Calgary Sports and Entertainment Group have the opportunity to study the NHL Stadium Market as they build the new Scotia Place.
Written by Mark Payne @hockeypayne
2025/10/26
It was a marathon travel day that began in the middle of the night in Calgary. After two short flights we arrived in the Pacific Northwest via Vancouver. It promised to be a Sports Saturday for the ages; over the course of the last few hockey seasons the weekends have been consumed with live broadcasts for myself and looking at the schedule ahead the next couple of months will bring more of the same.
It was an experience I couldn’t pass up, which is exactly what happened last season as my AEHL and Flo Hockey duties didn’t allow for a break even to get away on a weekend working holiday to Seattle.
This season with the Olympic break and some gaps in my schedule I wanted to see some of the newest buildings in the NHL. To my surprise it was the College Football Stadium that garnered my attention more so than the renovated hockey venue, however. Of course, in a few seasons Calgary Flames fans will welcome a modern stadium to downtown life in Southern Alberta.
The uniqueness of Husky Stadium at the University of Washington Huskies campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean was the perfect scene to start the afternoon. Most interesting was the city’s infrastructure to get on the rail system postgame through a series of underground tunnels. It made the shaking overpass to the C-Train departing for a Calgary Stampeders game laughable.
Between games we were closeted to our hotel room to cheer on the Toronto Blue Jays. Evading the fears of riling up the Seattle Mariners fan base as we took a break for dinner between contests. The Jays fresh off their ALCS victory were not the popular choice in the Emerald City.
Then we headed to Climate Pledge Arena for the main event. The defending Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers in town facing off against the Seattle Kraken.
As we arrived at the Seattle airport I visited with some of the Hockey Night in Canada crew who has just arrived. Statistician Dave Moir, a familiar face and one of my favorite people in the game was right at the front of the plane and we connected like old times. “Moisty” is one of the best people in the game, and he does the miles every season with Hockey Night, I hadn’t seen him since last season in Canmore at Hockey Day in Canada.
The new Scotia Place will have nearly 8000 underground parking stalls. One of the crew members mentioned, “have they not learned from the 2013 floods?”. Of course, the new stadium will be erected next to the existing Scotiabank Saddledome along the very same flood plain as 2013.
The most remarkable thing about the Krakens home Climate Pledge Arena is the fact it’s mainly below street level. The entrance is graced by live action video screens that create the atmosphere of the perfect storm. Sustainability was the key to the venture, and it can be seen at every turn.
They have created a remarkable brand with Hollywood theatrics. No doubt a credit to Jerry Bruckheimer and the Seattle Kraken ownership group.
Sean Gilchrist, Senior Manager of Club Seat Sales, introduced himself in the first intermission. In the second he took us on a behind the scenes tour of the private suites in the arena. The Moet & Chandon Imperial Lounge was the highlight. A private dining space with seating for entertaining corporate guests.
The area boasts several corporate head offices including Microsoft, Amazon and Boeing to name a few, so the Kraken experience has to compete with the NFL Seahawks, MLB Mariners as well as MLS Soccer and College Sports. Eventually they will welcome back to the Seattle Super Sonics who once called this same stadium home when it was known as Key Arena. The organization still owns Super Sonic branding and team properties even though the team now plays in Oklahoma. Expect a relaunch of the iconic NBA brand which could be seen all over Greater Seattle.
Like T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the highlight for me came at the very top of the arena. A public bar area with casual and library style seating accompanied by a TV Studio Style reporting desk and a live DJ. Casual with a flair for the Fan Experience is how I would best describe it.
Calgary has its work cut out as will other future NHL expansion cities; Seattle has set up the bar for fan experience and interactive fan culture. Calgary, like Seattle, houses a variety of events, not just NHL hockey, so it will be a destination for concerts, the WHL, AHL, NLL and potentially the PWHL as the league plans to expand.
It was incredible facility, and it didn’t hurt to have a young man who was raised in Calgary as the first star with a two-goal performance. The perfect Captain and emotional leader Jordan Eberle. Atta boy Ebs!
