montreal entry into Major League Soccer, plans were made to expand the stadium from its initial 13,034 capacity to 20,000 to cope with the anticipated boost in attendance.[10][11] The Quebec government put $23 million for the renovation and expansion of the stadium (the total cost of the stadium was therefore about $40 million). The construction plans went into effect after MLS granted Montreal their nineteenth franchise, which began play in the 2012 season.[12]
Sports usage
editThe stadium welcomed its first Impact home game on May 19, 2008, a scoreless draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Impact's first goal in the stadium was scored by Rocco Placentino against the Charleston Battery on June 13, 2008. This also gave the Impact its first victory in the stadium, with a score of 1–0. The Impact's first game in the newly renovated and expanded Saputo was played on June 16, 2012, against the Seattle Sounders FC. The Impact won the game 4–1.
The only official international matches played at Saputo Stadium were two matches played by Canada men's national soccer team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF).
Gallery
edit-
View inside the stadium prior to expansion -
Saputo Stadium at night prior to expansion -
Stadium in 2010 prior to expansion -
Home match against New York Red Bulls in 2012 -
Goal celebration against D.C. United in 2012 -
Stadium in July 2012 after expansion
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b What's new at Stade Saputo in 2019 (April 12, 2019).
- ^ C$40 million = C$17 million (2008 opening) + C$23 million (2012 expansion)
- ^ Philipps, Randy (June 3, 2012). "Saputo Stadium renovations will be "marathon" until June 16, Impact boss says". The Gazette (Montreal). Archived from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
- ^ Dubuc, Andre (February 13, 2013). "Le stade Saputo a coûté 30% de plus que prévu". La Presse(Montreal). Retrieved February 13, 2013.
- ^ "CIMA+ Engineering". Cima.ca. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
- ^ 1688 to 1923: Geloso, Vincent, A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850 (December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2021. and table 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ "Stade Saputo Expansion". www.impactmontreal.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2015.
- ^ Campbell, Morgan (September 18, 2008). "Natural Grass 'Not Hot on Radar' for BMO Field". The Toronto Star. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
- ^ "BMO Field undergoes transformation into hybrid playing surface". www.sportsnet.ca. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ Montréal se joint à la MLS en 2012 (May 7, 2010).
- ^ Daigle, Frédéric (May 7, 2010). "Joey Saputo: Montréal aura enfin le soccer qu'il mérite". La Presse. La Presse Canadienne.
- ^ Freedman, Jonah (May 7, 2010). ""Passionate" Montreal named as 19th MLS city". MLSSoccer.com. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
External links
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