Olympic Stadium ( Montreal ) The Olympic Stadium is a multi - purpose stadium in the Hochelaga - Maisonneuve district of Montreal , Quebec , Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics . The stadium is nicknamed " The Big O " , a reference to both its name and to the doughnut - shape of the permanent component of the stadium ' s roof ; " The Big Owe " name has also been used to reference the astronomical cost of the stadium and the 1976 Olympics as a whole . The stadium is the largest by seating capacity in Canada . After the Olympics , it 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 . The tower incorporated into the base of the stadium , called the Montreal Tower , is the tallest inclined tower in the world at . History . Background and architecture . The stadium was designed by French architect Roger Taillibert to be a very elaborate facility featuring a retractable roof , which was to be opened and closed by a huge tower – the tallest inclined structure in the world , and the sixth tallest structure in Montreal . The Olympic swimming pool is located under this tower . An Olympic velodrome ( since converted to the Montreal Biodome , an indoor nature museum ) was situated at the base of the tower in a building similar in design to the swimming pool . The building was built as the main stadium for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games . The stadium was host to various events including the opening and closing ceremonies , athletics , football finals , and the team jumping equestrian events . The building ' s design is cited as a masterpiece of Organic Modern architecture . Taillibert based the building on plant and animal forms , aiming to include vertebral structures with sinewy or tentacles , while still following the basic plans of Modern architecture . Construction . As construction was well underway , a labour strike caused a major delay to the building of the stadium and , in particular , the tower . The roof languished in a warehouse in France until 1982 . It was not until 1987 , 11 years later , that both the tower and roof were completed . Opening . Problems plagued the stadium from the time it opened for the Olympic Games , when it was only half built . Seating 58 , 500 at the time , the stadium was not fully completed in time for the Games due to problems with the unusual design and strikes by construction workers . During the Games and for several years afterward , the stadium did not have a tower or roof . Both the tower and the roof , made of over of Kevlar , stood unfinished until 1987 , and it was not until 1988 that it was possible to retract the roof . The 66 - tonne roof then proved difficult to retract , and could not be used at all in winds greater than . During baseball season , whenever rain was accompanied by high winds , this resulted in the unusual phenomenon of a rain delay in a covered stadium . It was also torn during particularly windy conditions . Observatory . When construction on the stadium ' s tower resumed after the 1976 Olympics , a multi - story observatory was added to the plan , accessible via a funicular that travels 266 metres along the curved tower ' s spine . The funicular cabin ascends from base of the tower to upper deck in less than 2 minutes at a rate of 2 . 8 metres / s , with space for 76 persons per trip and a capacity of 500 persons per hour . The cabin is designed to remain level throughout its trip , while providing a panoramic view to its passengers . The funicular faces north - east , offering a view to the north , south and east . It overlooks the Olympic Village , the Biodome , the Botanical Gardens and Saputo Stadium . The Olympic Park , the stadium ' s suspended roof and downtown Montreal can be viewed from the south - west facing Observatory at the top of the tower . Stadium financing . Despite initial projections in 1970 that the stadium would cost only C $ 134 million to construct , strikes and construction delays served to escalate these costs . By the time the stadium opened ( in an unfinished form ) , the total costs had risen to C $ 264 million . The Quebec government introduced a special tobacco tax in May 1976 to help recoup its investment . By 2006 , the amount contributed to the Olympic Installations Board accounted for 8 % of the tax revenue earned from cigarette sales . The 1976 special tobacco tax act stipulated that once the stadium was paid off , ownership of the facility would be returned to the City of Montreal . In mid - November 2006 the stadium ' s costs were finally paid in full . The total expenditure ( including repairs , renovations , construction , interest , and inflation ) amounted to C $ 1 . 61 billion , making it the second most expensive stadium ever built ( after Wembley Stadium in London ) . Despite initial plans to complete payment in October 2006 , an indoor smoking ban introduced in May 2006 curtailed the revenue gathered by the tobacco tax . Perceived by many to be a white elephant , the stadium has also been dubbed " The Big Owe " . The stadium has generated on average $ 20 million in revenue each year since 1977 . It is estimated that a large - scale event such as the Grey Cup can generate as much as $ 50 million in revenue . Continuing problems . Although not completed in time for the 1976 Olympics , construction on finishing the tower recommenced in the 1980s . During this period , however , a large fire set the tower ablaze , causing damage and forcing a scheduled Expos home game to be postponed . In 1986 , a large chunk of the tower fell onto the playing field during another Expos game . In 1987 , an orange - coloured Kevlar retractable roof was installed , finally completing the stadium a decade late ; however , soon after it was put into use it ripped on several occasions due to a design flaw . In the months that followed , it was plagued by further rips and leaks during rain storms , bringing water down into the stadium . To improve the stadium ' s suitability as a baseball venue , it was remodelled in 1991 , with 12 , 000 seats being removed , including blocking off a large number of seats far removed from the playing field , and moving home plate closer to the stands . On September 8 of that year , support beams snapped and caused a concrete slab to fall on to an exterior walkway . No one was injured , but the Expos had to move their final 13 home games of that season to the opponents ' cities . For the 1992 season , it was decided to keep the roof closed at all times . The Kevlar roof was removed in May 1998 , making the stadium open - air for the 1998 season . Later in 1998 , a $ 26 million opaque blue roof was installed which does not open . In January 1999 , a portion of the roof collapsed , dumping ice and snow on workers that were setting up for the annual Montreal Auto Show . This led to the auto show leaving Olympic Stadium for good . Repaired once again , the roof has been modified to better react to the winter conditions . The OIB has installed a network of pipes to circulate heated water under the roof to allow for snow melting . Despite these corrective measures , the stadium floor had remained closed from December to March . Birdair , the fabric provider and designer of the roof , was later sued for the roof failure . The installer of the roof , Danny ' s Construction , having suffered tremendous cost overruns along with its subcontractor Montacier , due to changes in the plans and specifications and delays , was teminated during the construction , and Birdair completed the project . Danny ' s Construction sued Birdair in 1999 . In February 2010 , after a lengthy trial , the Quebec Superior Court awarded a judgement in favour of Danny ' s Construction and dismissed Birdair ' s countersuit . The stadium ' s condition suffered considerably in the early 21st century . During the Expos ' final years in Montreal , it was coated with grime . Much of the concrete was chipped , stained , and soiled . In 2009 , the stadium received approval to remain open in the winter , provided weather conditions are favourable . However , the Olympic Installations Board issued a report stating that the roof was unsafe during heavy rainfall or more than 8 centimetres ( 3 1 / 2 inches ) of snow , and that it rips 50 to 60 times a year . The city fire department warned in August 2009 that without corrective measures , including a new roof , it may order the stadium closed . A contract for a new permanent steel roof was awarded in 2004 , with an estimated $ 300 million price tag . In June 2010 , the Olympic Installations Board sought approval from the provincial government for the contract . In May 2011 a committee was formed to study the future of the stadium and improve the usage of the stadium , pool , and sports centre . A slab of concrete measuring approximately 8 by 12 metres fell from the roof of the stadium ' s underground parking facility on March 4 , 2012 . There were no injuries . Post - Olympic use . Football . The Canadian Football League ' s Montreal Alouettes became the stadium ' s first major post - Olympic tenant when they moved their home games there halfway through the 1976 season , remaining there through 1986 , the franchise ' s final season of operations . A revived Alouettes franchise returned for the 1996 and 1997 seasons , but then moved to the Percival Molson Stadium in 1998 , only using the larger Olympic Stadium for select regular - season and home playoff games . As of 2008 , the franchise uses Olympic Stadium for playoff games only . Due to the increased popularity of the Alouettes and the small capacity of Percival Molson Stadium , the team considered returning to Olympic Stadium on a full - time basis , but instead renovated Percival Molson Stadium to increase its capacity . Olympic Stadium has hosted the Grey Cup a total of six times , most recently in 2008 when the Calgary Stampeders defeated the hometown Alouettes . The stadium holds the record for nine of the ten largest crowds in CFL history , which include five regular - season and four Grey Cup games . A single - game record crowd numbering 69 , 083 attended a game played on September 6 , 1977 between the Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts . In 1991 and 1992 , the stadium played host to the Montreal Machine of the World League of American Football . This included hosting World Bowl II on June 6 , 1992 , in which the Sacramento Surge defeated the Orlando Thunder 21 – 17 before 43 , 789 fans . In 1988 and 1990 , NFL pre - season games were played at Olympic Stadium . Baseball . In 1977 , the stadium replaced Jarry Park Stadium as the home ballpark of the National League ' s Montreal Expos , who regularly played 81 home games every season until 2003 , when the Expos played 22 home games at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan , Puerto Rico . The Expos played 59 home games at Olympic Stadium in 2003 and 2004 , and then the franchise was moved to Washington , D . C . after the 2004 season . The stadium ' s first - ever baseball game was played on April 14 , 1977 . In front of 57 , 592 fans , the Expos lost 7 – 2 to the Philadelphia Phillies . The Expos played five home playoff games in 1981 ; two in the National League Division Series against the Phillies , and three in the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers . On October 19 , the Expos lost the decisive fifth game , 2 – 1 , to the Dodgers on Rick Monday ' s ninth - inning home run . In 1982 , the Major League Baseball All - Star Game was played at Olympic Stadium in front of 59 , 057 fans — a stadium record for baseball . On September 29 , 2004 , the Expos played their last game in Montreal , losing 9 – 1 to the Florida Marlins before 31 , 395 fans . Although the Expos were Olympic Stadium ' s primary tenants , it proved to be somewhat problematic as a baseball venue . It employed construction techniques similar to those used in other multipurpose stadiums of the time . As was the case elsewhere where this approach was tried , sight lines for baseball left much to be desired . The sight - line problems were magnified by the fact that Canadian football fields are 30 yards longer than American football fields . To accommodate the wider Canadian football field , the lower boxes were set further back than comparable seats in other stadiums built during this time . The upper deck was one of the highest in the majors . Still , the Expos were very successful in the stadium for a time , with above National League median attendance in 1977 and from 1979 to 1983 . The Expos outdrew the New York Mets from 1977 to 1983 , and 1994 to 1996 , as well as the New York Yankees from 1982 to 1983 . Before the 1992 season , a major overhaul was done on the stadium ' s baseball configuration . Home plate was moved closer to the stands and new seats closer to the field were installed . As part of the renovation , several distant sections of permanent seating beyond the fence were closed , replaced with bleacher seats directly behind the outfield fence . The total seating capacity for baseball was reduced to 46 , 000 . Longest home runs . Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates hit the longest home run at Olympic Stadium on May 20 , 1978 , driving the ball into the second deck in right field for an estimated distance of 535 feet . The yellow seat that marked the location where the ball landed has been removed from the 300 level . The seat is now preserved at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame . Stargell also hit a notable home run at the Expos ' original Montreal home , Jarry Park , which landed in a swimming pool beyond the right field fence . On April 4 , 1988 , the Expos ' Opening Day , Darryl Strawberry of the New York Mets hit a ball off a speaker which hangs off a concrete ring at Olympic Stadium , estimated to have traveled 525 feet . " Oh Henry " Rodriguez hit a ball on June 15 , 1997 , that bounced off the concrete ring in right field , caromed up to hit the roof , and came down , hitting a speaker . The distance traveled by this ball is also estimated at 525 feet . The longest home run hit to left field was Vladimir Guerrero ' s blast on July 28 , 2003 , that hit an advertising sign directly below the left field upper deck . The ad was later replaced with a sign reading " VLAD 502 " . Soccer . The Olympic Stadium was the home of the ' s Montreal Manic soccer team from 1981 – 1983 . A 1981 playoff game against the Chicago Sting attracted a crowd of over 58 , 000 . Several games of the 2007 FIFA Under 20 World Cup were played at Olympic Stadium and drew the largest crowds of the tournament , including two sell - outs of 55 , 800 . Olympic Stadium hosted a CONCACAF Champions League quarter - final game pitting the Montreal Impact – who play primarily in the adjacent Stade Saputo – against Club Santos Laguna of the Mexican First Division on February 25 , 2009 . This was the first time an international soccer game took place in Montreal during the winter months . The Impact won 2 – 0 in front of a record crowd of 55 , 571 . The stadium was also home to a friendly match between Montreal Impact and A . C . Milan of the Italian Serie A on June 2 , 2010 before 47 , 861 fans . On July 25th , 2009 , Olympic Stadium became the first stadium outside of France to host Ligue 1 ' s Trophée des Champions , a super cup played by the winner of Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France . Over 34 , 000 attended the game . Bordeaux defeated Guingamp by a score of 2 to 0 . The game was held in Montreal to help Ligue 1 break into the growing North America soccer market . On March 17 , 2012 , a record crowd of 58 , 912 packed Olympic Stadium to cheer on the Montreal Impact for their MLS debut on home soil , in an entertaining 1 - 1 draw with the Chicago Fire , setting a new attendance record for professional soccer in Quebec . That record was later broken on May 12 , 2012 with 60 , 860 people for a match against the Los Angeles Galaxy , also setting a new attendance record for professional soccer in Canada . Other . Olympic Stadium hosted the Drum Corps International World Championship finals in 1981 and 1982 . On September 11 , 1984 , Pope John Paul II participated in a youth rally with about 55 , 000 people in attendance . Many musical events have taken place at this location , including the famed riots after a 1992 Guns N ' Roses / Metallica Stadium Tour concert . Metallica frontman James Hetfield suffered second and third degree burns to his left arm after stepping too close to a pyrotechnics blast during the opening of " Fade to Black " . Metallica was forced to cancel the second hour of the show , but promised to return to the city for another show . Guns N ' Roses frontman Axl Rose left the stage early in his band ' s set claiming that his throat hurt . The fans in attendance rioted after the unexpectedly - short concert . British rock band Pink Floyd played an infamous concert at the stadium on July 6 , 1977 , during which bassist Roger Waters registered his disapproval of the audience ' s rowdy behaviour by spitting in the face of a fan in the front row . This incident provided the main inspiration for Pink Floyd ' s next album " The Wall " , which was written largely by Waters . The concert was also noted for its ticket price of $ 10 , the highest ever seen in the city . The stadium played host to Amnesty International ' s Human Rights Now ! Benefit Concert on September 17 , 1988 . The show was headlined by Sting and Peter Gabriel and also featured Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band , Tracy Chapman , Youssou N ' Dour , k . d . lang , Michel Rivard and Daniel Lavoie . On October 30 , 2010 , the stadium played host to a special mass to commemorate the ascension to sainthood of brother Andre . Over 30 , 000 people attended . The Stadium also hosts the Monster Spectacular monster truck show twice a year , in April and October . AC / DC , Emerson , Lake and Palmer , Genesis , The Jacksons , The Rolling Stones , David Bowie , Duran Duran and George Michael also performed at the Olympic Stadium . Attendance record . Pink Floyd attracted the largest ever paid crowd to the Olympic Stadium . The July 6 , 1977 event gathered 78 , 322 fans . Transit . The stadium is directly connected to the Pie - IX metro station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro . Commemorations . As part of the commemorative stamps created for the 1976 Olympics , Canada Post issued a stamp depicting the Olympic Stadium and Velodrome .