OLYMPIC STADIUM

Olympic Stadium was once a cutting edge sports theatre when it hosted the 1976 Olympics. Now, it is a concrete dinosaur, covered with a Kevlar roof that doesn't open and home to the saddest franchise in major league baseball. 

There really isn't much to say here. Parking is $10, which is too much. It is better to take the subway and get off at Pie IX station. Either way, when you enter you will be in the main plaza where tickets are sold. The Expos currently average about 4,000 per game, so there is no worry about tickets - buy the cheapest available and sit anywhere in the yellow seats. 

Upon entering the actual stadium, you will be inside "ExposFest", a small entertainment area with a live band before and after games, arcade games, and a variety of food dishes. The classic Montreal dish is the smoked meat sandwich, excellent and worth the money. Try the poutine (melted cheese on french fries) or the pita sandwiches for something different. One of the ironic additions in the arcade is an air hockey game, which leaves no doubt as to which sport is king of the city. 

In one part of the Fest hall there is a Wall of Excellence which has plaques honoring past Expo greats and pictures of past teams. Expo fans can stand here and remember the glory years of the mid-80's, before the dark times.

Expos fans

Other than ExposFest and a small picnic area behind section 105, there is nothing worth mentioning. The ugly yellow seats are 25 years old and have movable backs, which was cool back in 1976, but just annoying now. The upper deck is closed whenever the crowd is less than 10,000 or so. The foul pole is unique, as it is red and consists of white maple leafs on it. Another feature: all of the signs are in French - brush up a little so that you know where the exits (sortie) are when you want to leave early. One missing feature is the speed display, I couldn't see one anywhere. 

Foul pole

In between innings, there are lots of dancing promotions where the crowd gets into it, and the 7th inning stretch is home to some tightly-clad dancers who try to excite the rather sleepy crowd with their gyrations. For many fans, this is probably the highlight of the evening.

Overall, Olympic Stadium should be closing its doors to major league baseball shortly, likely at the end of the 2003 season, but it will not be a sad day for ballpark buffs. This is not a stadium that we recommend, best is to wait until the team moves and a new park is constructed somewhere else.