The Montreal Impact will not start their inaugural MLS season at Saputo Stadium, team officials announced yesterday. Due to “unsatisfying results regarding proposal bids” the team has pushed back the opening of the stadium -- which is set to grow from 13,000 to 20,000 seats -- from March '12 until midsummer. The team has C$23M in guaranteed government funding for the project, and put out a call to tender for contractors in April of this year. "The cost was globally too high," Impact President Joey Saputo said of the bids the team received. "It is not a question for us to exceed the total public money awarded for the expansion project.” The project, which was developed by architects Provencher, Roy & Associates, will also install a roof over the upper rows of each grandstand, increase the number of corporate suites from 16 to 40 and grow the number of concession stands from 27 to 70. The team will begin a second bidding process in August. The Impact, which will become MLS’ 19th franchise, will open the '12 season at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, which has a capacity of 66,308.
