The newly released design of Scotia Place is influenced by the ancestral and historical land of Indigenous Peoples and the culturally significant site that embodies our shared purpose – to gather.

It brings together Indigenous cultural perspectives with Calgary’s and the region’s natural beauty, reflecting the four elements of nature – fire, water, land and air.

Scotia Place, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027, celebrates the area’s importance as a place for all, positioned as a landmark attraction in Calgary’s emerging Culture + Entertainment District. More than a building, however, the 10-acre city block is designed for community and connection, which includes a community rink, outdoor and indoor plaza spaces, four restaurants, the Calgary Flames Team Store, and future development opportunity in the northeast corner.

It will provide new gathering places and community amenities for the 8,000 people who will live in this new downtown neighbourhood, for Calgarians and people visiting from the region and beyond.

Scotia Place builds Calgary as a leading host city by providing opportunities for bigger and a much larger range of diverse events. It supports Calgary’s current and future commercial and hospitality industry with more events for more people, as well as additional development opportunities in the area. For more information, please visit Calgary.ca/ScotiaPlace.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What makes the design of this facility one that is modern, necessary, and unique for Calgary?

Scotia Place is a state-of-the-art facility that rivals other modern event centres across North America. With its new roof design, increased space, and modern tour and event production capabilities and technology, it will attract a more diverse and larger range of live music and entertainment events. Compared to the Scotiabank Saddledome, the new Scotia Place:

Supports more than four times the roof rigging capabilities; the venue can host a larger range of acts and events
Has three times the number of loading bays, with efficient easy loading and unloading capabilities
Has room for three interior broadcast truck bays
Has more than twice the number of washrooms
Has three times the number of restaurants
Has wider concourses on all levels
Includes a “great hall” or internal plaza that is available to the public and can host major events

The new event surface is 35 feet below ground, which creates a better outdoor experience on all four sides of the building. No stairs are required to move in and out of the building and the primary concourse. The ground floor restaurants and retail are accessible from both inside and out, year-round. The outdoor plaza spaces, sidewalks and amenities mean more people can gather, play, celebrate, dine and enjoy this area of downtown.

Its design is one that complements and builds off the development of Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District and East Village, which has been underway for more than ten years. It will be a destination for Calgarians, visitors to Calgary and

the 8,000+ people who will live in this new downtown neighbourhood.

With the event surface 35 feet below ground-level, what flood mitigation measures are in place?

Once Springbank Reservoir 1 is operational, Scotia Place will be designed to mitigate a 1 in 350-year flood event.

Why wasn’t Scotia Place designed to have a larger seating capacity than the Saddledome?

Scotia Place will have a seating capacity of 18,400 for hockey games and over 20,000 as a concert venue. Seating capacity for event venues like Scotia Place is informed by the capacity needed for hockey games and market analysis for concerts and other events. Scotia Place’s capacity is comparable to Rogers Place (18,500) in Edmonton and the Scotiabank Saddledome (18,718).

The new bowl design eliminates the “middle bowl”, which gives people who are attending events, a more intimate and close experience, whether they are there for a musical act, entertainment show or a sporting event.

Why was there Indigenous engagement but no public consultation?

The City acknowledges the significance of the building’s location at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers on the ancestral land of the Treaty 7 Peoples and the Metis Nation. The City, CSEC, HOK-DIALOG and CAA ICON worked with an Indigenous Advisory group that included representatives from the Treaty 7 Nations, the Métis Nation of Alberta, and the Urban Indigenous community throughout the design process.

Public engagement for the Rivers District Master Plan occurred between February 2017 and July 2018. Between January and April 2020, public engagement specific to a new event centre was conducted during the Council-directed work on the previous event centre agreements.

COST / COST ESCALATION

Will the design be delivered within the budget?

Yes. Scotia Place and surrounding amenities has been designed within the project budget.

How will cost escalation be managed? / What contingency do you have for cost escalations (e.g., bids coming in higher than expected, etc.)?

Project schedules and costs are actively managed through various project management strategies and process on a continuous basis. Delivering the project on schedule is one of many strategies for mitigating cost impacts.

Why should this project take priority over spending needed elsewhere in the city (e.g., maintaining critical city infrastructure)?

A new event centre is one of many investments that support Calgary’s successful future as we grow to two million people over the next ten years. The project supports the 8,000 Calgarians who will call this developing downtown community home, while giving more people more opportunities to enjoy Calgary’s downtown and attractions. It meets a number of Council focus areas including Downtown Revitalization, Hosting and hospitality, and Global positioning.

New public transit, improved mobility, and more diverse amenities in Calgary’s C+E District demonstrate a long-term commitment to Calgary’s downtown revitalization and recovery, Calgary’s successful growth, and the region’s success.

What is CSEC’s financial contribution to this project?

The October 2023 Agreements outline three funding streams The City will receive from CSEC over the 35-year term:

$748.3 million – This includes $40 million upfront and $17 million in annual lease payment, escalating 1% per year. The annual lease payment consolidates all revenue streams including naming rights and ticket surcharge to provide The City with predictable, guaranteed payments over 35 years.
$52.5 million - $1.5 million in annual payment towards community sport funding for 35 years.
Future land sales – four properties for redevelopment and future sale of the land parcel that is currently the Victoria Park Bus Maintenance Facility.

What are The City’s revenue opportunities?

Scotia Place will be a landmark attraction and help attract new developments in the Culture + Entertainment District.

Future land sales for development
Development contributions to the Community Revitalization Levy