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58-730: Bell Centre (French: Centre Bell) formerly known as Molson Centre , is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal , Quebec , Canada . Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), replacing the Montreal Forum . It is owned by the Molson family via the team's ownership group Groupe CH, and managed via Groupe CH subsidiary Evenko . With

116-500: A brewing company which was owner of the Canadiens at the time. Molson elected not to keep the naming rights when they sold the team and the name was officially changed on September 1, 2002, after Bell Canada acquired the naming rights. On October 14, 2015, it was announced that Bell Centre would undergo renovations, including the replacement of all the seats, renovated hallways and concessions, new restaurants, public Wi-Fi , and

174-456: A seating capacity of 21,105, making it the second largest hockey arena in the world. It also holds six restaurants. Capacities of the arena are: A new scoreboard was installed prior of the 2008–2009 season. This scoreboard consisted of four 510 square foot (47 m) video panels. It was the biggest in the NHL until 2012. It is one of only two NHL arenas that uses an old-style siren to mark

232-634: A beer distribution and retail chain, which (protected by legislation ) has an over 85% market share of the total Ontario industry beer sales. Molson Coors Canada owns 50% of Brewers Distribution Limited in Western Canada. Molson Coors Canada has the marketing and selling rights for Heineken in Canada. On 30 October 2019, the Molson Coors Brewing Company announced it would change its name to Molson Coors Beverage Company as

290-511: A capacity of 21,105 in its hockey configuration, Bell Centre is the second largest ice hockey arena in the world after the SKA Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia. Alongside hockey, Bell Centre has hosted major concerts, and occasional mixed martial arts and professional wrestling events. Since it opened in 1996, it has consistently been listed as one of the world's busiest arenas, usually receiving

348-476: A contract to leave WWF for the rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW) the following month, and did not want to lose a championship match to Michaels in his own country. The original plan was for the match to end by disqualification after a brawl between the wrestlers' allies, which would have allowed Hart to lose or vacate the championship at a later date before leaving the promotion. However, WWF owner Vince McMahon intervened without Hart's knowledge , and had

406-470: A debt. The result was Loyd admitting to the crime, and all of his brewery buildings being put up for auction. Around this time, Molson sensed the market potential for beer in the British colony . Prices for wine , rum , and port were rising and an influx of English and Irish immigrants were particularly partial to beer. In January 1785, Molson used the money inherited from his parents to acquire what had been

464-871: A match against the Toronto Sceptres that was marketed as the "Duel at the Top", reflecting the two teams' position atop the league standings at the time. The sellout crowd of 21,105 set a new attendance record for a women's hockey game. Bell Centre alongside TD Garden in Boston will host the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025, which will feature national teams representing the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland. Since October 2010, Bell Centre has hosted selected NBA preseason games, primarily featuring

522-554: A new brewery in Toronto (near the Canadian National Exhibition ) in 1955. The Crown and Anchor brand of beer dates from this time. Two years later in 1957, the family (not the firm) acquired the Montreal Forum and the Montreal Canadiens . The company continued to develop and, in 1958, acquired six breweries, which included five establishments in Western Canada, giving Molson a nationwide presence. In 1989,

580-744: A part of a restructuring to take place in 2020. The name change would reflect the company's growing focus on beverages outside of the traditional beer and brewing offerings. Additionally, the company would reorganize its global business units, including Molson Coors Canada, into Molson Coors North America, headquartered in Chicago , and Molson Coors Europe, headquartered in Prague . Molson Coors breweries in Canada are in: Former: Molson brands include Carling Black Label , Molson Export and Molson Canadian . On June 20, 2009, brothers Geoff Molson and Andrew Molson , and their father Eric Molson announced

638-445: Is also active in over 30 developing countries through technical assistance programs and various investments. In October 2020, Desjardins launched a social impact fund, Aequitas, which could grow to 115 millions dollars and help women and youth in developing countries. After studying European credit institutions established in the 19th century, Alphonse Desjardins in 1901 came up with an original solution adapted to North America. In

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696-442: Is connected, is next door on that corner. In addition it is located across the street from the 1250 René-Lévesque skyscraper. It is easily accessible by public transportation, as it is linked to both Lucien-L'Allier and Bonaventure Metro stations. It is also connected to the underground city and Central Station . The building covers an area of 1.568 hectares (3.87 acres) (15,680 square metres (168,800 sq ft)). It has

754-590: The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs , during Game #6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 10, 2010, making it one of the loudest NHL arenas during hockey games. On December 9, 2014, the Canadiens hosted the Vancouver Canucks, the first home game since the death of Jean Béliveau . The game was preceded by a memorial tribute to him. Bell Centre remained sold-out that night with 21,286 fans in attendance and one empty seat left for Mr. Beliveau, with

812-544: The 2019 Superstar Shake-up , the first time in WWE history that the event was held at an arena outside of the United States. On August 19, 2022, Bell Centre hosted the 1,200th episode of SmackDown . During Survivor Series 1997, Bell Centre was the site of the infamous " Montreal Screwjob "—a match where Calgary -native Bret Hart controversially lost the WWF Championship to his rival Shawn Michaels . Hart had signed

870-507: The Bank of Montreal . Molson Brewery expanded the breadth of its corporate activities throughout the 20th century. In 1945, the family decided to transform the company into a public, limited-liability enterprise . It then became possible to acquire ownership in the company without being a member of the Molson family. This made it possible for the company to expand into lager and inaugurate

928-657: The COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec . The Canadiens had hoped to further increase their arena capacity limit to 50% of the arena's total capacity for the Stanley Cup Finals, however, that request was denied by the Quebec government. While the arena's capacity was limited during the playoffs, thousands more fans gathered outside the arena to watch the games on a TV screen outside of the La Cage sports bar situated adjacent to

986-785: The Toronto Raptors ; the first was held on October 22, 2010, with the Raptors hosting the New York Knicks . It has since hosted preseason games as part of the NBA Canada Series , which have also included all-U.S. games. Bell Centre hosted UFC 83 in April 2008, marking the first UFC mixed martial arts event to take place in Canada. The main event was a rematch between Welterweight champion Matt Serra and Montreal native Georges St-Pierre . The tickets available to

1044-429: The 100 level are centralized on a specific lower level located at each end. Bell Centre is arranged in a three-tier layout: The lower 100 section, commonly referred to as "the reds" since these seats are coloured red; the 200 section situated between the two levels of private and corporate boxes, known as "Club Desjardins " (which features premium amenities such as larger seats and free food and non-alcoholic drinks), and

1102-561: The Bell Centre. From September 26th to October 8th, 2021, 7,500 fans were allowed at Bell Centre for the pre-season games, and for the opening night on October 16, the Quebec government made new rules and stated that the Canadiens could return to its full capacity of 21,105 people. On April 20, 2024, the Bell Centre hosted its first home game for the new Montreal Victoire of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL),

1160-591: The Canadian operations of U.S.-based insurance giant State Farm . The policies were transferred to be underwritten by Desjardins Insurance on January 1, 2015. The State Farm brand continued to be used for agents and marketing until 2018. On January 3, 2017, Desjardins Group announced the closing of the sale of its pet health insurance company, Western Financial Insurance Company to Economical Mutual Insurance Company. Western Financial Insurance Company and its flagship brand, Petsecure were purchased in 2011 as part of

1218-436: The Canadiens and hang from the rafters: While Elmer Lach and Henri Richard both wore the number 16, they were given separate ceremonies unlike Cournoyer and Moore. All have their own banner. On October 18, 2005, the Canadiens also raised the following numbers on a single banner in honour of the former MLB team Montreal Expos , who left the city for Washington, D.C. after the 2004 season: The only other banners hanging from

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1276-513: The Molson brothers acquired the remaining 19.9% of the team that had been held by the company. In the second decade of the 21st century, Molson and/or Coors had exclusive rights to sell their beverages at the home arenas of the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators , Toronto Maple Leafs , Edmonton Oilers , Colorado Avalanche , Arizona Coyotes , and Detroit Red Wings . Their beverages could be purchased at other sports venues, such as

1334-843: The Screwjob during his promo, receiving plenty of heat from the Montreal fans. Brock Lesnar made his televised WWE debut at Bell Centre on the March 18, 2002 Raw after WrestleMania X8 in Toronto, interfering in the Hardcore match that was taking place between Maven and Al Snow . A wall on the concourse of the arena depicting iconic events that took place inside the arena includes Lesnar's debut among others. In December 2023, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) made its Montreal debut, with broadcasts of Collision and Dynamite . The Bell Centre

1392-594: The Thomas Loyd brewery on the shores of the St. Lawrence , just outside the fortifications of the burgeoning City of Montreal. In June 1785, he temporarily closed his business to cross the Atlantic for modern equipment and ingredients. Upon his return, he offered the seeds free of charge to neighboring Montreal farmers, who agreed to grow them to satisfy the brewery's need for malt . In 1786, just six weeks after taking

1450-608: The Western Financial Group deal. On July 5, 2017, Trimont Financial, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company, announced the completion of its purchase of the remainder of Western Financial Group from Desjardins Group for $ 775 million. Included in the sale were Western Financial Group's Brokerage Network, Western Financial Group Insurance Solutions, and Western Life Assurance. In 2018, State Farm Canada

1508-1037: The building with celebrations of the team's history, including a ring of players around the top level of seating. The Molson Ex Zone features a live band stage and its own red theme. Bell Centre is the main venue in Montreal for large-scale entertainment events. Many artists have performed at the arena, like Olivia Rodrigo , Céline Dion , Les Cowboys Fringants , Gloria Estefan , Stromae , Twenty One Pilots , Tina Turner , Depeche Mode , Prince , Drake , Shakira , Elton John , Billy Joel , Shania Twain , Cher , Bon Jovi , Van Halen , Rush , Coldplay , Rihanna , Guns N' Roses , Slipknot , U2 , Nicki Minaj , Ariana Grande , Taylor Swift , Demi Lovato , Katy Perry , Paul McCartney , Lady Gaga , Janet Jackson , Roger Waters , Spice Girls , Justin Timberlake , Barbra Streisand , Madonna , Metallica , Iron Maiden , The Rolling Stones , Aerosmith , Imagine Dragons , Dua Lipa and Kylie Minogue . The singer who has performed

1566-565: The company consolidated market share in Quebec through a merger with Carling O'Keefe (acquiring Carling's Toronto brewery in Etobicoke). As a result, Molson became the largest brewery in Canada and the fifth largest in the world. Molson was once the owner of home improvement chains Beaver Lumber and Aikenhead's Home Improvement Warehouse . In February 1994, Molson sold a 75% interest in Aikenhead's to Home Depot Inc for $ 150 million with

1624-517: The company's lengthy history. Molson was the first company to own and operate a fleet of steamboats , which were used to transport people and goods between Quebec and Ontario . John Molson and his sons also founded the Molson Bank , which later merged with the Bank of Montreal . Thomas Molson would eventually follow in his father's footsteps by continuing the Molson brewing tradition and upholding high standards of quality. In 1903, inspired by

1682-510: The corporate Board of Directors . On October 11, 2016, SABMiller in the U.S. sold its interests (from the joint venture formed in the United States and Puerto Rico ) in MillerCoors to Molson Coors , who had been its partner in the joint venture, for around US$ 12 billion. Molson Coors gained full ownership of the Miller brand portfolio outside of the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and retained

1740-670: The country ( Chilliwack , Toronto , Montreal , Moncton , and St. John's ), as well as the Creemore micro-brewery in Ontario and Granville Island Brewing in British Columbia . Molson Coors Canada is a unit of Molson Coors with operational headquarters located in Toronto (in addition to several breweries across Canada). Molson Coors Canada is part-owner of The Beer Store in Ontario ( Brewers Retail Inc. ), operating as

1798-552: The end of periods instead of a horn; the other is TD Garden in Boston . The sirens were inherited from the arenas' predecessor facilities, coming from the disused Montreal Forum and the Boston Garden respectively. Unlike most North American arenas, which have generally been designed by Populous and its predecessors, the Bell Centre was designed by a local consortium, and has many unique design features. The grandstands are sloped steeply to improve sight lines. Washrooms on

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1856-661: The first time that the Chamber structure was on Canadian soil and only the second time in history that the structure was outside of the United States, following the 2022 event that was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia , and featured Laval native Sami Zayn competing in the event's main event match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Roman Reigns . In April 2019, Bell Centre hosted both Raw and SmackDown on consecutive nights for

1914-450: The former Province of Ontario Savings Office , which it branded Desjardins Credit Union and operated until 2011. This institution was then merged into Meridian Credit Union . (The similarly-named Desjardins Ontario Credit Union , formed 1 January 2020 with the merger of 11 Ontario Desjardins-affiliated credit unions and their federation into one, is not the same entity and continues as a going concern.) In 2014, Desjardins Group acquired

1972-582: The hallway. At the opposite end is the Family Zone, which features child-specific ticket prices and limited alcohol. Seats behind the press gondola, in Sections 318, 319, and 320, feature their own scoreboards on the back of the gondola due to the normal scoreboard being blocked. After some early complaints of a generic feel, especially compared to the Forum, the Canadiens started to incrementally decorate

2030-586: The helm, Molson delivered his first brew, an ale . Priced at five cents a bottle, his brew sold well. Molson took advantage of the many business opportunities available at the time. He quickly diversified his investments , opened a lumber yard , and began issuing loans to local Montreal merchants. In 1816, the family enterprise began to take shape when founder John Molson entered into an association with his three sons, John Jr. , Thomas and William . Although brewing proved to be Molson's most sustainable field of endeavour, other activities were added throughout

2088-533: The highest attendance of any arena in Canada. In 2012, it was the fifth-busiest arena in the world based on ticket sales for non-sporting events. Construction began on the site on June 22, 1993, almost two weeks after the Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings at the Forum for their 24th and most recent Stanley Cup . When the arena officially opened in 1996, its name initially reflected Molson, Inc. ,

2146-981: The home of the Buffalo Sabres , the KeyBank Center , the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center , the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center , and Bridgestone Arena , home of the Nashville Predators . There is a Molson fonds at Library and Archives Canada . Archival reference number is R3088. Desjardins Group As of 2017, Desjardins Group consists of 293 local credit unions operating 1,032 points of service and serving more than seven million members and clients, mostly in

2204-626: The late 1990s, the number of caisses was reduced from 1275 to 800. Between 2008 and 2010, total assets at Desjardins Group grew over 15% from Can$ 151.9 billion (when it ranked sixth in Canada and first in Quebec among financial institutions ahead of the National Bank of Canada ) to over $ 175 billion in 2010. In 2006, it had 6,500 elected and volunteer officers and employed over 40,000 people and gave its members $ 483 million in patronage allocations and $ 64 million in donations, sponsorships and academic scholarships. Most of

2262-555: The latter sum was used on regional economic development and health programs as well. In that same year, in March 2008, the election of Monique Leroux at the head of the group marked the history of Canada by becoming "Canada's largest company headed by a woman". In December 2010, it acquired the 121 offices and 500,000 customers of Western Financial for $ 443 million, giving it a presence in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. In 2003, Desjardins bought

2320-531: The most times at the Bell Centre is Céline Dion with 50 performances between 1996 and 2020 from her Falling into You: Around the World tour in 1996 and 1997, Let's Talk About Love World Tour in 1998 and 1999, Taking Chances World Tour in 2008 and 2009, Summer Tour 2016 in 2016 and Courage World Tour in 2019 and 2020. On December 31, 1999, she performed the final show of the Let's Talk About Love World Tour , which

2378-427: The official attendance shortened by one to honour him. Bell Centre hosted its first Stanley Cup Finals in 2021 , with games three and four against the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning played inside the arena. The Canadiens were allowed to have 2,500 fans during the first and second round, then 3,500 for the semifinals and the Stanley Cup Finals due to Quebec government public health restrictions in response to

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2436-682: The option to buy the rest in 1999; in the event, they agreed on a price of $ 262 million. In 1997, Molson sold for CAD$ 147 million their interest in Reno-Depot to Castorama . In 1999 they sold Beaver Lumber to Home Hardware . In 2005, Molson merged with US-based Coors to form Molson Coors Brewing Company . This was followed in 2007 by the opening of a new brewery in Moncton, New Brunswick . Sixth-generation family member Eric Molson retired in 2009; however, his sons Andrew and Geoff Molson continue to be active in company affairs as members of

2494-525: The planned conversion of Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal (the section of De la Gauchetière Street on which the arena is situated) into a pedestrian-only street. The renovations, which were not expected to interfere with normal operations, have a budget of $ 100 million. Bell Centre is located in downtown Montreal in the borough of Ville-Marie , near the corner of Canadiens-de-Montréal Avenue (formerly De la Gauchetière west ) and de la Montagne Street. The Lucien L'Allier commuter rail terminal, to which it

2552-517: The popularity of imported beers , Thomas’ grandson Herbert Molson and brewmaster John Hyde created Molson Export , an authentic ale brewed in the classic style, developed by John Molson. The Molson family were pioneers in steamships and hospitality, assisted with the Montreal General Hospital , were patrons of McGill University and the arts, and until 1925, were involved in banking through Molson Bank which merged with

2610-720: The provinces of Quebec and Ontario . Desjardins Group also operates the services of the former Canadian division of State Farm which was then acquired in 2015. In addition to retail banking , the Group has over twenty subsidiaries offering products and services related to insurance ( Desjardins Financial Security , Desjardins General Insurance ), real estate (with its Complexe Desjardins offices in Montreal and Quebec online estate agent DuProprio  [ fr ] ), venture capital funds (Desjardins Venture Capital), and brokerage (Desjardins Securities). The Desjardins Group, through subsidiary Développement international Desjardins,

2668-731: The public sold out in under one minute, and the event set the all time UFC attendance record, at that time (since surpassed by UFC 129 in Toronto). Other UFC events have subsequently been held at Bell Centre, including UFC 97 , UFC 113 , UFC 124 , UFC 154 UFC 158 and UFC 186 , the most recent three of which were headlined by St-Pierre. Bell Centre has occasionally hosted WWE professional wrestling events, including four pay-per-views ( Survivor Series in 1997 , No Way Out in 2003 , Breaking Point in 2009 and Elimination Chamber in 2023 ), as well as 11 broadcasts of Raw and 8 broadcasts of SmackDown . Elimination Chamber 2023 marked

2726-464: The purchase of 80.1% of the Montreal Canadiens from Colorado businessman George Gillett . The Canadiens have historically been the NHL 's most successful hockey team and last won the Stanley Cup in 1993 . Along with the current majority ownership that the Molson brothers have of the team, the Molson company has owned all or portions of the Montreal Canadiens. In June 2009, the consortium led by

2784-549: The rafters at the arena are those of the Canadiens' Stanley Cup championship banners. Unlike other NHL arenas, the Canadiens do not display division or conference championship banners. Molson Brewery The Molson Brewery is a Canadian-based brewery based in Montreal and was established in 1786 by the Molson family . In 2005, Molson merged with the Adolph Coors Company to become Molson Coors . Molson Coors maintains some of its Canadian operations at

2842-481: The referee declare a Michaels victory by submission after performing a Sharpshooter on Hart, even though he had not actually submitted. Wrestling writer Mike Johnson considered the match to be "arguably the most talked-about match in the history of professional wrestling". Eight years later, in the same venue, Michaels cut his infamous "Who's your daddy, Montreal?" heel promo in the lead-up to his impending match with Hulk Hogan at SummerSlam 2005 , where he referenced

2900-731: The rights to all of the brands that were in the MillerCoors portfolio for the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In 2018, the company brewed and marketed a number of the most popular brands of beer in Canada. Domestic labels include Molson Canadian , Molson M , Molson Export , Molson Dry, Molson Exel Dealcoholized beer, Old Style Pilsner , Rickard's , Creemore Springs , and Granville Island Brewing . Through partnerships with other major brewers, Molson Coors Canada also offers beer brands, including Coors Light , Miller Genuine Draft , Heineken , Foster's Lager , and Tiger . Molson employs 3,000 people in Canada and operates five breweries in locations across

2958-409: The series 2–1). Bell Centre was also host to two pool games in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey . The Bell Centre was the host of the 2009 NHL All-Star Game and hosted the 2009 and 2022 NHL Entry Drafts , the latter of which saw the Canadiens take Juraj Slafkovský first overall. Montreal Canadiens home games have been consistently sold out since January 2004. Additionally, the Canadiens have among

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3016-725: The site of Molson's first brewery located on the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal. Founded in 1786, the Molson Brewery is one of the oldest breweries in North America and continues to produce beer on the original brewery site. On May 2, 1782, John Molson , age 18, left England for Canada , landing in Montreal on June 26. Shortly after his arrival, he began working at the Thomas Loyd brewery . In 1784, Molson sued Thomas Loyd for repayment of

3074-554: The top attendance figures in the NHL. For the 2009–2010 season, the Habs had the highest attendance played at their home arena. All 21,273 seats were sold in 45 minutes on May 12, 2010, for fans to watch the 7th game in the playoff series versus the Pittsburgh Penguins , which was shown on the big screens. Noise levels in the arena allegedly reached as high as 110 dB when goals were scored by the Canadiens, most notably, during

3132-478: The upper 300–400 section. The 300–400 section is divided into three zones by seat colour: white section rows AA–FF, the grey section rows A–D, and the blue section, labelled "400," and consisting of rows A–D. The ends of the 400 section are further divided into two more groups. At the end where the Canadiens shoot towards twice is the Coors Light Zone, featuring section cheerleaders and a band playing in

3190-656: Was her last performance before a three-year hiatus from the music industry. In August 1999, the third national tour of Les Misérables visited for a 12-day run. Robert Marien , who originated the role of Jean Valjean in Paris in 1980, as well as in the bilingual Canadian tour which started in Montreal in 1991, joined the cast exclusively for the Montreal stop. The final two games of the three-game 1996 World Cup of Hockey championship series were held at Bell Centre (the United States won both games, defeating Canada in

3248-419: Was not linked to a direct cyberattack, but the result of a disgruntled corporate employee. The data leaked was assembled over a certain period of time after unauthorized access to banking systems and copied customer data. Police investigation is still ongoing. As of December 2018, Desjardins long-term debt is rated Aa2 by Moody's , A+ by S&P , AA by DBRS , and AA− by Fitch . S&P and Fitch considered

3306-460: Was officially rebranded to Desjardins Insurance through Desjardins Insurance Agents. The whole transition was to be completed by the end of 2019. On June 20, 2019, Desjardins Group reported a data breach involving personal data of 4.3 million individual users and 173,000 businesses, more than 40% of Quebec-based credit union's clients and members. The security breach, detected in December 2018,

3364-423: Was scheduled to host the 2020 World Figure Skating Championships in March of that year, but these were cancelled as a result of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic . It was eventually used to host the 2024 edition , in lieu of the earlier planned event. This was the second time the championship took place in Montreal, the first having been held in the old Forum in 1932 . The following numbers have been retired by

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