Ice District
Edmonton Arena District
Mixed-use sports and entertainment district
Downtown Edmonton with the Stantec Tower, and JW Marriott Hotel.
Downtown Edmonton with the Stantec Tower, and JW Marriott Hotel.
Ice District is located in Edmonton
Ice District
Ice District
Location of Ice District in Edmonton
Coordinates: 53°32′43″N 113°29′48″W / 53.5454°N 113.4966°W / 53.5454; -113.4966
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
CityEdmonton
QuadrantNW
WardO-day’min
NeighbourhoodsDowntown and Central McDougall
Government
 • MayorAmarjeet Sohi
 • Administrative bodyEdmonton City Council
 • CouncillorAnne Stevenson

Ice District is a $2.5 billion mixed-use sports and entertainment district being developed on 10 hectares (25 acres) of land in Downtown Edmonton and a portion of the neighbourhood of Central McDougall. Its main attraction is Rogers Place, the home arena of the Edmonton Oilers professional ice hockey team. When completed the area will be Canada's largest mixed-use and entertainment district.[1][2] The developers of the district are the Katz Group[3] and the ONE Development Group.[4][5] On July 13, 2015, it was announced that the area of the city surrounding the arena from 101 and 104 Street to 103 and 106 Avenue would be referred to as "Ice District" – a name created by Daryl Katz.[6][7]

Landmarks and attractions

Rogers Place

Construction around Rogers Place in July 2017

Rogers Place, the home arena for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, is the main attraction of the district. Opened on September 8, 2016, it seats 18,500 people for hockey games.[8] The cost of the arena was around $480 million.[9]

Ford Hall

The winter garden, named Ford Hall, is a 4,200-square-metre (45,000 sq ft), climate-controlled facility, that spans 104 Avenue. It is a public gathering space and connects the Edmonton Light Rail Transit system with the grand entrance of Rogers Place. There will also be a pedway connection to the new JW Marriott hotel. It opened on September 8, 2016, at a cost of $56.5 million.[10]

Public plaza

There is a 4,600-square-metre (50,000 sq ft) public plaza first opened to the public for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs and is nicknamed the "Moss Pit" by fans after the late Joey Moss.[11]

Community arena

The Edmonton Downtown Community Arena is the home arena of the MacEwan University Griffins hockey teams, and hosts practices for the Oilers and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League. It has a seating capacity of 1000.[12]

Grand Villa Casino Edmonton

Grand Villa Casino Edmonton

The Grand Villa Casino Edmonton is a casino that opened on September 7, 2016, and is owned by Gateway Casinos. It is next to Rogers Place in the Ice District. The 5,600 m2 (60,000 sq ft) facility cost $32 million. It replaced the adjacent Baccarat Casino, which operated from 1996 to 2016 and which was demolished later in 2020.[13]

The 2,800 m2 (30,000 sq ft) gaming space includes 600 slot machines and 28 table games. The casino has three restaurants.[14]

In 2019, Gateway Casinos laid off staff and reduced operations to Thursdays through Sundays and when major events were held at Rogers Place. The casino sought to prioritize business on days with greater foot traffic.[15][16] The casino suspended operations in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and did not reopen until July 2022; following the reopening, as directed by a licence amendment by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), the casino returned to operating seven days per week as with all other Alberta casinos. Gateway successfully had the condition blocked, but the casino continued to operate seven days per week.[17][15]

Public transportation

Pedways

The Edmonton Pedway is being expanded with additions to Edmonton Tower, Stantec Tower, JW Marriott Edmonton, and Rogers Place, linking them to the existing system by elevated and underground pedways.[18][19]

Parking facilities

With the new development about 4,000 new parking spaces are being created.[20] As well there will be 5,000–10,000 within a 5-to-10-minute walk from the arena and public plaza.[21] Major roads include 104 Avenue, 101 Street, and 105 Street.

Transit

The district's main public transportation is handled through the Edmonton Transit Service bus routes (ETS) and Edmonton Light Rail Transit (LRT).[22] The main LRT station is MacEwan station, located just north of Rogers Place.[23] With the pedway system additions, four LRT stations will have direct access; this includes MacEwan, Bay/Enterprise, Central, and Churchill stations. A number of Strathcona County Transit and St. Albert Transit bus routes also serve the district.[22][24]

Office and residential towers

Construction in July 2017

Three new office buildings were/are being constructed in the district, as well as a hotel with private residences above. The City of Edmonton Tower with 29 floors and a height of 129.8 metres (426 ft) opened in December 2016, with construction coming to an end in 2017.[25][26] Stantec Tower has 66 floors and a height of 250.8 metres (823 ft).[27][28] The combined JW Marriott Edmonton Ice District & Residences[29] has 55 floors and a height of 192.15 metres (630.4 ft),[30] was completed in June 2019.[31]

Stantec Tower

Stantec Tower, the new headquarters of Stantec, is the tallest building in Edmonton, and the tallest building west of Toronto at a height of 250.8 metres (823 ft).[27][27][32] Thirty-three stories will be dedicated towards residential units.[27][33]

Edmonton Tower

Edmonton Tower, topped out and nearly complete exterior glass panes, in September 2016

The Edmonton Tower[26] is a 29-storey 129.84-metre (426.0 ft) tall, office building in the Ice District area of Edmonton. It was topped-out in early spring 2016, and completed in December 2016. City of Edmonton staff began moving to the tower in November 2016.[25][26][34] It is Edmonton's eighth tallest building.[35]

JW Marriott Edmonton & Residences

The JW Marriott Edmonton Ice District & Residences was completed in August 2019. The 356-room hotel component, occupying the 1st through 22nd floors, is operated by JW Marriott Hotels.[29] It has 2,300 square metres (25,000 sq ft) for conference halls and a 930-square-metre (10,000 sq ft) ballroom.[36] This is the third hotel of this brand in Canada.[37] Residential condominiums known as the Legends Private Residences occupies the 23rd through 54th floors[29][38] above the hotel.[29]

CWB National Headquarters

CWB is an under construction office tower in the Ice District. It will sit at 104 Avenue and 103 Street and be 16 storeys tall.[39] In March 2019, it was announced that a Loblaws CityMarket would serve as the anchor tenant for the retail podium, with construction slated to begin "immediately." The retail podium is expected to completed in early 2022.,[40][41] and the tower portion of the project is expected to be complete in 2025.[42]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "A Vibrant World-Class Destination". ICE District Properties. ICE District Properties. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  2. ↑ Marty Klinkenberg. "Edmonton warms up to chilly reputation with new Ice District". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  3. ↑ "Katz Group - Real Estate". Katz Group. Katz Group. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Developer Information". Ice District Properties. ICE District JV Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-10-22. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  5. ↑ "ONE Ice District". ONE Development. ONE Development Group. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  6. ↑ Shaw, Stewart (July 13, 2015). "'Milestone announcement' for Edmonton expected". CTV Edmonton. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
  7. ↑ Mah, Bill (July 13, 2015). "Oilers CEO says Ice District a 'crisp and clean' new name for arena district". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  8. ↑ Claire Theobald. "From above and around Edmonton's Rogers Place arena construction". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  9. ↑ "The Agreement". City of Edmonton. Archived from the original on 2016-10-16.
  10. ↑ Kevin Maimann. "Downtown Edmonton arena: Winter Garden renderings". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  11. ↑ "Public Plaza". ICE District Properties. ICE District Properties. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Rogers Place". Ice District. Archived from the original on 2016-10-12.
  13. ↑ Dave Lazzarino. "New Grand Villa Casino officially opens near downtown arena". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on September 10, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
    - "The house busts: Demolition of Baccarat Casino begins in downtown Edmonton". Edmonton Journal. February 7, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Grand Villa Casino open for business in downtown Edmonton". CBC. September 7, 2016.
    - "Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Opens Doors at the New, Spectacular Grand Villa Edmonton in ICE District". Gateway Casinos. September 7, 2016.
  15. 1 2 "Extended downtown casino closures cost province, Edmonton charities millions". CBC News. 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  16. ↑ "Grand Villa Casino axes almost 50 full-time employees: union". edmontonjournal. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  17. ↑ "Grand Villa Casino Edmonton Reopens After Long Closure". Play Canada. 2022-07-20. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  18. ↑ "Ice District Pedway's". Icedistrictproperties. ICE DISTRICT JV Inc. Archived from the original (jpg) on 2016-10-22. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  19. ↑ Lamphier, Gary (April 24, 2015). "Lamphier: It's Pedwaytropolis! City's pedway network to undergo big expansion". Postmedia Network Inc. Edmonton Journal. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  20. ↑ "EDA Office Tower". ONE Properties. ONE Development Group. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Parking Facilities". Icedistrictproperties. ICE DISTRICT JV Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-10-22. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  22. 1 2 "Department — Transportation Services" (PDF). Edmonton.ca. City of Edmonton. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  23. ↑ Rogers Place (13 April 2015). "EAD joint venture announces Gateway Casinos & Entertainment as new addition to the Edmonton arena district". Rogers Place. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  24. ↑ "Media Kit" (PDF). Icedistrictproperties. ICE DISTRICT JV Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-04-02. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  25. 1 2 "EAD Office Tower 1". Emprois. Emporis GNBH. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  26. 1 2 3 Slav Kornik. "Edmonton skyline to change with construction of new tower". Global. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  27. 1 2 3 4 "Stantec Tower". Emporis. Emporis. Archived from the original on April 28, 2015. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  28. ↑ "Stantec Headquarters". skyscraperpage.com. Skyscraper Source Media. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  29. 1 2 3 4 "Phase One X:2017-2020 #11 Legends Private Residences". icedistrict.com. ICE District JV Inc. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  30. ↑ "JW Marriott Hotel & Legends Private Residences". Emporis. Emporis. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  31. ↑ "JW Marriott Hotel & Legends Private Residences". Emporis. Emporis GMBH. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  32. ↑ "The @Stantec Tower permit confirms 250.8m, 66 stories, 454 resi. units. Tallest building west of #Toronto! #yegdt". Twitter. Downtown Edmonton Community League. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  33. ↑ CBC. "62-storey tower to be built in downtown Edmonton". CBC. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  34. ↑ Lazzarino, Dave (December 15, 2016). "City offers first glimpse inside the workspaces of the new Edmonton Tower". Postmedia Network Inc. Edmonton Journal. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  35. ↑ "Tallest building in Edmonton". Emprois. Emporis. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  36. ↑ "JW Marriott". Icedistrictproperties. ICE DISTRICT JV Inc. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  37. ↑ "Edmonton's downtown to see Canada's third JW Marriott hotel". Free Daily News Group Inc. Metro News. January 13, 2016. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  38. ↑ "Living at Center Ice". Legends Condos. ICE District JV Inc. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Canadian Western Bank moving HQ to centre-ice Edmonton". Western Investor. Glacier Media Group. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  40. ↑ "Loblaws City Market Announced for ICE District | SkyriseEdmonton". edmonton.skyrisecities.com. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  41. ↑ "Opening of downtown Edmonton CityMarket grocery store delayed to 2022".
  42. ↑ "Canadian Western Bank to move into Edmonton's ICE District". 28 February 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
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