Published October 27 2026. Facts checked October 26 2026 on the sources listed at the end of this page.
Scotia Place is Calgary’s new arena: the event centre the City of Calgary is building in the Culture + Entertainment District, next to the Scotiabank Saddledome in Victoria Park. The City of Calgary lists the opening as fall 2027 and gives a capacity of 18,400 for sporting events and up to 20,000 for concerts. The City puts the five arena components at $926.4 million and the whole project, with district improvements, at $1.22 billion. No opening date has been announced.
Scotia Place at a glance
| Item | What the City of Calgary states |
|---|---|
| Owner | The City of Calgary |
| Operator | Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC), under a 35-year lease with an option to extend |
| Teams | “The new home for our city’s NHL, AHL, WHL and NLL teams” |
| Location | Culture + Entertainment District, on the former 5 Street SE near 12 Avenue SE; 10-acre site; no street address published |
| Opening | Fall 2027 (target); keys to CSEC in fall 2027, open for the 2027/2028 NHL season |
| Capacity | 18,400 for sporting events; up to 20,000 for concerts |
| Community rink | 1,000 seats |
| Height | 32 metres (105 feet) |
| Parking | Attached parkade; stall count not published |
| Questions | 3-1-1 or ScotiaPlace@calgary.ca |
When does Scotia Place open?
The City’s landing page says “Opening fall 2027”. Its frequently asked questions describe the current target as handing the keys to CSEC in fall 2027 and opening for the 2027/2028 NHL season. Global News reported on June 2 2026 that the project was at the halfway point toward a fall 2027 opening, with schedules targeting the 2027-28 Flames season and officials hoping to host preseason games that year. Neither source gives a first event or an opening day.
Scotia Place capacity
The City gave the capacity as 18,400 for sporting events and up to 20,000 for concerts when the Calgary Planning Commission approved the development permit on December 12 2024. Global News (June 2 2026) also reports 18,400 seats for hockey. Sources differ: CBC News described “the 18,000-seat arena” on July 22 2024, and CBC reported that the original plan was a 19,000-seat arena. This page uses the City’s figures because the City owns the building. The Saddledome, by comparison, states seating for over 19,000.
The City’s December 2024 release also lists three ground-level restaurants, an event ice surface 35 feet below ground and 600 solar panels.
How much is Scotia Place costing?
Two City of Calgary pages give two totals because they cover different things.
| What is counted | Total | City | Province of Alberta | CSEC | City page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The five arena components (event centre $800 million, community rink $52.5 million, parkade $35.4 million, indoor plaza $9.5 million, outdoor plazas $28.7 million) | $926.4 million | $515.3 million | $55.1 million | $356 million | Financial contributions |
| The arena components plus $296.9 million in district improvements (transportation connections, remediation, public spaces and demolition, land purchase, other) | $1.22 billion | $537.3 million | $330 million | $356 million | Frequently asked questions |
The Province of Alberta’s figure is the largest difference. The Government of Alberta’s Major Projects page describes its $330 million as funding for district infrastructure: land purchases, road and bridge construction and the Saddledome’s demolition. The City’s FAQ lists the same $330 million as funding for mobility improvements and contributions to the community rink and outdoor plazas, and the City’s financial contributions page says the Province funds half of the community rink. CBC News reported on July 22 2024 a $30 million provincial contribution for the community rink. The financial contributions page lists the community rink at $52.5 million in its breakdown and at $52.8 million in its comparison table.
CSEC’s $356 million includes its lease payments (present value) and a $40 million upfront investment, according to the City. The lease starts at $17 million in year one and rises 1% a year over the 35 years. The Calgary Flames Foundation also contributes $1.5 million a year for 35 years, $52.5 million in all, to community sport, according to the City. The City notes that the previous event centre agreements, which ended December 31 2021, covered a building estimated at $608.5 million, one smaller outdoor community plaza and minor road work.
Independent reports: CBC News (July 22 2024) gave the total cost as $926.4 million; Global News (June 2 2026) valued the project at $1.2 billion and reported that 37.4% of the budget had been spent and 95.4% was contractually committed.
Is the Saddledome getting demolished?
Yes. The City of Calgary states: “When Scotia Place opens, The City of Calgary will demolish the Scotiabank Saddledome.” The Government of Alberta funds the demolition, and the land stays owned, maintained and operated by the Calgary Stampede, according to the City, which adds that no commemoration plan is finalized. No demolition date is published. The Calgary Flames call 2026-27 the Farewell Season for CSEC clubs and operations in the Saddledome. The arena’s last season, seat by seat: Saddledome seating and parking.
Where is Scotia Place?
The City places Scotia Place in the Culture + Entertainment District, on the former 5 Street SE near 12 Avenue SE; Global News gives the location as 12 Avenue and Olympic Way SE (Olympic Way is now Stampede Trail, according to CMLC). The City has not published a street address. The nearest CTrain stop today is Victoria Park/Stampede on the Red Line, which the Saddledome names for its own visitors; the City has not published a transit plan for Scotia Place events. The City’s Green Line page names an Event Centre/Grand Central station at the end of the southeast segment and lists the Green Line opening as 2031. Station details: Victoria Park/Stampede CTrain station guide.
Scotia Place construction timeline
| Date | Milestone | Source |
|---|---|---|
| December 31 2021 | Previous event centre agreements end | City of Calgary |
| October 5 2023 | Agreements signed by the City, the Province, CSEC and the Calgary Stampede | City of Calgary |
| January 2024 | Enabling works begin | City of Calgary |
| July 22 2024 | Construction begins; excavation in July 2024 | Government of Alberta; City of Calgary |
| December 12 2024 | Calgary Planning Commission approves the development permit | City of Calgary |
| January 2025 | Foundations begin | City of Calgary |
| August to September 2026 | Steel installation begins on the historic Stephenson Building, being reassembled on site | City of Calgary |
| September 2026 | Final structural steel piece installed in the main arena | City of Calgary, September 18 2026 newsletter |
| September 2026 | Main arena roof deck installed; all ESSO Community Arena roof trusses installed | City of Calgary, October 2026 newsletter (October 21 2026) |
| October 22 2026 to October 2027 | 9 Avenue SE traffic runs on the rebuilt north lanes | City of Calgary, October 2026 newsletter |
| Fall 2027 (target) | Keys to CSEC; opening for the 2027/2028 NHL season | City of Calgary |
| After opening (no date published) | Saddledome demolition | City of Calgary |
What changes for visitors
Until Scotia Place opens
- Games and events stay at the Saddledome through the 2026-27 Farewell Season, according to the Calgary Flames.
- From October 22 2026 to October 2027, 9 Avenue SE traffic uses the reconstructed north lanes, a new multi-use pathway runs on the north side of 9 Avenue SE, and 6 Street SE has reopened north of 9 Avenue SE, according to the City.
- The City warns of periodic lane restrictions and road closures in the district and points to the C+E Access Map at map.cedistrict.com for current closures.
After Scotia Place opens (as the City plans it)
- The city’s NHL, AHL, WHL and NLL teams move to Scotia Place. Their 2026-27 home games at the Saddledome are on Teams at Victoria Park.
- A 1,000-seat community rink, indoor and outdoor plazas, an attached parkade and three ground-level restaurants open with the building.
- The Saddledome is demolished; the land stays with the Calgary Stampede.
- The 6 Street SE underpass, a second road crossing under the CPKC rail line, is expected to open in 2028.
Not yet published
As of October 26 2026, the City’s pages do not give an opening day, a street address, the parkade stall count, a seating chart, a transit plan for events or a Saddledome demolition date. This page will add each one when its source publishes it.
More on the district: Victoria Park development and Venues at Victoria Park.
Sources: City of Calgary, Scotia Place landing page, frequently asked questions, financial contributions and construction pages (opening, ownership, lease, cost, funding, demolition, height, parkade), read October 26 2026; City of Calgary, “Calgary Planning Commission approves development permit for Scotia Place”, December 12 2024 (capacity, design features), read October 26 2026; City of Calgary, Scotia Place September 2026 and October 2026 newsletters (construction milestones, 9 Avenue SE), read October 26 2026; City of Calgary, Green Line (station name, 2031), read October 26 2026; City of Calgary, 6 Street SE underpass (2028), read October 26 2026; Government of Alberta, Major Projects, Scotia Place Calgary Events Centre ($330 million, construction start), read October 26 2026; CBC News, “Design revealed for new Calgary event centre”, July 22 2024 ($926.4 million, 18,000 seats, $30 million provincial rink contribution), read October 26 2026; CBC News, “City of Calgary paid U.S.-based firm nearly $1M for arena deal negotiations” (date not shown), read October 27 2026; Global News, Scotia Place project update by Skylar Peters and Adam MacVicar, June 2 2026 ($1.2 billion, 18,400 seats, budget spent, opening target), read October 26 2026; Calgary Flames, “The ‘Dome Farewell Season Logo Unveiled”, March 21 2026, read October 26 2026; CMLC, Stampede Trail (former Olympic Way), read October 26 2026; Scotiabank Saddledome, Venue and Getting Here (capacity, CTrain stop), read October 26 2026.