Repurposing Rexall - Pollstar News

Events at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, could potentially get a whole lot smaller with the opening of Rogers Place downtown.

Photo: facebook.com/pages/Rexall-Place/183479261717745

The Northlands Arena Strategy Committee recently released a report that recommends reducing the size of and repurposing Rexall Place, which Northlands owns, to act as a secondary and complementary venue to Rogers Place. “Items for discussion in this agreement should include … hosting of dirt related events, hosting of mid-sized entertainment events, and collaboration on large multi-day, multi-venue sporting events that generate positive economic benefit and social good for the City of Edmonton,” the report notes.

“It is believed that a collaborative programing model may provide the opportunity for both venues to co-exist with sustainability in the Edmonton mid-sized venue market.”

However, Oilers Entertainment Group vice-chair Bob Nicholson told the Edmonton Sun he was fairly confident Rogers Place could host a wide range of events on its own.

“Everyone talks about Rogers Place, but we have more than Rogers Place,” he said. “We have a winter garden that holds 2,500 people, we have the plaza with 9,000 people, we have a great partnership with the city to drive people downtown. That’s really our focus.”

The Oilers, which have called Rexall Place home since 1974, will move to the 20,734-capacity Rogers Place when the venue opens in 2016. Other alternative uses that have been suggested for Rexall Place include turning it into a convention center, a recreational facility, or using it as an agricultural hub.

Northlands suggested that if the building cannot be repurposed, it should be demolished to make way for something new that complements the surrounding neighborhood. The Northlands board of directors is expected to review the committee’s recommendations and make a decision on the fate of Rexall Place by the end of the year.

Daily Pulse