Edmonton Expo Centre

History and Development

The Edmonton Expo Centre was constructed in 1984 on the site of the old Edmonton Gardens, the first home of the Edmonton Oilers professional hockey team. Originally named the Northlands AgriCom, the facility was built primarily to host agricultural and commercial trade shows, reflecting its roots. For a brief period from 1996 to 1998, a portion of the venue served as the home arena for the Edmonton Ice of the Western Hockey League, though it was widely criticized as a substandard facility for major junior hockey. The team's departure highlighted the venue's limitations at the time, leading to a period of reassessment for its future role in the city's event landscape. This development doubled the facility's size to 522,000 square feet, which was projected to make it the largest convention centre in Canada outside of Toronto at that time. The expansion was funded through contributions of $50 million from the Alberta government, $25 million from the federal government, and a $48 million loan from the City of Edmonton. New additions included four exhibition halls and a conference centre named the Alberta Ballroom, significantly enhancing its capabilities for large-scale events.

The centre's operational structure underwent a significant change in 2017. Facing financial difficulties after the opening of Rogers Place downtown, the previous operator, Northlands, entered discussions with the city regarding its assets. On August 29, 2017, the City of Edmonton announced it would take ownership of the Expo Centre and forgive $42 million of associated debt. In 2018, the venue's operations were merged with those of the Shaw Conference Centre under the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, now part of Explore Edmonton. This transition marked a new chapter of municipal management aimed at stabilizing and growing the venue's event portfolio.

Facilities and Arena

The Edmonton Expo Centre is a sprawling complex offering over 410,000 square feet of dedicated exhibition space across its seven interconnected halls. The entire facility encompasses 522,000 square feet on a single, accessible level, providing flexibility for events of varying scales. Key spaces include the elegant Alberta Ballroom, suitable for galas and conferences, and multiple exhibit halls that can be configured for trade shows, consumer expos, or sporting events. The centre's design prioritizes versatility, allowing it to host concurrent events ranging from intimate meetings to major public attractions.

The heart of the venue's sporting and entertainment offerings is its dedicated arena, which has a seating capacity of 4,600 spectators. In 2022, naming rights for the arena were sold to Flair Airlines, and it is now officially branded as the Flair Airlines Hangar. This mid-sized arena is a premier venue for tournaments, concerts, and family shows. The arena floor and surrounding halls, particularly Hall D, are regularly configured for sports, with the space allowing for up to 4,200 spectators in certain layouts. The continuous floor plan and substantial square footage enable the hosting of large-scale sport championships and elaborate touring productions.

The venue has also made significant investments in sustainability and modernization. A major $98 million rehabilitation project began in 2022 and was completed in March 2025. This project included critical updates to the building envelope, a full roof replacement, and upgrades to mechanical and electrical systems. A landmark achievement was the installation of the largest rooftop solar array in Canada, aligning with the centre's environmental goals. The facility reports a 51% waste diversion rate, having diverted 475,078 kilograms of waste from landfill in 2023, and has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2035.

Major Sporting Events and Tenants

The Edmonton Expo Centre has a long history of hosting significant sporting competitions and serving as a home for professional and amateur teams. One of its earliest major sporting events was the 2002 World Ringette Championships. The venue gained a regular professional sports tenant in June 2018 when it was announced that the Edmonton Stingers of the newly formed Canadian Elite Basketball League would play their home games at the Expo Centre arena. The Stingers have called the venue home since the 2019 CEBL season, establishing it as a key location for professional basketball in the city.

Beyond league play, the centre is a hub for large-scale tournaments and national championships. It has hosted the Volleyball Canada Nationals, attracting thousands of athletes and spectators. The venue's size makes it suitable for a wide array of sporting events, from martial arts tournaments to cheerleading competitions. Its configuration allows for multiple courts or playing surfaces to be set up simultaneously, facilitating complex, multi-day events that require significant space for competition, warm-up areas, and vendor expos.

Looking to the future, a consortium of provincial sports organizations has proposed an ambitious plan to further transform parts of the Expo Centre into a dedicated Centre of Sport Excellence. The collaboration, involving Alberta Athletics, the Alberta Basketball Association, and Volleyball Alberta, presented the idea to Edmonton's city council in early 2026. The proposal envisions converting Halls A, B, and C into permanent and convertible sports courts and an indoor hydraulic track system. This centre would function both as a high-performance training facility and a community recreation hub, aiming to expand sports tourism while serving local leagues.

• Edmonton Ice (WHL): Used the venue as its home arena from 1996 to 1998.
• Edmonton Stingers (CEBL): Began playing home games at the arena starting with the 2019 season.
• 2002 World Ringette Championships: Hosted the international ringette competition.
• Volleyball Canada Nationals: A recurring major tournament hosted at the centre.
• Centre of Sport Excellence Proposal (2026): A plan to create a multi-sport training and event complex within existing halls.

Concerts, Festivals and Entertainment

The Flair Airlines Hangar arena and the larger Expo Centre halls are regularly used for a diverse range of concerts, festivals, and live entertainment. Major touring acts, family shows like Disney On Ice and The Wiggles, and theatrical productions have all graced the stages here. The venue's booking team works with top promoters to bring a variety of performances to Edmonton, catering to different musical tastes and age groups. The mid-sized arena offers an intimate concert experience compared to larger stadiums, making it attractive for certain touring circuits and it has hosted events like the 'Once Upon a Time The World Tour' scheduled for November 2026.

Since 2019, the Expo Centre has become the permanent home for Scream, Edmonton's annual Halloween-themed electronic dance music festival. The event, which previously took place at the Edmonton Convention Centre and Edmonton Event Centre, now anchors the venue's fall calendar. The most recent Scream festival was held on October 31 and November 1, 2025, with the next scheduled for October 30 and 31, 2026. The centre's large, flexible spaces are ideal for such festivals, accommodating multiple stages, elaborate décor, and large crowds.

The venue has a strong connection to the electronic music scene, having hosted other notable festivals such as Boodang's Outdoor Music Festival (BOMFEST) and Get Together. In addition to music, the Expo Centre is a key venue for professional wrestling events. It hosted TNA Wrestling's Victory Road pay-per-view event on September 26, 2025, followed by a taping of TNA Impact! the next day. TNA is scheduled to return for its Destination X event on November 15, 2026, demonstrating the venue's ongoing relationship with major entertainment promotions and its busy future calendar.

Trade Shows and Consumer Events

As a facility originally conceived for agricultural and commercial exhibitions, trade shows remain a core function of the Edmonton Expo Centre. The venue hosts a wide array of annual consumer and trade events that draw visitors from across the province and beyond. For decades, it was the home of the Powerama Motoring Expo, hosting the event from its inception in 1984 until its final edition in 2010. Other longstanding events include major agricultural exhibitions like Farmfair International, which features livestock and equestrian events, connecting the venue to its agrarian roots in the Northlands AgriCom era.

The centre's seven exhibit halls can be configured to host everything from boat and automobile shows to home and garden expos, bridal fairs, and comic conventions. The open, column-free design of many halls allows for the display of large equipment and vehicles. The facility's location and ample parking make it accessible for events that attract significant public attendance, such as the types of shows that have been its foundation for over forty years. The proposed Centre of Sport Excellence plan specifically notes the need to maintain the building's ability to host major trade shows like these, ensuring its traditional role continues.

Proponents of the sport centre indicated that Hall C, which would feature a hydraulic track and turf system, could be converted back to a traditional exhibition space. This conversion would allow it to continue hosting automobile and boat shows and possibly events like Farmfair International. This dual-purpose design philosophy highlights the venue's ongoing commitment to serving the broad trade and consumer show market. The balance between new community uses and traditional event hosting is a central consideration in the venue's future planning. The vision aims to maximize the building's utility for the city by attracting local crowds and generating revenue throughout the week.

Location and Context within Exhibition Lands

The Edmonton Expo Centre is located at 7515 118 Avenue NW in Edmonton's Montrose neighbourhood. It is directly across the street from the former Northlands Coliseum, which was the first home of the Edmonton Oilers. This area is part of a larger city-owned district known as the Exhibition Lands. The Exhibition Lands encompasses about 12 acres and contains around 30 buildings. The City of Edmonton plans to redevelop this precinct over the next 30 years as outlined in its 'Potential for Adaptive Reuse of Buildings on Exhibition Lands' strategy. The Expo Centre is a central asset within this planned redevelopment area.

The future of the surrounding lands influences planning for the Expo Centre. The former Northlands Coliseum, the former home of the Edmonton Oilers, is slated for demolition, with estimated costs from three years prior ranging between $15 and $25 million. The long-term vision for the area includes rejuvenating the neighbourhood with new amenities, and proposals like the Centre of Sport Excellence are viewed as potential components of this broader renewal. Mayor Don Iveson has described such opportunities as exciting for the city's partnership-driven development.

The venue's location in northeast Edmonton is seen as an asset for improving community access to recreation. Proponents of the sport centre proposal highlighted that the area lacks sufficient recreation space for youth and adult leagues. Transforming part of the Expo Centre into a sport hub would not only attract tourism but also provide a valuable local facility, driving weekly foot traffic from families and generating ancillary economic activity like parking and dining. This aligns with municipal goals of creating active communities across all city neighbourhoods and supports the city's commitment to neighbourhood rejuvenation.

Future Prospects and Event Calendar

The Edmonton Expo Centre maintains a busy and forward-looking event schedule, blending its traditional roles with new opportunities. Confirmed major events for the coming years include the return of TNA Wrestling for Destination X on November 15, 2026. The venue will also host the annual Halloween-themed electronic dance music festival Scream on October 30-31, 2026. Other listed public events include the 'Once Upon a Time The World Tour 2026' concert on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The 2026 motionball Marathon of Sport Edmonton is also scheduled, indicating a steady pipeline of entertainment and charitable sporting events.

The most significant potential development on the horizon is the Centre of Sport Excellence proposal. The collaborating sports organizations have requested $77,000 from the city to complete a viability study for the project, which they estimate would cost approximately $14 million to implement. City councillors have asked administration to explore funding possibilities and report back, suggesting a formal decision process is underway. If realized, this transformation would mark a substantial evolution in the building's primary function, creating a year-round, revenue-generating sports facility within the existing Expo Centre shell.

Regardless of the sport centre outcome, the Expo Centre is poised to remain a vital part of Edmonton's event infrastructure. Its recent $98 million rehabilitation ensures the building's long-term operational viability, while its sustainability initiatives position it as a leader in green venue management. As Explore Edmonton continues to book events, the centre will likely maintain its mix of trade shows, consumer expos, concerts, and sporting events, serving the diverse interests of over 1.7 million annual visitors and contributing significantly to the city's economy and cultural life. The venue's expert team continues to plan and execute outstanding events, from sport tournaments to high-profile music acts.

Questions about Edmonton Expo Centre

What is the proposed Centre of Sport Excellence for the Expo Centre?

In 2026, a consortium of sports organizations including Alberta Athletics, the Alberta Basketball Association, and Volleyball Alberta proposed transforming part of the Edmonton Expo Centre into a Centre of Sport Excellence. The plan calls for converting Halls A, B, and C into permanent and convertible sports courts and an indoor hydraulic track. This facility would serve as both a high-performance training centre and a community recreation hub, aiming to generate revenue and expand sports tourism. The group has requested city funding for a viability study.

What major annual festival is held at the Edmonton Expo Centre?

Since 2019, the Edmonton Expo Centre has been the permanent home for Scream, Edmonton's annual Halloween-themed electronic dance music festival. The event takes place over two days around October 31st. The most recent Scream was held on October 31 and November 1, 2025, and the next is scheduled for October 30 and 31, 2026. Before moving to the Expo Centre, the Scream festival was held at the Edmonton Convention Centre and the Edmonton Event Centre.

What is the capacity of the arena at the Edmonton Expo Centre?

The main arena at the Edmonton Expo Centre, branded as the Flair Airlines Hangar, has a seating capacity of 4,600 spectators. For sporting events, Hall D arena can hold up to 4,200 spectators. This mid sized arena is a premier sports and entertainment venue within the larger 522,000 square foot facility. The arena has hosted events ranging from the 2002 World Ringette Championships to concerts and family shows. In 2022, the facility sold naming rights to its arena to Flair Airlines. The venue's 522,000 square feet of space allows for limitless tournament, championship, concert and attraction opportunities across one continuous, accessible level.

Which professional sports team plays at the Edmonton Expo Centre?

The Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League play their home games at the Edmonton Expo Centre. The Stingers began playing at the venue in 2019 when the league was newly established. Previously, from 1996 to 1998, the Edmonton Ice of the Western Hockey League used a portion of the venue as its home arena, though it was considered a substandard venue for the team. The Expo Centre arena is also used for various sporting tournaments and competitions. A recent proposal from sports organizations envisions transforming halls within the centre into a multi sport training and event venue to further expand its athletic use.

How big is the Edmonton Expo Centre?

The Edmonton Expo Centre encompasses 522,000 square feet of space, making it among Western Canada's largest venues. It contains over 410,000 square feet of exhibition space, including seven exhibition halls, a ballroom, and a 4,600 seat arena. The venue is spread over one continuous, accessible level and welcomes more than 1.7 million visitors each year. Its size was significantly increased in December 2009 when renovations doubled the facility's size to 522,000 square feet, which was expected to make it the largest such facility in Canada outside of Toronto at the time. The additions from that project included four new exhibition halls and a new conference centre named the Alberta Ballroom.

What was the recent major renovation at the Expo Centre?

A major $98 million rehabilitation project was completed at the Edmonton Expo Centre in March 2025. The project included updates to the building envelope, roof replacement, and mechanical and electrical upgrades. It also featured the installation of the largest rooftop solar array in Canada. This project is part of the venue's commitment to reducing its environmental footprint, which includes a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2035. In 2023, the centre diverted 475,078 kilograms of waste from landfill, achieving a 51 percent waste diversion rate. The facility also sources 35 percent of its food from producers within 100 miles of Edmonton.

Sources and further reading

• Edmonton Expo Centre (Wikipedia)
• Edmonton EXPO Centre | Edmonton's Most Flexible Event ... (edmontonexpocentre.com)
• Edmonton EXPO Centre Arena (venuecoalition.com)
• Sport excellence venue pitched for Edmonton's Expo Centre (cbc.ca)

Checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-26.