Videotron Centre
{{Short description|Indoor arena in Quebec City}}
{{for|the arena in Trois-Rivières|Colisée Vidéotron}}{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Vidéotron Centre
| nickname =
| logo_image = Logo CentreVideotron.png
| image = Videotron Centre (Construction Completed).jpg
| fullname =
| address = 250-B Boulevard Wilfrid-Hamel
| location = Quebec City, Quebec
| coordinates = {{Coord|46.829|-71.248|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = September 3, 2012{{cite web |title=Quebec City to Break Ground on NHL-Style Arena in September|url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=391352|work=TSN.ca|date=March 25, 2012|access-date=April 12, 2012}}
| built =
| opened = September 12, 2015
| renovated =
| expanded =
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = Government of Quebec City
| operator = Quebecor Media
| construction_cost = $370 million
| architect = Populous{{cite press release |title=Populous Chosen to Design Quebec City Arena|url=http://populous.com/news/2011/10/20/populous-chosen-to-design-quebec-city-arena/|publisher=Populous|date=October 20, 2011|access-date=October 31, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://projetsverts.voirvert.ca/projets/centre-videotron|title=Centre Vidéotron|access-date=April 20, 2016|language=fr}}
ABCP Architecture
GLCRM & Associates
| structural engineer = SNC-Lavalin
| services engineer = SNC-Lavalin
| project_manager = Genivar
| main_contractors =
| former_names = Quebec City Amphitheatre (planning stages and during construction)
| tenants = Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 2015–present
| seating_capacity = Concerts: 20,396
Ice hockey: 10,500–18,259
| dimensions = {{convert|689000|sqft|m2}}
| website = {{URL|lecentrevideotron.ca}}
}}
Vidéotron Centre (French: Centre Vidéotron) is an indoor arena in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The 18,259-seat arena replaced Colisée Pepsi as Quebec City's primary venue for indoor events. The arena is primarily used for ice hockey, serving as the home arena of the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL and has been prospected as a venue for a new or re-located National Hockey League team in Quebec City,{{cite news |title=Quebecor Joins Arena Plan, Eyes NHL Team|first=Karine|last=Gagnon|url=http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2011/03/01/17451741.html|newspaper=Toronto Sun|date=March 1, 2011|access-date=March 12, 2012}}{{cite news|title=The Quebec Gravy Train Chugs Off Without Ottawa on Board for Once |first=Kelly |last=McParland |url=http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/03/02/the-quebec-gravy-chain-chugs-off-without-ottawa-on-board-for-once/ |newspaper=National Post |date=March 2, 2011 |access-date=April 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20110311212859/http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/03/02/the-quebec-gravy-chain-chugs-off-without-ottawa-on-board-for-once/ |archive-date=March 11, 2011 }} and as part of a Winter Olympic Games bid.{{cite web |title=Quebec City Plans $400 Million Arena to Attract NHL Team, Winter Olympics|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=4564924|work=ESPN|date=October 16, 2009|access-date=April 12, 2012}}{{cite news |title=Quebecor Buys Management, Naming Rights to Proposed Quebec City Arena|first=Marianne|last=White|url=https://montrealgazette.com/sports/Quebecor+invest+Quebec+City+arena+project/4366388/story.html|newspaper=Montreal Gazette|date=March 1, 2011|access-date=April 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303090738/http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Quebecor+invest+Quebec+City+arena+project/4366388/story.html|archive-date=March 3, 2011}}{{cite web |title=Quebec Ready for Nordiques Return|first=Stephen|last=Brunt|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/02/08/nhl_quebec_nordiques_brunt/|work=Sportsnet|date=February 8, 2012|access-date=April 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120412034240/http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/02/08/nhl_quebec_nordiques_brunt|archive-date=April 12, 2012}} The building opened on September 8, 2015.{{cite news |url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/quebec-citys-new-arena-opens-its-doors-to-public |title=Quebec City's new arena opens its doors to public |date=September 12, 2015 |work=Montreal Gazette |first=Caroline |last=Plante}} It is now the twentieth-largest indoor arena in North America, and the third largest that does not host an NHL team.
History
A groundbreaking ceremony for the new arena was held on September 3, 2012, attended by then-Quebecor Chairman Pierre Karl Péladeau, then-Premier of Quebec Jean Charest, and former Quebec Nordiques players Michel Goulet, Peter Šťastný, and Alain Côté.{{cite news |title=Former Hockey Greats Attend Quebec City Arena Groundbreaking|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/former-hockey-greats-attend-quebec-city-arena-groundbreaking-1.1283538|work=CBC News|date=September 3, 2012|access-date=October 31, 2013}} Arena construction began on September 10, 2012.
The arena was expected to cost $400 million, but cost $370 million instead with the city and province covering 50% of the cost of the arena.{{cite web|title=Quebec Officials Name Who Will Pay the Bill for Their New NHL-Friendly $400M Arena: Taxpayers |first=James |last=O'Brien |url=http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/10/quebec-officials-name-who-will-pay-the-bill-for-their-new-nhl-friendly-400m-arena-taxpayers/ |work=NBC Sports |date=February 10, 2011 |access-date=April 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720043756/http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/10/quebec-officials-name-who-will-pay-the-bill-for-their-new-nhl-friendly-400m-arena-taxpayers/ |archive-date=July 20, 2012 |url-status=dead }} On March 1, 2011 Quebecor entered into an agreement to acquire management rights to the new arena, a deal expected to be between $33 million and $63 million up front, plus between $3.15 million and $5 million in annual rent. The value of the deal will increase if an NHL franchise moves into the arena; Quebecor has actively backed an expansion franchise for Quebec City.{{cite news|last=Magder|first=Jason|title=New TVA Sports channel takes a shot at RDS|url=http://www2.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/business/story.html?id=2cbb638a-16e2-4a4c-af53-92775a09989f|newspaper=The Montreal Gazette|access-date=July 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826115249/http://www2.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/business/story.html?id=2cbb638a-16e2-4a4c-af53-92775a09989f|archive-date=August 26, 2014|url-status=dead}} This arrangement was made without public tender, for which the provincial government provided legal immunity.{{cite news |title=Quebec City Arena Immune to Legal Challenge as Controversial Bill Becomes Law|url=http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/quebec-city-arena-immune-to-legal-challenge-as-controversial-bill-becomes-law-1.700660|work=CTV Montreal|publisher=Bell Media|date=September 21, 2011|access-date=April 12, 2012}}
As part of the management contract, Quebecor also holds the arena's naming rights; on April 7, 2015, it was announced that the arena would carry the name of Quebecor-owned cable company Vidéotron, and be known as the Videotron Centre (Centre Vidéotron in French).{{cite news|title=Quebecor naming Quebec City hockey arena Videotron Centre|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/quebecor-naming-quebec-city-hockey-arena-videotron-centre/article23826452/|access-date=May 13, 2015|work=The Globe and Mail}}
The arena held its official opening on September 3, running public two-hour tours for the following three days.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/videotron-centre-opens-its-doors-in-quebec-city-1.3214542 |title=Videotron Centre opens its doors in Quebec City |work=CBC News |date=September 3, 2015}} It hosted its first Quebec Remparts game on September 12, with a game against the Rimouski Oceanic setting a QMJHL attendance record of 18,259.{{cite news |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2218046/quebec-city-inaugurates-hockey-arena-with-record-breaking-crowd/ |title=Quebec City inaugurates hockey arena with record-breaking crowd |publisher=Global News |date=September 13, 2015 |first=Jacques |last=Boissinot |agency=The Canadian Press}} On January 19, 2025, the first Professional Women's Hockey League (PHWL) game in Quebec City was be played at the arena between the Ottawa Charge and the Montreal Victoire, the Victoire won the game 2–1 in front of 18,259 fans.https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2024/november/18/pwhl-heads-to-new-cities-in-takeover-tour-of-neutral-site-games
Design
File:Les remparts de Quebec vs Les Cataractes de Shawinigan on Centre Videotron 01.jpg and the Shawinigan Cataractes on November 17, 2017]]
The arena is comparable in size to PPG Paints Arena, the home arena of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and occupies approximately 64,000 square metres of space, down from the originally proposed 70,000 square metres. The design is also similar to Rogers Place, the home arena of the Edmonton Oilers. A television studio, valued at between C$30 million and C$40 million, is constructed within the arena.{{cite news |title=New Quebec City Arena Gets the Green Light|first=Marianne|last=White|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/Quebec+City+arena+gets+green+light/6356842/story.html|newspaper=Montreal Gazette|date=March 25, 2012|access-date=April 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120428164243/http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Quebec+City+arena+gets+green+light/6356842/story.html|archive-date=April 28, 2012}}
Populous architect and lead project designer Kurt Amundsen described the arena as having a "hockey-first" design suiting the preferences of Canadian fans (who Amundsen described as being more interested in the game itself rather than in-arena entertainment), with a bowl that is "as steep and tight as it could possibly get", allowing spectators to "feel like [they] are on top of the ice".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nhl/2015/06/12/quebec-city-new-centre-videotron-arena-designed-with-nhl-in-mind |title=Quebec City's stunning new arena designed with NHL team in mind |first=Tim |last=Newcomb |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=June 12, 2015 |access-date=July 8, 2015}} The angle of the upper seating bowl is so steep that rails had to be installed at every row to satisfy local building code requirements.
Notable events
Two days after playing the last event of its predecessor, Colisée Pepsi, Metallica played the first-ever concert at Videotron Centre on September 16, both as part of their Lords of Summer Tour.{{Cite web|title=Metallica To Play Historic September Shows in Quebec City|url=http://loudwire.com/metallica-historic-shows-quebec-city/|website=Loudwire|language=en-US|access-date=September 12, 2017}}{{Cite news|date=June 25, 2015|title=Metallica will close the Colisée Pepsi and then rock at Centre Vidéotron|language=en-US|work=Montreal Gazette|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/metallica-will-close-the-colisee-pepsi-and-then-open-centre-videotron|access-date=September 12, 2017}}
Madonna performed to a sold-out crowd of over 13,000 patrons on September 21, 2015, part of her Rebel Heart Tour.
Canadian singer Shania Twain has performed multiple sold-out concerts in the venue with the first being on October 9, 2015 as part of her Rock This Country Tour, which she had said would be her final tour. Three years later, she came back with the Now Tour on June 28, 2018. Her last concert held here was on June 17, 2023 during her Queen of Me Tour, performing for over 13,300 patrons and grossing over $1.5 million.
Rihanna played at the venue on April 5, 2016 as an act of her Anti World Tour.
To this day, Celine Dion is the singer who has played the venue the most times, for a total of 8 concerts. During her Summer Tour 2016, she played the arena 5 times in front of 67,368 spectators. In 2019, she launched her Courage World Tour at the arena with 3 concerts in front of 39,930 spectators.
Billie Eilish performed at the venue on September 29, 2024 as the first show for her Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour.
Videotron Centre has hosted the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament since 2016.{{cite web|title=Jouer au Centre Vidéotron : un rêve devenu réalité pour des jeunes magnymontois|url=http://cmatv.ca/jouer-au-centre-videotron-un-reve-devenu-realite-pour-des-jeunes-magnymontois-2015-11-17/|last=Houde-Hébert|first=Karl|date=November 17, 2015|website=CMATV|language=fr|access-date=October 3, 2010}}
American professional wrestling promotion WWE hosted a televised episode of WWE Raw from the venue on Monday, August 21, 2023.{{Cite web |title=WWE : Monday Night RAW - Avec Sami Zayn et Kevin Owens |url=https://www.lecentrevideotron.ca/fr/2023/05/05/wwe--monday-night-raw |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=Le Centre Vidéotron |language=fr-CA}} Prior to that night, Quebec wrestling historian Pat Laprade stated in Le Journal de Québec that the event would be the very first televised WWE event to ever take place in Quebec City.{{Cite web |last=Lapinski |first=Jessica |title=Lutte: la WWE de retour au Centre Vidéotron, cette fois avec le «Monday Night RAW» |url=https://www.journaldequebec.com/2023/05/05/la-wwe-de-retour-au-centre-videotron |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=Le Journal de Québec}} On March 27, 2024, All Elite Wrestling hosted televised episodes of AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage at the venue.{{cite news |date=27 March 2024 |title=AEW Dynamite Results (3/27/2024): Videotron Centre, Quebec City, Quebec |url=https://rajah.com/node/aew-dynamite-results-3272024-videotron-centre-quebec-city-quebec |access-date=29 November 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Videotron Centre}}
- {{Official website|http://www.lecentrevideotron.ca}} {{in lang|fr}}
{{Quebec Remparts}}
{{QMJHL Arenas}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2015 establishments in Quebec
Category:Ice hockey venues in Quebec City
Category:Ice hockey venues in Quebec
Category:Music venues completed in 2015
Category:Music venues in Quebec
Category:Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League arenas