A major facet of Calgary’s continuing economic development is the expansion of Stampede Park. The expansion will foster community values as our city continues to grow and ignite the surrounding inner-city neighbourhoods. It will be a green oasis in the heart of the city.
Forty-three additional acres have been added in recent years to the 150-acre park. Stampede Park now extends north to 12 Avenue S.E., west to MacLeod Trail, south to 25 Avenue S.E., and east to the bottom of Scotsman's Hill. One of the first undertakings was the opening of the Olds College Calgary Campus in 2006 and the new Stampede Casino which opened in June 2008.
The $50 million Roundup Centre expansion is complete and the building was renamed the BMO Centre. The BMO Centre is the hub of Stampede Park’s exhibition facilities and currently hosts more than 800,000 visitors at 600 events annually. Doug Fraser, the Media Relations Manager for the Calgary Stampede, confirmed, “The expanded Roundup Centre will provide the Stampede with an addition 50,000 square feet of exhibit space.”
Upcoming Stampede Park Expansion Plans
Upcoming projects include a new $65 million state-of-the-art agriculture facility (the old one is 80 years old and inadequate), a major public arts program, a retail area with markets, shops, restaurants, and amenities, and a world-class hotel. The hotel will increase Stampede Parks’ attractiveness as a venue for conventions and other functions. As Fraser points out, “A very large portion of the north-east corner of the park will be devoted to park-like activities for the entire family.” The expansion is a key step in ensuring Stampede Park will continue to attract major local and international events.
Funds for the expansion are coming from a number of key partners. The City of Calgary has always been a major supporter for Stampede Park and they have extended the lease of the 146 acres city-owned acres until 2107. Other supporters include the Government of Alberta through the Alberta Lottery Fund and the Community Facilities Enhancement Program as well as the Government of Canada.
Economic Impact of Stampede Park
We know the Calgary Stampede is a major tourism and economic driver but Stampede Park is so much more than the ten-day extravaganza. Nearly a million people attend the Calgary Flames homes games at Stampede Park every year and another 2.5 million people visit the park annually to attend trade shows and other events. The Stampede’s current economic impact is substantial with park visitors annually spending an estimated $345 million in Alberta, almost $300 million of that spent in Calgary.
With Stampede Park's expansion plans, it will definitely be the vibrant gathering place for Calgarians and guests that they are aiming to be.
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
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