IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE IGA STADIUM (updated June 29, 2023)
Dear users,
Please take note of this important update regarding the indoor tennis courts at IGA Stadium.
As you might have seen in the news, starting in 2025, the National Bank Open will become one of the seven biggest tournaments on the ATP and WTA Tours. Previously a seven-day main draw event, the tournament will expand to a 12-day format and will therefore grow from a 56-player field to a draw size of 96 players. This is fantastic news for Canadian tennis, particularly for the cities of Toronto and Montreal who get to host this terrific event.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE: EXCITING CHANGES AHEAD AT IGA STADIUM
As a result of having more players and staff on-site as of 2025, the ATP and WTA Tours have made it a requirement for us to add more space to our indoor facility at the stadium in order to accommodate the players’ needs during the event. To comply with this directive and optimize the Jacqueline L. Boutet Pavillion’s layout at IGA Stadium, the operations team at Tennis Canada found a creative way to add the newly required space: by building a mezzanine with two levels above Court 1.
While the addition of the mezzanine creates an extra 15,000 square feet, it will come at the cost of the removal of an indoor tennis court. We are aware that we are losing a valuable resource, however, we want to reassure our users that the space beneath the mezzanine will still be accessible to the public. We are currently exploring creating mini-tennis courts with the objective of engaging more deeply with the racquet sport community and giving more people the opportunity to enjoy the facility all year long.
We can expect some challenges with regard to court availability over the next few months, but we will monitor the situation closely and make sure we maximise the use of all courts. Also, outdoor courts will remain open for as long as possible until winter weather arrives. Construction of the mezzanine will begin on August 28 and our hope is to have everything completed by early 2024.
The construction of the mezzanine will be possible thanks to a major fund of $10 million that Tennis Canada received for the National Bank Open in Montreal from the Government of Canada’s Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative (MFESI), specifically through the Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED). This investment, announced on the eve of the 2022 National Bank Open, will prove crucial in supporting various tournament enhancements over the coming years, such as infrastructure upgrades to accommodate more fans and improvements to product offerings.
CLOSURE OF COURTS AHEAD OF THE NATIONAL BANK OPEN
As we do every year in the run-up to the National Bank Open, preparations are underway at IGA Stadium to ensure that the tennis courts are in top condition for when the world’s best players come to town. This means that courts will have to be closed for a period of time to allow for court renovations and site setup to take place.
Indoor courts:
- Hard courts 10-11-12: close on June 27
- Clay courts: close on July 17
- Hard courts 5-6-7-8: close on July 17
- Hard courts 1-2-3-4: close on July 20
Outdoor courts:
- Courts 5-9: close on July 10
- Court 6: closes on July 14
- Courts 2-3-4-7-8-10-11: close on July 24
Due to the construction of the mezzanine, the indoor courts won’t reopen after the National Bank Open until September 30th. After this date, the Stadium will progressively reopen some of the indoor courts for general use. More details will be shared closer to that date.
As for the outdoor courts, they will reopen on August 19.
QUESTIONS
Throughout the summer and during the construction period, you are welcome to contact the IGA Stadium reception by phone at (514) 273-1234 #1 or by emailing receptionstadeiga@tenniscanada.com. Rest assured that reminders will be sent out by the IGA Stadium reception to keep users informed of the progress of the mezzanine as well as the courts’ opening dates.
We would like to thank everyone for their patience during this renovation process. We anticipate the completion of the project with great excitement, and we look forward to sharing this new and improved space with the public. We believe that the new mezzanine and mini-tennis courts will significantly enhance the quality of the facility and the overall experience at IGA Stadium.
Thank you for your support and understanding!
A FEW PHOTOS OF THE MEZZANINE – A PREVIEW!
IGA Stadium can provide you with free used tennis balls. Write at receptionstadeiga@tenniscanada.com and specify what quantity is needed.
IGA Stadium is proud to be a member of the Accès Montréal program and a partner of the City of Montreal.
