Scotiabank Saddledome

Construction and Design

The need for a new arena in Calgary emerged in the late 1970s as the existing Stampede Corral was deemed insufficient for NHL standards, a factor that contributed to the folding of the Calgary Cowboys. The successful bid for the 1988 Winter Olympics, coupled with the arrival of the Calgary Flames from Atlanta in 1980, provided the impetus for construction. After considerable debate and community opposition from the Victoria Park neighbourhood, Calgary City Council voted on March 3, 1981, to build the arena on the Stampede grounds. Provincial intervention was required to bypass rezoning appeals, allowing construction to begin on July 29, 1981. The project, initially projected to cost $60 million, faced significant delays and cost overruns, ultimately reaching a final cost of $97.7 million.

The facility was designed by Graham McCourt Architects, who created a unique reverse hyperbolic paraboloid roof structure. This design, similar to the Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden, provided pillar-free views from all seats and reduced the interior volume by a third compared to traditional arenas, leading to lower heating, lighting and maintenance costs. The roof's flexible design also compensates for Calgary's frequent temperature fluctuations. Upon its unveiling, the public immediately likened the roof's shape to a horse saddle, which inspired the arena's name. A public naming contest yielded 1,270 entries, with 735 involving the word "saddle," and the winning name, Olympic Saddledome, was drawn from a hat. The design earned several architectural awards and was honoured by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada in 2000 at its millennium celebration of architecture. As of 2008, the Saddledome was still reported as the world record holder for the longest spanning hyperbolic paraboloid concrete shell.

Operational History and Renovations

The Olympic Saddledome opened on October 15, 1983, with an NHL game where the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Calgary Flames 4-3 before a sold-out crowd of nearly 17,000 fans. Its opening provided a morale boost during a period of economic downturn in the city caused by the collapse of the international oil market, high interest rates, and the federal government's National Energy Program. For the 1988 Winter Olympics, the Calgary Olympic Organizing Committee spent $1 million to add over 2,600 seats to the upper loges, increasing capacity to 20,016 and making it the largest arena ever used at the Winter Games at that time. The facility was praised by the International Ice Hockey Federation as "the finest international rink in the world." It was also the first arena in North America specifically designed to accommodate the wider international ice surface used in Olympic competition, which is 15 feet wider than a standard NHL rink. The Saddledome reached its highest capacity in the early 1990s at 20,240 seats.

In 1994, the Flames successfully lobbied the City of Calgary for a major $18 million renovation to ensure the team's long-term viability in the building. The work, conducted between 1994 and 1995, added 41 new luxury suites at the top of the lower bowl, a 1,172-seat club section, a new restaurant, expanded offices for the Flames and Hockey Canada, and a reconfigured public concourse. The arena was closed entirely from April to October 1995 for this work. Prior to its reopening, the Flames secured a 20-year naming rights deal with Canadian Airlines worth approximately $1 million per year, controversially removing the "Olympic" moniker. The arena became the Canadian Airlines Saddledome in 1995, then the Pengrowth Saddledome in 2000 after Canadian Airlines was acquired by Air Canada. Its current name, Scotiabank Saddledome, was adopted in October 2010 following a new title sponsorship agreement.

• October 15, 1983: Arena opens as the Olympic Saddledome.
• 1994 to 1995: Major renovation adds luxury suites and club seating.
• October 25, 1995: Reopens as the Canadian Airlines Saddledome.
• 2000: Renamed Pengrowth Saddledome after a 10-year agreement.
• October 2010: Renamed Scotiabank Saddledome.
• June 2013: Severely damaged by Alberta floods.
• September 2013: Reopens after flood repairs.

The arena has received several technological upgrades, including a $1 million LED "power ring" display in 2004 and high-definition video scoreboards in 2006 and again in 2024. The 2006 board, manufactured by Daktronics and branded as the Enmax Energy Board, contained 12 screens and two LED ribbons. The 2024 installation, branded as the Sportsnet Scoreboard, features four 30-foot-tall displays with a total area of 2,160 square feet and a 40-foot "halo" ring. In 2007, the arena's speaker system was also upgraded to Apogee ALA-9 arrays.

The 2013 Alberta Floods

In June 2013, the Saddledome was severely impacted by the catastrophic flooding of the Elbow and Bow Rivers. Water inundated Stampede Park, filling the arena's event level up to the eighth row of seats. The floodwaters destroyed the high-definition scoreboard, which was stored on the rink floor during the summer downtime, and swamped dressing rooms and the video replay control room. Flames president Ken King stated the event level was a "total loss" and that team equipment and memorabilia were destroyed. All concerts and agricultural events scheduled for the 2013 Calgary Stampede were cancelled due to the damage. Crews worked around the clock to complete repairs estimated at 650,000 man-hours, compressing a six-month project into two months according to Saddledome director of building operations Robert Blanchard. The facility received its occupancy permit in late August 2013. The first post-flood event was an Eagles concert on September 11, 2013, followed by a Flames preseason hockey game on September 14. The successful and rapid restoration allowed the Flames' 2013-14 NHL season to begin on schedule in October.

Major Sporting Events

As the primary home of the Calgary Flames, the Saddledome has hosted numerous significant NHL events, including the 1985 All-Star Game, the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, and three Stanley Cup Finals series in 1986, 1989, and 2004. It is also the home arena for the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the Calgary Roughnecks of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The Hitmen won the WHL's President's Cup in 1999 before a playoff record crowd of 17,139 and hold league records for overall season attendance with 362,227 fans in the 2004-05 season. The Roughnecks have hosted the NLL Champion's Cup final four times, winning on home floor in 2004, 2009, and 2019 but losing in 2014. The arena was a venue for the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and hosts the annual Crowchild Classic university hockey rivalry between the Calgary Dinos and Mount Royal Cougars. In 2026, the men's game set a USports attendance record with 13,324 spectators. Other major events include the 2006 World Figure Skating Championships and, on April 1, 2026, the first Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) game in Calgary, where the Toronto Sceptres defeated the Ottawa Charge 2-1 before 16,150 fans. The Saddledome also hosted an NBA preseason game between the Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets in 2016 and two Ultimate Fighting Championship events: UFC 149 in 2012 and UFC on Fox: Alvarez vs. Poirier 2 in 2018.

Concerts and Cultural Events

The opening of the Saddledome in 1983 allowed Calgary to attract major concert tours that had previously bypassed the city due to a lack of a large, modern venue. The first musical act was The Moody Blues with opener Stevie Ray Vaughan in November 1983. Rod Stewart holds the record for the most appearances, with 11 shows at the arena. However, the unique roof structure has limitations. It cannot support the massive light, speaker and special effect rigs required for some contemporary concert productions, leading some major tours to skip Calgary in recent years. Beyond sports and music, the arena has hosted a diverse array of events. It was the site of the 1990 Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention. In 2005, Queen Elizabeth II attended a celebration of Alberta's centennial at the facility, and in 2009, the Dalai Lama addressed a crowd of 15,000 people. The Saddledome has also hosted professional wrestling events, including the WWE pay-per-view In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede in July 1997, with its final WWE event held on August 23, 2026. All Elite Wrestling has also held events such as Dynamite and Battle of the Belts VII at the venue. The arena has hosted Professional Bull Riders events, known as Cody Snyder's Bullbustin' in 1998 and 1999 and the PBR Canadian Open in 2000 and 2001, and continues to host PBR Canada events.

Facility Amenities and Configuration

The Saddledome has a seating capacity of 19,289 for hockey and lacrosse, with configurations for other events varying based on setup. The facility contains 72 luxury suites: 31 original suites at the top of the second level and 41 added at the top of the lower bowl during the 1995 renovation. Six party suites on the corners of the upper loges are available for rent on an event-by-event basis. Sections 115 through 122 in the lower bowl constitute The Club, which offers in-seat concession service during Flames games, a feature later expanded via the Saddledome Live app for Hitmen and Roughnecks games. The Club includes a private dining room available during Flames games, large concerts and private events. Other amenities include Dutton's Canadian Lounge sports bar at the west entrance, and three additional restaurants: The Saddleroom Grill, the Alumni Lounge, and the King Club. The Platinum Club is an executive club with 188 seats, offering a private bar, restaurant, and fully functional business centre accessible through a purchased membership. The arena is served by the Victoria Park/Stampede CTrain light rail station and has vehicle access from 5th Street East and Olympic Way.

Ownership and the Saddledome Foundation

The City of Calgary owns the Scotiabank Saddledome and established the Saddledome Foundation, a non-profit organization, in 1983. The city leased the arena to the foundation for a 50-year term with a mandate to oversee operations in a manner that protects taxpayers and benefits amateur sports at the local, provincial, and national levels. The foundation's board consists of nine directors: three appointed by the City of Calgary, three by the Province of Alberta, and one each appointed by the Calgary Olympic Development Association, the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, and the Calgary Flames. Since 1996, the day-to-day management of the arena has been handled by the Calgary Flames organization under an agreement with the foundation. The naming rights deal with Canadian Airlines in 1995 included a provision for a portion of the funds to be donated to support amateur sports within the city.

Future Replacement and Legacy

The Scotiabank Saddledome is the third-oldest arena in the NHL, following Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle and Madison Square Garden in New York, though both of those have been extensively renovated. The new facility, named Scotia Place, is slated to open for the 2027-28 NHL season. This development marks the end of an era for the saddle-shaped building, which has been a central part of Calgary's community for over four decades. The arena's construction was a key factor in Calgary winning the right to host the 1988 Winter Olympics, as noted in the official Games report which stated it added credibility to the bid. It was featured on the cover of Time magazine on September 27, 1987, in an article about Calgary and the upcoming Olympics. The building's design continues to be recognized for its engineering achievement as the world's longest spanning hyperbolic paraboloid concrete shell. The location within Stampede Park provides easy access to Calgary's CTrain light rail transit system via the Victoria Park/Stampede station.

Questions about Scotiabank Saddledome

Why is it called the Saddledome?

The arena is named for its distinctive roof, which is shaped like a horse saddle. The design is a reverse hyperbolic paraboloid. When the design was unveiled, the public immediately referred to it as saddle-shaped. A naming contest held before the arena opened received 1,270 entries, with 735 involving the word "saddle. The winning name, Olympic Saddledome, was drawn from a selection of similar saddle-themed suggestions. The name received a tepid reception initially, with Frank King, chairman of the Olympic Organizing Committee, stating "It is neither Olympic nor western, and it's not even dome."

What teams play at the Scotiabank Saddledome?

The primary tenant is the NHL's Calgary Flames, who have played there since it opened in 1983. It is also the home arena for the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the Calgary Roughnecks of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The arena additionally hosts the annual Crowchild Classic university hockey games between the University of Calgary Dinos and Mount Royal University Cougars and has hosted Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) games. The Hitmen set a WHL single-game attendance record of 19,305 in the 2007-08 season and the Roughnecks hosted the 2005 NLL All-Star Game.

What happened to the Saddledome during the 2013 floods?

During the severe Alberta floods in June 2013, the Saddledome's event level was completely flooded, with water reaching up to the eighth row of seats. The high-definition scoreboard, dressing rooms, and control rooms were destroyed, and team equipment and memorabilia were lost. Repairs required 650,000 man-hours of work, but the arena was repaired and reopened in time for the Flames' 2013-14 NHL season, with the first event being an Eagles concert on September 11, 2013. The repairs forced the cancellation of all concerts and agricultural events scheduled for the 2013 Calgary Stampede.

What are the arena's different names over the years?

The arena has had four official names. It opened as the Olympic Saddledome in 1983. Following a naming rights deal, it became the Canadian Airlines Saddledome in 1995 under a 20-year agreement worth about $1 million per year. After Canadian Airlines was acquired by Air Canada and ceased operations, it was renamed the Pengrowth Saddledome in 2000 following a 10-year agreement with Pengrowth Management Ltd. Its current name, the Scotiabank Saddledome, was adopted in October 2010 when Scotiabank signed on as the title sponsor.

What major events has the Saddledome hosted besides hockey?

The Saddledome has hosted a wide variety of events. It was a main venue for hockey and figure skating at the 1988 Winter Olympics. It has hosted the Canadian men's curling championship (the Brier) four times (1997, 2002, 2009, 2015) and the women's Tournament of Hearts in 1995, and the World Figure Skating Championships in 2006. Major concerts, WWE and AEW wrestling events, UFC fights, an NBA preseason game, PBR bull riding, and speeches by figures like the Dalai Lama and Queen Elizabeth II have all taken place at the arena. It also hosted the 1990 Liberal Party leadership convention.

Is the Saddledome being replaced?

Yes, the Scotiabank Saddledome is scheduled to be replaced by a new arena called Scotia Place. The new facility is slated to open in time for the 2027-28 NHL season. This will conclude the Saddledome's over 40-year tenure as Calgary's premier indoor sports and entertainment venue. The Saddledome is currently the third oldest arena in the NHL, and its replacement has been planned to meet modern standards and requirements for major league facilities.

Sources and further reading

• Scotiabank Saddledome (Wikipedia)
• Teams (scotiabanksaddledome.com)

Checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-22.