Expanded BMO Centre will provide significant boost to Calgary's tourism industry

BMO expansion at Stampede Park rendering
BMO expansion at Stampede Park rendering

Expanded BMO Centre will provide significant boost to Calgary's tourism industry

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Media release

Expanded BMO Centre will provide significant boost to Calgary's tourism industry

With the expansion, Calgary will have the largest convention facility in Western Canada

June 10, 2020 - Earlier today, Tourism Calgary partners Calgary Stampede and Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) unveiled the renderings of Calgary’s expanded BMO Centre, which will become the largest convention facility in Western Canada and second largest in Canada, offering Calgary the important advantage of being able to accommodate meetings and conventions of all sizes, between this expansion and the existing capacity of the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre.

Tourism Calgary has been an advocate for the expanded BMO Centre for many years. In Calgary’s Destination Strategy | Ultimate Hosts. Ultimate Host City, the need for the expanded hosting facilities in Calgary was identified as a primary objective to increasing the tourism industry’s impact, and of contributing to quality of life for Calgarians through job creation, sustainability and economic diversification. The expansion of the BMO Centre plays a significant role in achieving that objective.

The expanded BMO Centre, coupled with Calgary TELUS Convention Centre and meeting and convention spaces at hotel properties throughout our city will give Calgary a significant competitive advantage amongst the important meeting planning sector. 

“The addition of the BMO Centre expansion to the Culture & Entertainment District is critical to developing Calgary as a destination for visitors and meeting planners, and a great place to live for Calgarians,” says Cindy Ady, CEO Tourism Calgary. “We are proud of what our partners at Calgary Stampede and CMLC have designed and we know this facility and district will be significant additions to our city and our offerings to visitors.”

When complete, the expanded BMO Centre will boast over 1 million square feet of total floor space, including 350,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, and more than double its current capacity — but more important, the new facility will espouse, inside and out, today’s best practices in premier conference facility design. The interior spaces will be ample and adaptable; meeting rooms will be wired for instant connectivity; flexible breakout areas will facilitate those all-important human connections; and outdoor spaces will invite attendees to experience the natural surroundings, diverse amenities and western hospitality Calgary is rightfully famous for.

“From a meeting and convention sales perspective, this strategic investment dramatically increases the size of the market for our city,” says Carson Ackroyd, Senior VP, Sales, Tourism Calgary. “Beginning in 2024, Calgary will be a destination with facilities to accommodate much larger meeting and convention business, meaning increased economic impact and job sustainability in the tourism industry.”

Post-construction, the BMO Centre will add another $223M to Alberta’s economy and support 1,757 full-year jobs, 90 per cent of which will stay in Calgary.

The project is on schedule to meet the projected June 2024 completion date. The development permit has been submitted and construction of Hall F (100,000 SF of additional space) is on track for completion later this month. Crews will begin demolishing existing structures in the fall and break ground on the new building next year.

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About Tourism Calgary

Tourism Calgary is the official destination marketing, sales and development organization for Calgary's tourism industry. For more than 50 years, the organization’s primary purpose has been to promote Calgary and area as the destination of choice for leisure and convention travellers. With a vision of making Calgary the ultimate host city, Tourism Calgary markets the city locally, nationally and internationally and advocates for its ongoing development as a destination. The organization hosts and attracts visitors and events and activates the city by fostering the growth of shareable, memorable experiences. Calgary’s tourism industry contributes approximately $2.5 billion in visitor spending by over 7 million visitors annually. For more information about Tourism Calgary, please visit www.visitcalgary.com or follow @toursimcalgary on social channels.

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