BMO Centre Expansion
A catalyst project for The Culture + Entertainment District, this visually stunning expansion, valued at $500 million, has significantly grown and modernized the facility setting a new precedent for convention facility design and enabling Calgary to host major conventions on a global scale.
The BMO Centre has been Calgary’s premier venue for consumer and trade shows, special events, meetings and conferences since its opening in 1982. In spring 2019, the Calgary Stampede, along with development partner CMLC, embarked on the BMO Centre’s next chapter bringing Calgary the largest convention facility in western Canada. This project is now substantially completed and will open in June 2024.
The raw numbers are impressive—over 1 million square feet of total floor space, including 350,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, and more than double its current rentable area—but more important, this new facility espouses, inside and out, today’s best practices in premier conference facility design. The interior spaces are ample and adaptable, meeting rooms are wired for instant connectivity, flexible breakout areas facilitate all-important human connections, and outdoor spaces invite attendees to experience the natural surroundings, diverse amenities and western hospitality Calgary is rightfully famous for.
- 1 million+total square feet
- LargestConvention Facility in Western Canada
- 102,500 SFNew Exhibit Hall
An exceptional building requires an exceptional piece of public art
At the entrance to the expanded BMO will stand a 70-foot tall, 50-foot wide sculptural beacon called Spirit of Water by UK-based artist Gerry Judah. It is a vivid artwork composed of more than 200 vertical steel tubes that form a dramatic “splash” of water, creating a new landmark in The Culture + Entertainment District.
Gerry Judah is a renowned international artist creating many notable 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.
A look inside the project
“Together we will design and build a world-class facility that celebrates Calgary, captures the Stampede spirit and enlivens the city’s Culture and Entertainment District year-round.”
– BMO Centre Expansion Project Team Mission Statement
