The Calgary Flames’ new arena project is drawing praise from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman after he toured the construction site Tuesday.
Bettman visited the Flames’ future home, known as Scotia Place, along with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and members of the team’s ownership group.
The $1.2 billion event center is currently under construction and is expected to open in fall 2027.
“By the way, the building is much 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 presence at the nearby Scotiabank Saddledome, according to CTV.
“Work is already going on underground on the interior, but you can’t see it. When I arrived today, I was surprised to see it from a distance. ‘Oh, that’s all that’s been done.’ And then I was surprised when I entered the construction site. I thought, ‘Wow, there’s a lot of work going on here, and it’s a lot further along than it looks,'” he said.
“They took that into account and were able to look at best practices in terms of layout,” Bettman said.
“The new arena is twice the size 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 will function very well for its intended purposes,” he added.
The arena could also play a role in the 2028 Hockey World Cup if the joint bid from Calgary and Edmonton is selected.
