MTS Centre

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = MTS Centre| nickname =

location = 300 Portage Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R3C 5S4
broke_ground = April 2003
opened = November 16, 2004
closed =
demolished =
owner = True North Sports & Entertainment Limited
operator = True North Sports & Entertainment Limited| surface =
construction_cost= $133.5 million CAD
architect = Sink Combs Dethlefs,
Number Ten Architectural Group
former_names = True North Centre| tenants = Manitoba Moose (AHL) (2004-present)
Winnipeg Alliance FC (CMISL) (2007-present)
seating_capacity = Hockey: 15,015The MTS Centre is an indoor arena at 300 Portage Avenue in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the former Eaton's site. It is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment Limited, at a cost of $133.5 million CAD, and is 440,000 square feetcite web |url=http://www.mtscentre.ca/arena/index.php |title=Facility Information|accessdate=2006-12-27 ] (41,000 m²) in size. It opened on November 16, 2004, replacing the since-demolished Winnipeg Arena. It can seat 15,015 spectators for ice hockey and up to 16,333 spectators for concerts. It was formerly known as the "True North Centre" during planning and construction before Manitoba Telecom Services bought the naming rights for $7 million over 10 years.

The MTS Centre is home to the AHL's Manitoba Moose hockey team. This building is known for its excellent sound, which has made Winnipeg a more prominent location for concerts.

History

With the bankruptcy of the iconic Eaton's retailer, the famed store in downtown Winnipeg was emptied in late 1999. Various alternative uses for the building (including residential condominiums) were suggested, but ultimately the arena was deemed to be the most viable and beneficial to the city's struggling downtown. After a small, but emotional resistance to change by some locals, which inspired a “group hug” of the “Big Store” by a reported 18 people in 2001, the store was demolished in 2002 to make way for the new entertainment complex.

In an effort to recognize the store's history, red bricks were incorporated into the design of the arena façade, evoking the memory of the Eaton’s store that had once graced Portage Avenue. An original store window and Tyndall stone surround is mounted in the arena concourse to house a collection of Eaton's memorabilia. The Timothy Eaton statue that was once part of store is proudly housed in the MTS Centre.

Events Hosted

*2005 Juno Awards
*2006 AHL All-Star Classic
*2008 Canadian Country Music Awards

Recent

In October 2006 the MTS Centre improved its washroom facilities to eliminate long lines and it installed 340 "demountable" seats in the lower bowl to replace 352 narrower "retractable" chairs, in a renovation priced at more than $120,000. They also created a "peanut-restricted" zone for allergic spectators.

Bon Jovi played the MTS Centre December 9th 2007 and was the largest event the centre has seen since its 2004 debut. 16,000+ fans enjoyed the New Jersey rock band and Jon Bon Jovi stated "We'll be back" during his performance. Upcoming Events include Elton John, Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson, Sheryl Crow, David Copperfield, Winnipeg's own Neil Young, Great Big Sea, Lenny Kravitz and Celine Dion. The MTS Centre is, once again, hosting an NHL exhibition game with the former Winnipeg franchise, the Phoenix Coyotes, playing host to the Calgary Flames on September 24, 2008. Calgary defeated Phoenix 3-2, in front of 12,621 fans (84% capacity)

On Saturday October 29, 2005, Mike Scott was the 1,000,000th customer through the door and received a pair of tickets to every event in 2006.

NHL Tenants?

Commissioner Gary Bettman stated that Winnipeg is "a front-runner for an NHL team". Fact|date=July 2008 The last team in Winnipeg was the Jets.

Many naysayers believe that for the NHL to return to Winnipeg the MTS Centre would require a significant increase to the seating capacity (the current capacity of just over 15,000 would be, by far, the smallest in the NHL). Fact|date=July 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.mtscentre.com/ MTS Centre Official Site]

succession box
title = Home of the
Manitoba Moose
years = 2004 – present
before = Winnipeg Arena
after = Current