SaskTel Centre

SaskTel Centre

Full name	SaskTel Centre
Former names	Saskatchewan Place (1988–2004) Credit Union Centre (2004–2014)
Location	3315 Thatcher Avenue Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7R 1C4
Coordinates	52°11′20″N 106°40′44″W / 52.189°N 106.679°W / 52.189; -106.679Coordinates: 52°11′20″N 106°40′44″W / 52.189°N 106.679°W / 52.189; -106.679
Owner	City of Saskatoon
Executive suites	51
Capacity	15,100[1]
Construction
Broke ground	11 September 1986 (1986-09-11)[2]
Opened	9 February 1988 (1988-02-09)
Expanded	1990, 2009
Construction cost	$24.8 million ($48.1 million in 2016 dollars[3]) $6.7 million (2009 expansion)[4] ($7.48 million in 2016 dollars[3])
Architect	Thomas Ferguson Architect, Ltd[5] PBK Architects, Inc.[5]
Structural engineer	Cochrane Lavalin Consulting Engineers[5]
General contractor	Carlson Constructors, Ltd.
Tenants
Saskatoon Blades (WHL) (1988–present) Saskatchewan Storm (WBL) (1990–1992) Saskatoon Slam (NBL) (1992–1993) Saskatchewan Hawks]] (IBA/CBA) (1999–2001) Saskatoon Accelerators (CMISL (2007–2009) Saskatoon Sirens (LFL Canada) (2012) Saskatchewan Rush (NLL) (2015–present)
Website
www.sasktelcentre.com

SaskTel Centre (formerly Credit Union Centre, and originally Saskatchewan Place; informally also known as Sask Place)^[6][7] is an arena located in the Agriplace Industrial Park, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Situated near the city's northern entrance, the facility opened in February 1988 with a seating capacity of around 7,800.^[8] It was expanded to 11,330 for the World Junior Hockey Championships in 1990.^[9] More additional permanent seating was added in 2008 and 2009. The current capacity is now 15,190 for hockey.^[10] It is the home venue of the Saskatoon Blades hockey team and the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League.

Early proposals

The interior of SaskTel Centre prior to a Saskatoon Blades game.

SaskPlace was constructed as a replacement for the Saskatoon Arena, a concrete building constructed in Saskatoon's downtown core in the 1930s, and which was in use until 1988, hosting its final hockey game only a week before SaskPlace opened. Nicknamed "The Barn", the facility had outlived its usefulness some 20 years earlier and had become infamous for leaky roofs and substandard amenities, yet Saskatonians were hesitant to lose the landmark and a number of years passed between the 1970s proposal to replace the structure and the eventual demolition of the Arena and the opening of SaskPlace.

In 1982, Bill Hunter, a local sports promoter, attempted to purchase the St. Louis Blues NHL team and bring it to Saskatoon. Part of his plan included building an 18,000-seat arena. Two locations were suggested: the site of a decommissioned power plant downtown, just west of the then-present Saskatoon Arena, and another site east of the city's airport in the North Industrial area. Despite Hunter's best efforts, the NHL rejected his offer and Hunter's plans to relocate an NHL team and build a new arena collapsed.

The site eventually chosen for SaskTel Centre was initially, and still is, unpopular with some Saskatoon residents. Situated in the remote Agri Place industrial park at the north end of the city, accessible only via highways 11 and 16 and Marquis Drive, SaskPlace was accused of being too inconvenient for seniors and people of limited transportation to access, as opposed to the original downtown arena site which was close to most bus routes. The city's original plan was to relocate Saskatoon's exhibition grounds alongside SaskPlace as well, but this proposal was defeated in a civic plebiscite following public protest over access and safety concerns. Plans to build interchanges on the two major access routes into the facility were announced soon after the arena opened, but as of 2010 construction has yet to occur. However, in the past twenty years, the city has grown to the north, so that while at the time of its construction there wasn't anything around the arena, it is now surrounded by other buildings.

In the early 2000s, Saunders Avenue, which is a street leading into the parking lot of Credit Union Centre, was renamed Bill Hunter Avenue in honour of Bill Hunter, who died in 2002. This was considered ironic by many Saskatonians, given Hunter lobbied for the facility to be built in another location. The city then transferred the 'Saunders' name to a new street in the River Landing redevelopment area—running through the former site of the Saskatoon Arena.

Expansion for 2010 World Juniors

In 2008-2009, the arena was renovated for the World Juniors.^[10] There were 2,981 seats added to the upper deck at the west end of the arena increasing the capacity of the arena at more than 15,000. The cost of the expansion was pegged at C$6.7 million. C$2 million was requested as a loan from the city of Saskatoon and C$3 million from a provincial grant. Hockey Canada may have also contributed about C$500,000. The expansion also includes extra washrooms and concessions.^[11] The expansion also included the addition of 14 more corporate box seats, bringing the total to 44 and enlarged and improved player facilities such as dressing rooms, weight rooms, coach`s room, equipment room, player`s lounge and medical room.^[1]

At about this time, there was a proposal from Ice Edge Holdings to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes and begin playing five of the Coyotes' home games each season in SaskTel Centre (then named Credit Union Centre) beginning in December 2009. The logic behind the move, which parallels the Bills Toronto Series in the NFL, was that although Saskatoon was likely too small to support an NHL team of its own, it would easily be able to sell out the Credit Union Centre for one game each month.^[12] By May 2011, Ice Edge Holdings abandoned its plan to purchase the team.^[13] Although some members of the Ice Edge group subsequently joined IceArizona, the group that ultimately was successful in purchasing the team, IceArizona did not pursue the earlier proposal to play any home games outside Arizona.

The SaskTel Centre hosted an NHL exhibition game in 2011 when the Edmonton Oilers hosted one of their games there. In 2012 the Winnipeg Jets were scheduled to play an exhibition game but was cancelled due to the NHL lockout. Instead they will play on September 27, 2013 vs the Boston Bruins. The Ottawa Senators and Calgary Flames will also play on September 16, 2013.

Major events

On February 9, 1988, Saskatchewan Place was opened to host its first event; a Western Hockey League game won by the home team Saskatoon Blades 4–3 over the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. Buffalo Sabres draft pick Grant Tkachuk scored the first ever goal on Saskatchewan Place ice, beating Brandon goalie George Maneluk at 12:35 of the first period.^[14]

On October 12, 1992, Canadian wrestling legend Bret Hart defeated Ric Flair to capture his first WWF Championship. Bret's father, legendary Hart family patriarch Stu, was born and raised in Saskatoon.

In 1995, Billy Graham made a surprise appearance at a Franklin Graham festival at SaskPlace, and brought George Beverly Shea with him.

In 2005, the facility hosted a gala command performance concert for Queen Elizabeth in honour of Saskatchewan's centennial and in 2007 it was the venue for the 2007 Juno Awards. Both events were broadcast nationally.

On October 29, 2011, Cirque du Soleil performed Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour for over 10,000 people to honour the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

On September 28, 2014, the Chicago Blackhawks face-off against the Edmonton Oilers in a National Hockey League pre-season match-up.^[15]

Attendance records

• The largest crowd for a hockey game at the arena, was 15,171, set on December 31, 2009 for a round robin game of the 2010 World Juniors between Canada and the United States. It was tied on January 5, 2010 for the final of the 2010 World Juniors between Canada and the United States.
• The largest crowd for a concert at the arena, was 14,605, set on August 14, 1996 for a Garth Brooks tour stop.
• The largest crowd for a Saskatoon Blades game, was 12,588, set on February 9, 2013 in a game against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Tenants

Major tournaments and events hosted

References

External links

• Official website
• Credit Union Centre Hockey League, official website