Northlands Coliseum

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The Coliseum opened in 1974 as a replacement for the aging Edmonton Gardens. While the Edmonton Oilers' ownership group, including Charles Allard, had initially pursued to construct their own arena, they backtracked and partnered with the Edmonton Exhibition Association (EEA, now Northlands) after they expressed concern that Allard's proposed arena would 'greatly impact and damage' the organization. The arena used the same architect and plans as Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum. A crane was placed on a circular track to help speed up construction. The final months of construction in 1974 hit several setbacks, including strikes by steelworkers, cement workers, and elevator workers, and the last batch of 5,000 seats arrived only shortly before its inaugural event—the Oilers' home opener on November 10, 1974, against the Cleveland Crusaders. The EEA held an official grand opening event on July 1, 1975. By the early-1990s, the Coliseum had begun to lag behind newer NHL arenas in terms of amenities such as luxury boxes. In 1994, owner Peter Pocklington reached a rent agreement with Northlands valued at $2.8 million per-year. In 1997, a proposed sale to Leslie Alexander triggered a clause requiring the team be offered to local investors, resulting in the Edmonton Investors Group (EIG) being formed to purchase the team. Northlands regained control of the Coliseum, with the Oilers agreeing to pay operational costs and $1 in rent per-year. In October 1998, the Coliseum was renamed Skyreach Centre after a naming rights agreement with Skyreach Equipment. In November 2003, the naming rights were acquired by the pharmacy chain Rexall, under which it was renamed Rexall Place. Before the 2007–08 season, the Oilers dressing room underwent a $3.5 million renovation.

In Their Own Story

On April 6, 2016, the final NHL game at the arena took place as the Oilers defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6–2. The last NHL goal was scored by Leon Draisaitl, followed by a post-game ceremony featuring current and past players. Although Northlands initially planned to convert the facility into a multi-level ice venue or a Hockey Canada Centre of Excellence, these plans were scrapped when renovations proved more costly than building anew. Revenue declined as major events moved to the new Rogers Place, making it difficult for the non-profit owner to pay off loans for the 2009 Edmonton Expo Centre expansion. Consequently, the City of Edmonton took over the facility on January 1, 2018, permanently ceasing operations. The master agreement between Oilers Entertainment Group and the city prohibited further investments or repurposing as a sports facility, leading to a December 2022 council vote to demolish the structure at a cost of $35 million.

Reader's Guide

The arena hosted the 1981 and 1984 Canada Cup hockey tournaments, the 1978 Commonwealth Games, seven Stanley Cup Finals (Oilers losses in 1983 and 2006, and Oilers victories in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990), many other hockey events, along with other sporting events and major concerts. The final NHL game played at the arena was on April 6, 2016. The building closed on New Year's Day 2018, after ownership of the facility was transferred from Northlands to the City of Edmonton. Northlands had planned to re-develop the arena into a multi-level ice facility, but these plans were scrapped after it was found that renovating the facility would be more costly than building a new one altogether. The venue is now in the process of being dismantled, which is expected to take an extended period of time due to the presence of hazardous substances such as lead and asbestos. Final demolition of the building is expected to begin in summer 2026, and be completed by 2028.

Did You Know?

• The arena's official capacity for hockey when it closed was 16,839.
• When it opened, the capacity was 15,423, but it was increased to 17,490 after the Oilers joined the NHL by adding an extra tier of seating on the side opposite the press box.
• Northlands Coliseum was the first NHL arena in Canada to have a centre-hung scoreboard with an electronic message board.
• The Coliseum was the last NHL arena with the player benches on the same side as the TV cameras.