The Calgary Stampede has unveiled a “master plan” — its vision of how the annual event will evolve over the next 20 years.
The plan is for Stampede Park to become a year-round destination, as part of Calgary’s growing culture and entertainment district.
“The vision … is that it becomes just a cool place for people to come on any day of the week,” said Stampede CEO Joel Cowley.
“When we think of Stampede Park now, it is largely events-driven. People only come here if there’s an event, whether it’s a hockey game, a lacrosse game, car and boat show, a convention, the annual Calgary Stampede. They’re not thinking, ‘Hey, let’s go to Stampede Park.’ We want this … entertainment district to be a year-round draw and not just for Calgarians to come and enjoy, but for those outside of Calgary,” Cowley added.
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This image, provided by the Calgary Stampede, shows the major new developments that are being planned for Stampede Park over the next 20 years.
Source: Calgary Stampede
The master plan calls for Stampede Park to be split into seven distinct zones, with some existing buildings being torn down and new ones built.
According to Moshe Lander, an economist at Concordia University, the master plan reflects a fundamental change the Calgary Stampede has seen over recent decades.
“We’re probably one Kardashian away from the Stampede almost becoming a music festival,” he told Global News. “You could easily imagine the agricultural, cowboy, farming part of the story might be less relevant in the coming two decades.”
Among the nearly $2 billion worth of projects already completed or underway are the BMO Centre expansion, the Nutrien Western Event Centre, the reclamation of Elbow River Park, the rebuilt Victoria Park/Stampede Station and Scotia Place, the new home of the Calgary Flames that is scheduled to open in the fall of 2027.
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The Saddledome will be torn down and the area where it currently sits will be turned into an all-season live event zone, adjacent to Scotia Place.
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The Big Four Building will also be demolished to make way for a new multi-purpose building that will make it easier to host the growing number of music and other events that are taking place at Stampede Park. Also, a brand new agriculture building will be built.
The original grandstand and track facilities will also be renovated. New parking, rideshare and commercial developments will be added, and a new hotel is already under construction.
“We do not have a price tag on this at this point. We will approach each one of these developments as the opportunity presents itself. When we sense that we have a partner who’s willing to participate, we’ll basically pursue that and try and fill it out. So there’s no order with regard,” said Cowley.
“Obviously the Saddledome has to come down before some of this is done. So that sets a timeline on that space. But the remaining spaces, it will be more opportunistic as we go out and develop these partnerships to accomplish this vision.”
The Calgary Stampede says the goal of the new master plan is to help make Calgary’s burgeoning arts and entertainment district a year-round destination.
Source: Calgary Stampede
According to Cowley, future upgrades to the infield seating at GMC Stadium “contemplates” the potential for field sports to be played on the site, with McMahon Stadium “beyond its expiration date.”
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However, the addition of a field to the site would need to avoid impacts to the rodeo and chuckwagon track, Cowley said.
“Thoroughbreds running at top speed; they need a consistent surface,” Cowley told reporters. “We cannot have a field that compromises the integrity of our track, and we certainly want to be able to convert quickly between a field sport and a western event.”
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McMahon Stadium was built in 1960 and is currently the second-oldest facility in the CFL, and will play host to the 113th Grey Cup later this year.
When the game was announced, officials noted the stadium would undergo upgrades for the championship game.
According to Steve Allan with the McMahon Stadium Society, who runs the stadium on behalf of the University of Calgary, conversations have been ongoing about a stadium around Stampede Park.
He said the conversations are at an early stage but have concluded “it’s doable,” but still requires a funding strategy.
“We just put new turf down at McMahon last year; it has about an eight-year life,” Allan told Global News. “I’m hoping that’s the last time we ever have to install turf at McMahon and that we’ll start looking at a new site.”
Robert Hayes, the president and CEO of Calgary Sports and Entertainment, said he’s had conversations with Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas about a new stadium, but noted the Stampeders only play “10 games” per year in the building.
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“If you build it, maybe they will come,” he said to reporters. “I think we would have a keen interest in that.”
Determining the future of McMahon Stadium is something Farkas said he’d like to see “sooner rather than later.”
“We have to find a solution for McMahon in the medium to long term,” he said at an unrelated news conference. “But in the short term, right in front of us, is the challenge around essential infrastructure like our water main repairs.”
The Stampede board said the process of developing the new master plan took 18 months and was done in co-operation with the planning and architecture firm, Populous, which also helped design the new BMO Centre, along with Calgary-based GGA Architecture, and included consultation with the city and a broad range of stakeholders, community partners and area landowners.
“When you establish a timeline for a master plan, you need to give it time and space to have deals happen,” said Kate Thompson, president of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation.
“Twenty years is a realistic timeline for something this ambitious.”
Cowley envisions the plan resulting in Calgary becoming something like “Nashville North.”
“Those who’ve been to Nashville know what a year-round destination that is, that people just flock there because it’s a cool place to go,” said Cowley.
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“We have the original party tent during Stampede called Nashville North here on our grounds. There’s no reason Calgary can’t be the Nashville of the North.”