Sports venue spotlight: the fully renovated Auditorium de Verdun

Montréal’s Auditorium de Verdun is an iconic building that has recently been ingeniously restored and transformed. It includes two skating rinks and is home to the Montréal Alliance, the city’s Canadian Elite Basketball League team. This modern and multifunctional sports complex in Verdun can host sports, cultural and artistic events.

History has been written

Located in one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods according to Time Out magazine, the auditorium has been contributing to the sense of pride for the people of Verdun.

The building was originally built in 1938. During its existence, the auditorium has hosted various Québec Junior Hockey League teams, figure skating competitions, professional wrestling events, the short-lived Montréal Dragons for its lone season in the National Basketball League, and hundreds of other big athletic competitions. It has been the setting for some historic music events, such as Metallica (1986), Nirvana (1993) and Foo Fighters (2003). If those walls could talk, they’d have some stories to tell.

Today, the Auditorium de Verdun is adding a whole new dimension to its history as the headquarters for the Montréal Alliance.

Facilities and equipment

Major upgrades on the building began in 2018 at a cost of $44 million. To preserve the building’s unique visual history, the original brick facade, hidden behind a steel wall, was restored and cleaned. A central space was added to connect the two arenas, which sits beneath a large glass roof.

The ambitious renovation project won the auditorium two architecture prizes: the 2021 Award for Excellence in Architecture from the Ordre des architectes du Québec in the historical preservation category, and the 2021 Opération Patrimoine Montréal Grand Prize in the “Giving New Life” category.

Amenities

With seats for 3,500 spectators, the Auditorium de Verdun is an ideal option for a variety of tournaments and sporting events. Event organizers have access to locker rooms, meeting rooms, spaces for ticketing and concession stands.

Also available:

• Access ramp

• Accessible parking

• Accessible washrooms

• Air conditioning

• Bike stands

• Water fountains

• Free Wi-Fi

• Nursing room

• Parking

Cheat sheet

• Venue: Auditorium de Verdun
• Location: 4110 LaSalle Boulevard
• Website: montreal.ca/en/places/auditorium-de-verdun