NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman toured Calgary’s $1.2 billion Scotia Place arena and praised its advanced construction, thoughtful design, and potential as a 2028 World Cup host.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman got a firsthand look at the ongoing construction of Calgary’s new $1.2 billion event center, Scotia Place, and came away visibly impressed.
Touring the site on Tuesday alongside NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and Calgary Flames ownership, Bettman highlighted the arena’s advanced progress, which is not immediately apparent from the exterior.
“The building, by the way, is a lot further along than it looks, because you see the steel coming out of the ground, it doesn’t go all the way around,” Bettman said during a media availability at the Scotiabank Saddledome, the Flames’ current home. “There’s interior work already going on below the ground that you don’t see.
“Actually, when I drove up today, I was surprised when I saw it from a distance. ‘Oh, that’s all that was done.’ And then I was surprised when I got into the construction site. I thought, ‘Wow, there’s a lot of work going on here, and it’s much further along than it looks.’”
Bettman also praised the careful planning and research that went into the arena’s design, noting the team’s study of other modern NHL facilities.
“They’ve taken that into account and they’ve been able to look at best practices in terms of the layout,” he said. “The new arena’s twice as large in square footage (as the Saddledome). It has more bathrooms. It has more amenities. It’s just going to be incredible.
“This building has been well thought-out and as a result, it’s going to work very well for its intended purposes.”
Scheduled to open in fall 2027, Scotia Place is also in contention to host games for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. While no final decision has been made on host cities, Bettman confirmed that Calgary and Edmonton have submitted a joint bid.
“I’m aware of the bid,” he said. “Bids are being evaluated. Nothing has been finalized, but it was a good bid. I’m not prepared to tell you today that it was or was not the winning bid, but certainly it’s a bid that people could be very proud of.
“Things still need to be finalized, which is why there has yet to be an announcement, but at some point in the not-too-distant future -- a couple weeks or so -- we should be in a position to finalize and announce.”
Should Scotia Place be selected to host World Cup games, Bettman expressed confidence in Calgary’s ability to deliver as a host city.
“Millions of tourists come through here a year,” he said. “This is a place that knows hospitality. This is a place that has a rabid fan base and would attract fans from other places. Look at the Stampede every year. The first time I came to Calgary was in ’88 for the Winter Olympics. I get Calgary and I get what a terrific city it is and a great place to visit.”
