Montreal: A roof for the tennis dream? The future of the IGA stadium!

Montreal: A roof for the tennis dream? The future of the IGA stadium!

The tennis world looks forward to the Stade IGA in Montreal, where the pressure for a roof over the central square is getting stronger! Again and again the rain has disturbed the last editions of the Omnium Banque Nationale, and those responsible know that they have to act before it is too late. From January, a feasibility study will be tackled to check the possibilities for the construction of a roof. The results are to be presented in summer to inform the different levels of government.

Valérie Tétreault, the director of the event, emphasizes the urgency: "Our facilities become older and urgently need comprehensive modernization to secure the tournament in Montreal for the next 30 years." From July, the competition will be expanded to twelve days and 96 players, which places additional requirements for the infrastructure. A roof will be estimated at $ 70 million in 2019, but that is only the beginning of the necessary investments.

dissatisfaction among the players

The players are dissatisfied! According to an ATP survey, they complain about too small changing rooms, a narrow central square and inadequate training opportunities. Tétreault is already looking for a satellite location near the stadium to offer athletes better training conditions. "We don't want to wait until it is too late," she says and proudly emphasizes the new mezzanine, which houses medical services and media rooms.

The competition does not sleep! While other Masters 1000 tournaments such as Rome and Cincinnati invest in new roofs and extensive renovations, Montreal has to catch up. "We have to see what happens elsewhere so as not to stand as a bottom," warns Tétreault. "If we are not ready to take the necessary steps, the ATP will look for alternatives." The future of the Omnium Banque national is indeed on the silk thread - and the rain could soon be the slightest of its worries!