Big, bold and on budget: An inside look at the BMO Centre expansion
A major transformation is well underway on the Calgary Stampede grounds, with the 565,000 sq. ft. BMO Centre expansion project just a year away from completion.
Journalists got a tour of the interior of the massive building on Thursday, showing off the site's progress amid a mass of activity.
"The team didn't sit around during the pandemic and just wait and ponder and see what was going to happen," said Kate Thompson, the president and CEO of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation.
"They drove, and because they drove we're here today and able to say it's on time and on budget."
The budget is $500 million and the expected opening date is next June -- in time for the 2024 Stampede.
More than 600 workers are on-site each day, six days a week. At this stage, they're putting up about 30,000 square feet of drywall every day.
While the exterior is a swooping mix of materials, the inside is home to spanning ballrooms and exhibit halls. The are 38 new meeting rooms and two ballrooms that will total 70,000 square feet.
Inquiries are already being made about hosting weddings and events on the 11,000 square foot outdoor covered patios, officials say.
"You know, there's a tremendous amount of excitement about the BMO Center, and as our sales team goes around the globe, people are in awe of the building," said Joel Cowley, the CEO of the Calgary Stampede.
There are 34 conventions booked for when the expansion opens, Cowley says, with one booking as far out as 2032.
"And that's really what generates economic impact, is when individuals from outside of this market come here and spend money on hotels and restaurants. That's the true economic impact," Cowley said.
The convention centre expansion is just one part of an overhaul in the area: the 17th Avenue extension is underway and the CTrain station is being rebuilt. The promise of a new event centre is also set to add another draw to the Victoria Park area.
The only scheduled construction pause from now until completion will be the ten days of the 2023 Stampede.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton to remain in medically induced coma until later this week: police
Serial killer Robert Pickton will remain in a medically induced coma for at least the next few days following an attack in a Quebec prison Sunday, according to police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu.
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Meet Virginia,' has died. He was 58.
'Five feet nothing': Pickton's safety likely behind Quebec transfer, says ex-prison judge
When serial killer Robert Pickton was transferred from British Columbia's Kent Institution to a maximum security prison in Quebec about six years ago, correctional authorities gave no public explanation or confirmation at the time, citing privacy.
'I feel betrayed': Ottawa-area customers out thousands of dollars warn of bad faith contractor
A group of people from eastern Ontario and western Quebec is issuing a warning about Dennis Walker and his company Vue Windows.
Fancy pigeon outfitted in custom diaper has free rein in B.C. family home
When Chrissy Chin volunteered to take in a fancy pigeon abandoned on a park bench, she never imagined she would one day be ordering custom-made diapers for the bird – who lives in her house and has become a member of the family.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
5 dead and at least 35 hurt in Iowa tornado: officials
Five people died and at least 35 were hurt as powerful tornadoes ripped through Iowa Tuesday, with one carving a path of destruction through the town of Greenfield, officials said.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.