Place Bell is a multi-purpose arena in Laval , Quebec , Canada. The complex includes a 10,000-seat main arena, which is the home of the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL), and two smaller community ice rinks, one of which has Olympic-size ice. The arena was also home to Les Canadiennes de Montréal for the final season of play in the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). The arena hosted select games for Montréal Victoire of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) during the inaugural 2023–24 season , and became their permanent home for the 2024-25 season .
19-703: Then-mayor of Laval, Gilles Vaillancourt , announced the project on February 13, 2012. The facility is managed by Evenko , the same company that operates the Bell Centre in Montreal , home of the National Hockey League 's Montreal Canadiens . As in the case of the Bell Centre, the naming rights for the Laval arena were acquired by Bell Canada . The cost of the project roughly doubled after it
38-501: Is a former Canadian politician. He served as the mayor of Laval , Quebec , from June 8, 1989 until November 9, 2012, when he was charged, and ultimately found guilty, with corruption and fraud. During this time Vaillancourt was also the leader of the Parti PRO des Lavallois. He first served on Laval City Council in 1973 as alderman for the district of Laval-des-Rapides in the party of former mayor Dr. Lucien Paiement , then in
57-514: Is the governing body in the mayor–council government in the city of Laval, Quebec , Canada. It is composed of the mayor and 21 councillors. They are elected to four year terms with the next election scheduled for November 2025. Statutory meetings are held on the first Monday of each month. As of the municipal election, Mouvement Lavallois has a majority on the city council and the mayor's office. Two other parties are represented on council Action Laval at 5 seats and Parti Laval at 2 seats. Currently
76-638: The 2018–19 season . In their lone season at Place Bell, Les Canadiennes advanced to the Clarkson Cup final by defeating the Markham Thunder in the semi-final at Place Bell; they lost the championship final to the Calgary Inferno . In 2022, Place Bell began hosting NCAA basketball, including the annual Northern Classic Division I tournament, which takes place each November. The 2023 event featured six Division I teams. In 2023, it
95-456: The 2013 elections, all 21 councillors has been associated with the Parti PRO des Lavallois , the municipal political party of mayor Gilles Vaillancourt . Following Vaillancourt's resignation as mayor on November 9, 2012, the councillors voted to dissolve the party on November 19, 2012, and sat as independents . Following Vaillancourt's resignation, councillor Basile Angelopoulos served as
114-617: The 2023 game on February 6, 2023, instead. On September 20, 2018, it was announced that the Les Canadiennes de Montréal of the CWHL would be moving to the arena from the Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard , playing both in the main arena and the community rink. Les Canadiennes also moved their daily operations and training camp into the complex. The team played one season at Place Bell before the league and team ceased operations following
133-664: The Construction Industry (also known as the Charbonneau Commission ), the Permanent Anti-Corruption Unit ( French : Unité permanente anticorruption ) inquired and searched Vaillancourt's residence for evidence of corruption, as well as Laval City Hall and two other administrative buildings on October 4, 2012. The inquiries occurred in a wide search for contracts which were attributed during Gilles Vaillancourt's mandate. On
152-537: The city is divided into six sectors ( secteurs in French) which only approximately cover the territories of the former municipalities. They are: The former city of Fabreville was divided among two sectors. Following the November 5, 2017 municipal election, the following city councillors and mayor were elected: Following the November 3rd 2013 elections, the following city councillors were elected: Prior to
171-424: The corruption allegations against him. Following his resignation, the remaining Parti PRO des Lavallois councillors voted to dissolve the party on November 19. City councillor Basile Angelopoulos served as acting mayor of the city until the selection of his formal successor, Alexandre Duplessis , on November 23. On May 9, 2013 Vaillancourt was arrested at his home by the police and charged with gangsterism . In
190-546: The costs, as it did for other arena projects. Initial plans called for the arena to be built in the city's Quartier de l'Agora district, next to the Laval courthouse, but the unstable soil in that location led to a move. In October 2012, the city announced that the project would be located adjacent to the Montmorency station of the Montreal Metro Orange Line . Construction started in late 2014 and
209-713: The evening of October 5, 2012, the UPAC searched Vaillancourt's condominium, which was his other place of residence. On October 24, 2012, Operation Hammer subjected the Mayor Vaillancourt to more raids. Police from the Sûreté du Québec also raided more than ten safety deposit boxes rented by Vaillancourt at various financial institutions. Later that same day, Vaillancourt announced that he would be temporarily leaving his function as mayor for health reasons. On November 9, 2012, Vaillancourt resigned as mayor and denied all of
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#1732787958165228-703: The orange line. During the 2009 Laval municipal election , Vaillancourt was re-elected with a majority of 61.3%, compared to 22.64% for Lydia Aboulian, mayoral candidate for the Mouvement lavallois . Vaillancourt also sat at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and chairs the Committee of municipal finances. As part of the Commission of Inquiry on the Awarding and Management of Public Contracts in
247-521: The party of the mayor Claude Lefebvre who founded the Parti du Ralliement Officiel (PRO de Laval) in 1980. In 1989, he took over as mayor and as party leader from Lefebvre. Vaillancourt was president of the Union of Municipalities of Quebec from April 1995 to April 1997. He was reelected mayor in 1997, 2001 , 2005 and 2009 with a majority of candidates. In the 2005 Laval municipal election , Vaillancourt
266-523: The pre-game ceremonial puck drop; Daniel Audette scored the franchise's first goal, while Charlie Lindgren recorded the shutout. The Rocket's first home playoff game took place on May 12, 2022; the Rocket defeated the Syracuse Crunch by a score of 4–1. In 2020, it was announced that Place Bell would host the 2022 AHL All-Star game . The 2022 game was ultimately cancelled, and Place Bell hosted
285-488: The subsequent election to name his successor at Laval city hall, candidate Claire Le Bel went public on Radio Canada with a recording alleged to be that of Gilles Vaillancourt offering to fund her campaign with cash from questionable donors. Mrs. Le Bel was subsequently placed under police protection after these revelations. Vaillancourt pleaded guilty to all charges on December 1, 2016 and was sentenced to 6 years of prison. Laval City Council The Laval City Council
304-416: Was announced that Montréal Victoire of the new Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) would host select 2023–24 games at Place Bell, with the majority of its home games hosted at Verdun Auditorium . The first game at Place Bell took place on January 16, 2024, with Montréal defeating visiting New York Sirens by a score of 3–2. Gilles Vaillancourt Gilles Vaillancourt (born January 9, 1941)
323-780: Was completed in 2017. On July 11, 2016, the Montreal Canadiens announced that its AHL affiliate, then known as the St. John's IceCaps , would relocate to Place Bell in 2017. On September 8, 2016, the Canadiens announced that the team would be named the Laval Rocket. The Rocket hosted their inaugural game at the arena on October 6, 2017, defeating the Belleville Senators by a score of 3–0. Canadiens owner Geoff Molson and team legend Guy Lafleur both took part in
342-413: Was first announced. Originally announced to cost $ 92.6 million, the estimate was revised less than a year later to $ 150 million. In March 2014, Laval's new mayor, Marc Demers , estimated that the cost of Place Bell would be $ 200 million, because of costs not factored by the previous administration. The Government of Quebec committed to contributing $ 46 million; Demers asked that the province assume more of
361-586: Was re-elected with a large majority: 74.61% compared to 16% for his nearest opponent, Audrey Boisvert, an 18-year-old student. Under his administration, the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro was extended to Laval in 2007. Following this extension, he suggested that a further six stations be added to the line. Three of these would be in Laval and three in Montreal, in order to create a loop out of
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