Montreal says no to 'Big Owe'

rt_0891 · October 11th, 2005, 12:55 AM

Montreal says no to 'Big Owe'

Last Updated Sat, 08 Oct 2005 18:04:30 EDT
CBC News

Montreal's Olympic Stadium will be fully paid for on June 30, 2006, and the province plans to turn it over to the city, but the mayor says the city doesn't want it. Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay said Saturday that the Olympic facilities, built for the 1976 Games, should remain in the hands of the province.

The mayor said: "I have already asked [Jean Charest] to move away from the retrocession of Olympic installations to the city of Montreal."

The Quebec government introduced a special tobacco tax in May 1976 when it discovered Olympic costs were spiralling out of control - leading to the nickname of the "Big Owe" instead of the "Big O."

The Olympics were originally estimated to cost $250 million and would be "self-financing," said then-Mayor Jean Drapeau. He said: "The Olympic Games can no more lose money than a man can have a baby."

In the end, the total price tag, including interest, will be closer to $2.3 billion.

On Friday, Quebec Finance Minister Michel Audet's office confirmed the government would continue collecting the tobacco tax, which brings in $81 million a year, although Mayor Tremblay said a portion should be set aside for the Olympic village. "With our proposal, the Quebec government would continue collecting a special tax on tobacco, and with a portion of this tax, it would finance the maintenance and the operations of Olympic Stadium," Tremblay said.

Quebec absorbs an annual deficit of about $20 million for the Olympic Installations Board, the agency that manages the facilities. It must also spend $6 million a year for the next 30 years for the stadium's new roof.

Tosco · October 12th, 2005, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rt_0891

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Quebec absorbs an annual deficit of about $20 million for the Olympic Installations Board, the agency that manages the facilities. It must also spend $6 million a year for the next 30 years for the stadium's new roof.

Why so much maney. Wouldn't be easier to just demolish it and build a practical-modern stadium?

habsfan · October 13th, 2005, 07:50 PM

Teh problem with the Olympic Stadium isn't that it's ugly.(in fact, i find it's one of the better looking Stadiums in North America.

The problem with the Big O(and the main reasons why so many montrealers hate it) is because it cost SOOOO much money, it's far from the downtown core, and it stays empty for most of the year.

Now that the Gov't has said it intends to continue taxing smokers with the special "olympic" tax to continue paying for the upkeep of the Stadium, we should concentrate on finding a solution for the big O.

One reason why I believe we can't just destroy the thing is mostly because it sits on top of Two metro stations. You can't just decide to blow it to smitherines!

samsonyuen · October 14th, 2005, 07:53 PM

Maybe it could be an attraction that better compliments Biodôme, or maybe a convention center.

mr.x · October 15th, 2005, 06:48 AM

i posted an article quite awhile ago, according to a study, it would cost half a billion dollars to tear down Olympic Stadium. you can't just blow it up into bits and pieces, you have to rip it apart in sections. the process would take 4-6 years.

rapideye95 · October 15th, 2005, 06:09 PM

I want the expos back....and the Big O is an example of great architecture....keep it in tact....

samsonyuen · October 15th, 2005, 09:53 PM

Four to six years to deconstruct it? That's crazy. I want it kept anyway.

October 11th, 2005, 12:55 AM	#1
rt_0891 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Toronto, Hong Kong, Vancouver Posts: 2,697 Likes (Received): 0	Montreal says no to 'Big Owe' Montreal says no to 'Big Owe' Last Updated Sat, 08 Oct 2005 18:04:30 EDT CBC News Montreal's Olympic Stadium will be fully paid for on June 30, 2006, and the province plans to turn it over to the city, but the mayor says the city doesn't want it. Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay said Saturday that the Olympic facilities, built for the 1976 Games, should remain in the hands of the province. The mayor said: "I have already asked [Jean Charest] to move away from the retrocession of Olympic installations to the city of Montreal." The Quebec government introduced a special tobacco tax in May 1976 when it discovered Olympic costs were spiralling out of control - leading to the nickname of the "Big Owe" instead of the "Big O." The Olympics were originally estimated to cost $250 million and would be "self-financing," said then-Mayor Jean Drapeau. He said: "The Olympic Games can no more lose money than a man can have a baby." In the end, the total price tag, including interest, will be closer to $2.3 billion. On Friday, Quebec Finance Minister Michel Audet's office confirmed the government would continue collecting the tobacco tax, which brings in $81 million a year, although Mayor Tremblay said a portion should be set aside for the Olympic village. "With our proposal, the Quebec government would continue collecting a special tax on tobacco, and with a portion of this tax, it would finance the maintenance and the operations of Olympic Stadium," Tremblay said. Quebec absorbs an annual deficit of about $20 million for the Olympic Installations Board, the agency that manages the facilities. It must also spend $6 million a year for the next 30 years for the stadium's new roof.

October 13th, 2005, 07:50 PM	#3
habsfan Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Montréal, P.Q. Posts: 1,593 Likes (Received): 0	Teh problem with the Olympic Stadium isn't that it's ugly.(in fact, i find it's one of the better looking Stadiums in North America. The problem with the Big O(and the main reasons why so many montrealers hate it) is because it cost SOOOO much money, it's far from the downtown core, and it stays empty for most of the year. Now that the Gov't has said it intends to continue taxing smokers with the special "olympic" tax to continue paying for the upkeep of the Stadium, we should concentrate on finding a solution for the big O. One reason why I believe we can't just destroy the thing is mostly because it sits on top of Two metro stations. You can't just decide to blow it to smitherines! __________________ Veni, Vidi, Vici 24 Stanley cups and counting! GO HABS GO!!!

October 15th, 2005, 06:48 AM	#5
mr.x Ex-mod Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: █♣█ Vancouver Posts: 8,072 Likes (Received): 1	i posted an article quite awhile ago, according to a study, it would cost half a billion dollars to tear down Olympic Stadium. you can't just blow it up into bits and pieces, you have to rip it apart in sections. the process would take 4-6 years. __________________ "My Homer is not a communist. He may be a liar, a pig, an idiot, a communist, but he is NOT a porn star." - Abe Simpson "Preparations for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics are progressing so well, it's boring. We'd like there to be some challenges, so we [the IOC] could shout at them." - IOC (Sept. 2007) "In medieval Europe if you didn't like somebody's argument and couldn't think of a real response you called them a witch and demanded they be burned at the stake. In the US you call them unpatriotic, and in Canada you call them racist."

October 15th, 2005, 06:09 PM	#6
rapideye95 Supafied Beat Maker Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mississauga Posts: 1,588 Likes (Received): 0	I want the expos back....and the Big O is an example of great architecture....keep it in tact.... __________________ Toronto born and raised. Today I live in the shackles of Mississauga

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October 14th, 2005, 07:53 PM	#4
samsonyuen SSLL Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Canary Wharf > CityPlace Posts: 8,534 Likes (Received): 0	Maybe it could be an attraction that better compliments Biodôme, or maybe a convention center.

October 15th, 2005, 09:53 PM	#7
samsonyuen SSLL Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Canary Wharf > CityPlace Posts: 8,534 Likes (Received): 0	Four to six years to deconstruct it? That's crazy. I want it kept anyway.