Rogers Arena

Lore & Background

The arena was completed in 1995 at a cost of C$160 million in private financing, replacing Pacific Coliseum as the main venue for events in Vancouver. It was originally named General Motors Place as part of a sponsorship with General Motors Canada, commonly known as 'GM Place' or 'The Garage'. It served as home to the Vancouver Canucks and the Vancouver Grizzlies of the NBA from 1995 to 2001, when the Grizzlies relocated to Memphis. The arena was also briefly home to the Vancouver Ravens of the NLL from 2002 to 2004. In February 2010, the arena hosted ice hockey tournaments at the 2010 Winter Olympics, temporarily renamed Canada Hockey Place due to Olympic sponsorship regulations; Canada won both gold medals. On July 6, 2010, Rogers Communications acquired naming rights under a 10-year deal, renaming it Rogers Arena. The arena underwent a three-phase renovation starting before the 2022–23 NHL season: phase one renovated the players dressing room and team staff area; phase two installed a new centre-hung video board and ribbon board, with a VIP restaurant added between the tunnels; phase three, replacing all seats, was delayed to sometime in 2025.

Reader's Guide

Rogers Arena is significant as the replacement for Pacific Coliseum and as a catalyst for the NBA's 1995 expansion into Canada, hosting the Vancouver Grizzlies for six seasons. Its role as the venue for ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics, where Canada won both gold medals, underscores its international importance. The arena has hosted numerous notable events, including the 1998 NHL All-Star Game, the 2006 and 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, and the first Professional Women's Hockey League game in Vancouver in January 2025. It has also hosted UFC events, WWE pay-per-views, the Juno Awards, the 2001 World Figure Skating Championships, The International 2018 Dota 2 eSports tournament, and the 2023 Laver Cup. The arena's renovation phases, including a new video board and seat replacement, reflect ongoing investment. Its legacy includes being a multi-purpose venue that has hosted sports, concerts, and major cultural events, with a history of union activity among employees and a change in union affiliation in 2007.

Did You Know?

• The arena was originally named General Motors Place and was commonly known as 'GM Place' or 'The Garage'.
• During the 2010 Winter Olympics, the arena was temporarily renamed Canada Hockey Place due to corporate sponsorship regulations.
• The arena's first NBA game was on November 5, 1995, when the Vancouver Grizzlies defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 100–98 in overtime.
• Phase three of renovations, replacing all seats, was delayed from the 2024–25 NHL season to sometime in 2025.