The Calgary Planning Commission announced the approval of the development permit for Scotia Place, a new venue for hosting sports, arts, cultural and events..
The venue will have a capacity of 18,400 people for hockey games and sporting events and up to 20,000 people for concerts. It is designed to be fully electrified and net-zero by 2050.
“Scotia Place is truly a community focused project with deliberate consideration to be a gathering place appropriate for all Calgarians,” says Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, president and CEO Robert Hayes. “We are extremely proud of the thoughtful process demonstrated by the project team to create a uniquely accessible events centre, both on the inside and the outdoor public spaces, that will be inviting, diverse and comfortable for all guests.”
The site’s design incorporates Indigenous Peoples’ cultural views and their unique lived experiences. These cultural perspectives are represented by incorporating the four sacred elements: fire, water/ice, land, and air. This area of Calgary is a culturally significant location representing a shared purpose – to gather.
Scotia Place is one of the few urban event centres in North America where the area surrounding the building is designed with public plazas and comfortable spaces for people to gather and move, on all four sides. Wider, tree-lined sidewalks surround the building allow for engaging public outdoor spaces, which in some areas, can also be programmed for outdoor events like markets, concerts and festivals.
One of the shining elements of the design is the building’s integration with the surrounding area and community. It was designed so visitors can participate in the experience, regardless of background or ability, and whether or not someone has a ticket to an event.
Notably, the design offers a barrier-free experience so people of all abilities and backgrounds can enjoy an inviting, diverse and comfortable experience. Guests enter the building from the outdoor plazas, directly to the main concourse at ground level – stairs not required. Visitors will also be able to access restaurants and shops at the street level from the outdoor plaza spaces, year-round.
Excavation of the site began in July 2024 and construction on the Scotia Place building, community rink and surrounding plazas will begin in 2025.
