Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer
CALGARY — One year after shovels hit the ground on Calgary’s new event centre, the City of Calgary says construction on Scotia Place is making significant progress, with several key milestones already reached.
According to an update released this week, crews have:
- Removed 308,000 cu. m of dirt and materials from the site
- Poured 8,200 cu. m. of concrete to date
- Installed over 770 metric tonnes of structural steel
- Poured more than 50 concrete support columns
- Had more than 200 workers on site each day
The 10-acre site will feature a main event venue, community rink, indoor and outdoor public plazas, four restaurants, a new Calgary Flames team store, and space for future development. The facility will also include gathering spaces and amenities for the roughly 8,000 people expected to live in the surrounding neighbourhood.
Scheduled to open in fall 2027, the project is being delivered by a team that includes development manager CAA ICON, architectural firms HOK and DIALOG, and a CANA–Mortenson joint venture serving as the construction manager. Structural engineering is being provided by Entuitive and Thornton Tomasetti.
With inspiration from Calgary’s natural surroundings and Indigenous cultural perspectives, the design incorporates symbolic elements such as a central flame motif and glacial forms. Public areas will feature representations of tipis, Métis Trapper’s Tents, and other Indigenous symbols, recognizing the site’s significance as part of the ancestral lands of the Treaty 7 Nations and the Métis Nation of Alberta (Region 3).
Officials say the facility is being constructed with energy and water efficiency in mind and is designed with a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
The 10-acre site will feature a main event venue, community rink, indoor and outdoor public plazas, four restaurants, a new Calgary Flames team store, and space for future development. The facility will also include gathering spaces and amenities for the roughly 8,000 people expected to live in the surrounding neighbourhood.
“When you consider that Calgary is already the envy of other cities with a new world-class convention centre, the addition of Scotia Place is another signal to investors that our city understands how to build a future that leverages hospitality and hosting as core strengths,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
By early spring 2025, 98 per cent of the site’s underground material had been removed, clearing the way for foundation work, which began in March. Now, with 1,100 deep concrete supports in place, the concrete foundations are underway and crews are progressing clockwise from the southeast corner to key areas like the loading dock and dressing rooms.
This summer, the site will also connect with Calgary’s District Heating system, supporting long-term sustainability and reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions.
The project’s location at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers holds deep significance to Indigenous communities. An Indigenous Advisory Group representing Treaty 7 Nations, the Métis Nation of Alberta (Region 3), and urban Indigenous residents was consulted throughout the design process.
The arena is expected to become a key anchor in the growing Culture + Entertainment District, envisioned as a destination for residents and visitors alike.
