BMO Centre Expansion

Overview

Key Takeaways

• 1

  Western Canada’s largest convention centre

  The expansion is more than doubling the beloved BMO Centre’s rentable space to over one million square feet, making it a top-tier venue

  1

  Western Canada’s largest convention centre

  More than doubling its rentable space to over one million sq ft, BMO Centre’s expansion will elevate Calgary’s convention hosting status to the next level, allowing our city to compete head-to-head with top-tier convention destinations around the world. The new space will boast three ballrooms totalling 70,000 sq ft, 38 meeting rooms and more than 100,000 sq ft of new exhibition space.

  

  

  

  

  Western Canada’s largest convention centreMore than doubling its rentable space to over one million sq ft, BMO Centre’s expansion will elevate Calgary’s convention hosting status to the next level, allowing our city to compete head-to-head with top-tier convention destinations around the world. The new space will boast three ballrooms totalling 70,000 sq ft, 38 meeting rooms and more than 100,000 sq ft of new exhibition space.
• 2

  Opening Stampede 2024

  With more than 600 crew on the construction site daily, the BMO Centre expansion is advancing right on schedule

  2

  Opening Stampede 2024

  Adding 585,000 sq ft to Calgary’s beloved convention centre is no small feat. To keep the $500-million project on track for its opening in summer 2024, 600 workers are on the construction site six days a week. Of the dozens of conventions already booked for the new venue, more than half could not have been accommodated by BMO Centre pre-expansion—a testament to the project’s city-building value.

  

  

  

  

  Opening Stampede 2024Adding 585,000 sq ft to Calgary’s beloved convention centre is no small feat. To keep the $500-million project on track for its opening in summer 2024, 600 workers are on the construction site six days a week. Of the dozens of conventions already booked for the new venue, more than half could not have been accommodated by BMO Centre pre-expansion—a testament to the project’s city-building value.
• 3

  A $500-million city-building investment

  The expansion is funded through equal contributions from the Government of Canada, Government of Alberta and The City of Calgary

  3

  A $500-million city-building investment

  The BMO Centre expansion—funded in equal parts by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta and The City of Calgary—is already injecting new energy and jobs into the local economy. With the capacity to host an impressive 33,000 guests at one time, it’s giving Calgary a greater way to gather; and organizations around the world are already clamouring to book this remarkable new space.

  A $500-million city-building investmentThe BMO Centre expansion—funded in equal parts by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta and The City of Calgary—is already injecting new energy and jobs into the local economy. With the capacity to host an impressive 33,000 guests at one time, it’s giving Calgary a greater way to gather; and organizations around the world are already clamouring to book this remarkable new space.
• 4

  An undertaking of magnificent proportions

  Western Canada’s largest convention venue, whose structure comprises 9,000 tonnes of steel, boasts the country’s largest indoor fireplace

  4

  An undertaking of magnificent proportions

  Poised to become Canada’s largest convention venue in Canada, the BMO Centre is a study in spectacular scale. At 50,000 sq ft, the Champions ballroom alone will accommodate 5,000 people. Visitors can cozy up to the country’s largest indoor fireplace. Each of the service elevators is large enough to transport a pickup truck. And the building’s structural framework called for 9,000 metric tonnes of steel.

  An undertaking of magnificent proportionsPoised to become Canada’s largest convention venue in Canada, the BMO Centre is a study in spectacular scale. At 50,000 sq ft, the Champions ballroom alone will accommodate 5,000 people. Visitors can cozy up to the country’s largest indoor fireplace. Each of the service elevators is large enough to transport a pickup truck. And the building’s structural framework called for 9,000 metric tonnes of steel.
• 5

  Gerry Judah’s Spirit of Water as landmark public art

  A 70-foot-tall, 112,000-pound steel sculpture will act as a gathering place and a beacon for the expanded BMO Centre.

  5

  Gerry Judah’s Spirit of Water as landmark public art

  Spirit of Water by UK-based artist Gerry Judah will be a focal point of BMO Centre’s new outdoor plaza—a 40,000 sq. ft. year-round gathering space on the expanded building’s south side. As a renowned international artist, Gerry Judah has created many public art works over his career, including striking large-scale pieces for festivals, museums and public realms in the US, UK, New Zealand and United Arab Emirates.

  Public art has been an important element of the expansion since the onset of the project. In 2021, CMLC and the Calgary Stampede initiated a multi-stage process to identify qualified artists or artist groups to develop the expansion’s public art. The first stage involved an RFQ process that garnered an initial response from 218 artists and artist groups from around the world. Each was reviewed for their qualifications, and 39 advanced to review by a jury of volunteers. Ultimately, a shortlist of six were invited to advance to a detailed RFP stage to submit more detailed proposals.

  The jury of 11 local experts in art and placemaking reviewed the submissions. While referencing the identity of the expanded BMO Centre and providing a landmark to help orient visitors to Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District and Stampede Park, it was important that the creative vision for the art celebrate Calgary’s heritage and the Calgary Stampede’s western identity. The public art must also honour the history and significance of the area, serve as a gathering space for visitors and contextually align with the architectural scale of the building and human scale of activations around it. Following the multi-stage process, several days of artist presentations and 14 hours of deliberations, the jury’s seven voting members ultimately recommended Gerry Judah’s Spirit of Water for approval by the project’s steering committee.

  Special thanks to the BMO Centre Expansion Public Art Jury

  Voting Members:

  Marjan Eggermont, Artist; teaching professor and faculty member at U of C at the Mechanical and Manufacturing Department of the Schulich School of Engineering.

  Neil MacKimmie, Calgary Stampede Public Art Committee Member

  Deeter Schurig, President and CEO, C-SPACE Projects

  Christine Sowiak, Curator; Director and Chief Curator of the Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary

  Bryce Starlight, Vice President of Taza Development Corporation

  Su-Ying Strang, Director, The New Gallery

  Ray Todd, community representative; art collector

  Non Voting Members:

  Kelly Coles, CMLC Vice President, Building and Infrastructure

  Sean Delsnider, Calgary Stampede Public Art Committee

  Leo Lejeune, Senior Principal, Architecture Practice Lead, Southern Alberta, Stantec Architecture

  Clare LePan, CMLC Vice President, Communications & Strategic Partnerships,

  Olivia Rocksar, City of Calgary, Arts and Culture, Recreation

  Gerry Judah’s Spirit of Water as landmark public artSpirit of Water by UK-based artist Gerry Judah will be a focal point of BMO Centre’s new outdoor plaza—a 40,000 sq. ft. year-round gathering space on the expanded building’s south side. As a renowned international artist, Gerry Judah has created many public art works over his career, including striking large-scale pieces for festivals, museums and public realms in the US, UK, New Zealand and United Arab Emirates. Public art has been an important element of the expansion since the onset of the project. In 2021, CMLC and the Calgary Stampede initiated a multi-stage process to identify qualified artists or artist groups to develop the expansion’s public art. The first stage involved an RFQ process that garnered an initial response from 218 artists and artist groups from around the world. Each was reviewed for their qualifications, and 39 advanced to review by a jury of volunteers. Ultimately, a shortlist of six were invited to advance to a detailed RFP stage to submit more detailed proposals. The jury of 11 local experts in art and placemaking reviewed the submissions. While referencing the identity of the expanded BMO Centre and providing a landmark to help orient visitors to Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District and Stampede Park, it was important that the creative vision for the art celebrate Calgary’s heritage and the Calgary Stampede’s western identity. The public art must also honour the history and significance of the area, serve as a gathering space for visitors and contextually align with the architectural scale of the building and human scale of activations around it. Following the multi-stage process, several days of artist presentations and 14 hours of deliberations, the jury’s seven voting members ultimately recommended Gerry Judah’s Spirit of Water for approval by the project’s steering committee. Special thanks to the BMO Centre Expansion Public Art Jury Voting Members: Marjan Eggermont, Artist; teaching professor and faculty member at U of C at the Mechanical and Manufacturing Department of the Schulich School of Engineering. Neil MacKimmie, Calgary Stampede Public Art Committee Member Deeter Schurig, President and CEO, C-SPACE Projects Christine Sowiak, Curator; Director and Chief Curator of the Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary Bryce Starlight, Vice President of Taza Development Corporation Su-Ying Strang, Director, The New Gallery Ray Todd, community representative; art collector Non Voting Members: Kelly Coles, CMLC Vice President, Building and Infrastructure Sean Delsnider, Calgary Stampede Public Art Committee Leo Lejeune, Senior Principal, Architecture Practice Lead, Southern Alberta, Stantec Architecture Clare LePan, CMLC Vice President, Communications & Strategic Partnerships, Olivia Rocksar, City of Calgary, Arts and Culture, Recreation

Media & Recognition

Global News

BMO Centre expansion project on schedule to open for 2024 Stampede Read More

Calgary Herald

Canada's largest indoor fireplace set to call the new BMO Centre home Read More

CBC

Final steel beam lifted into place at BMO Centre expansion Read More

CMLC

BMO Centre Expansion Timelapse: Demolition to Steel Completion Read More