The Calgary Flames are the latest NHL hockey team to build an arena – an exorbitant, city-defining endeavour that the team’s owner says will be a game-changer.
When completed in 2027, the $1.22-billion facility – located in Calgary’s Culture and Entertainment District – is set to redefine arena design with the latest trends: sustainable construction, including 603 solar panels, a high-performance building envelope and other energy-efficiency measures; dazzling architecture that blends with its surroundings and was consulted on by First Nations community members; a compact 18,400-seat bowl arena, brimming with premium experiences; an expansive concourse with state-of-the-art amenity technologies; and more.
Dan Vaillant is the president of development at CAA ICON, one of North America’s premier stadium developers, which was contracted to manage the development of Scotia Place. He says the transformation of arenas into multipurpose centres is essential for return on investment and to fortify their role as engines of community investment.
“We are trying to build the best possible event centre for this city – and it just so happens hockey will be played in it,” Mr. Vaillant says. “We’re using arenas now as catalysts to reactivate downtowns.” He refers to Edmonton’s arena, which he also worked on: “We put Rogers Place in 12 blocks of a blighted area. And now it’s unbelievably vibrant.”
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