Pacific Coliseum

Lore & Background

Designed by W. K. Noppe in 1966–67, with its simple geometric shape and distinctive ring of white panels, the building can be classified as formalist architecture. Used initially as home to the WHL's Vancouver Canucks, the building was used to attract an NHL franchise in 1970 and a World Hockey Association franchise in 1973. The Coliseum underwent renovations and additions in the late 1970s, but its role as host of an NHL team and a main venue for events in Vancouver was lost with the construction and opening of General Motors Place (now Rogers Arena) in 1995.

The original centre-hung scoreclock was replaced during the 1985 renovations by a new four-sided centre-hung scoreclock with colour matrix animation/matrix displays along with electronic message boards across the bottom on each side, which in 2007 was replaced by a four-sided Daktronics scoreboard with a video display on each side. Recent renovations were completed in 2007 to upgrade accessibility, seating, HVAC, and ice surface for its use as a venue for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

In early 2023 the Pacific Coliseum retired its scoreclock, donating it to the Sunshine Coast Junior Hockey Society in Gibson, British Columbia. Video screens were added to the north end of the arena and concourse walls. In June 2023 a $2.6 million lighting project installed LED lighting around the exterior walls of the venue, allowing the arena to light up with different colours to recognize different events, dates and occasions.

Reader's Guide

The seating capacity for hockey has progressed as follows: 15,038 (1968–1970), 15,570 (1970–1978), 16,413 (1978–1982), 16,553 (1983–1989), 16,123 (1989–1992), 16,150 (1992–2006), 16,281 (2006–2025), 15,041 (2025–present). The arena hosted the fourth game of the 1972 Summit Series on September 8, when the Soviet Union defeated Canada 5–3. The WHA Vancouver Blazers started playing at the Coliseum in 1973. The Coliseum played host to the 2001 Mann Cup, where the hosting WLA Coquitlam Adanacs defeated MSL's Brampton Excelsiors in seven games.

The Coliseum played host to figure skating and short-track speed skating events for the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, from February 12 to 28, 2010. The arena hosted its first NHL game on October 9, 1970, where the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3–1. Its final NHL game was played May 27, 1995, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Canucks 4–3. Pacific Coliseum also played host to the 1977 NHL All-Star Game.

The arena was one of four arenas to play host to the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. In 2006, the Giants were chosen to host the 2007 Memorial Cup Tournament. The 2020 Men's Volleyball North American Olympic Qualification Tournament took place at the coliseum. This venue has hosted Muhammad Ali vs. George Chuvalo II on May 1, 1972, and Michael Spinks vs Oscar Rivadeneyra on November 25, 1983.

Pacific Coliseum has hosted two Billie Jean King Cup of Tennis qualifying matches: Canada versus Latvia in 2022 and Canada versus Belgium in 2023. Pacific Coliseum is the new host of the Vancouver Goldeneyes, as of 2025.