The John Labatt Centre is a multi-purpose facility whose focus is on both entertainment and sports - the largest such centre in southwestern Ontario. The facility is an arena which plays host to many different sporting events such as hockey, basketball, ice skating and wrestling, as well as entertainment, including concerts, theatre and monster truck shows. The John Labatt Centre opened in downtown London, Ontario on October 11, 2002 and will be one of the catalysts in the redevelopment of London’s downtown. The facility seats 9,090 for hockey and ice events and over 10,000 for concerts, family shows and other events. The facility has 1,100 premium club seats, 38 private luxury suites and 5 Group Sales Suites.
The original arena was built in 1950 and has been expanded three times since then.
The Aud hosted the 2008 Memorial Cup from May 16 to May 25, 2008, with 437 additional permanent seats being added. The Aud previously hosted 1962 Memorial Cup, 1975 Memorial Cup and 1984 Memorial Cup games.
Other notable junior ice hockey events include the 1995 and 2003 CHL Top Prospects Game, the 1980, 1985, 1995 Ontario Hockey League All-star games, and the 1986 IIHF World U20 Championship. During the 1986 tournament, Canada defeated West Germany 18-2 at The Aud, setting a record for most goals for, and largest margin of victory by the Canada national junior hockey team at the tournament.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place July 28, 2006, and construction began November 3, 2006. On February 6, 2008, local radio station K-Rock 105.7 purchased the naming rights to the arena for 10 years at $3.3 million.
Kingston's The Tragically Hip performed the inaugural concert in the arena on Saturday, February 23, 2008.
Opening night for the Frontenacs was February 22, 2008. Don Cherry dropped the puck for the ceremonial face off, with 5,700 in attendance. The building's first goal was scored by Belleville Bulls #17 Matt Beleskey, who defeated Kingston 3-2. The Frontenacs won their first game at the K-Rock Centre on February 24, 2008 defeating the Peterborough Petes by a score of 7-4.
The Powerade Centre is home to the Ontario Hockey League Brampton Battalion as well as the Major Series Lacrosse Brampton Excelsiors. When the facility is not being used for Hockey or Lacrosse, it also features Concerts, Trade Shows, Film Shoots, Graduation Ceremonies as well as many other Major Sporting Events.
Outside the Arena, The Powerade Center has 5 Baseball diamonds, 3 Cricket pitches, a Rugby field, Ball Hockey court and Paintball field. The Centre also offers outdoor concerts, picnics, parking lot rentals, Kabaddi Tournaments and for the first time in 2010 hosted Brampton’s Canada Day Festivities.
 For those wondering, the WFCU is an abreviation for Windsor Family Credit Union. | |
| Integrating community programming and large-scale spectator events enables the WFCU Centre to focus on a diverse market of sports and entertainment enthusiasts, pre-schoolers, youth, adults, and seniors. The complex, located adjacent to a naturalized park, encourages and promotes a healthy lifestyle through cycling, sports and outdoor explorations in Little River Corridor. The entire facility was designed to host special events, concerts and multi-level competitive tournaments. One facility with four rinks provides a convenient focal point for multi-day, multi-league events. The adjacent Community Centre includes a sports gymnasium, a leisure gymnasium and a reception hall. The spectator rink is a multi-use facility featuring a full service restaurant overlooking the spectator bowl, amenities to transform the facility into a concert and special event venue, plus a variety of seating options including luxury suites, upholstered stadium seating in the Platinum Club and general admission seating, all with superb views of the venue. | |
The arena's name is in honour of a small group of railroaders known as "The Belleville Yardmen" who raised more than $3 million to contribute to its construction.
The Quinte Sports Hall of Fame is located in the lobby at the south end of the arena. Many photos and memories are located in there. The Belleville Bulls annual team photos are on display at the north end of the arena on the second level.
The arena has an international sized ice surface of 200 ft. length by 100 ft. width. It is the largest ice surface in the Ontario Hockey League. Yardmen Arena also has two balconies, on opposite sides of the ice. It was the only arena in the Ontario Hockey League to have a second level of seating until the John Labatt Centre was built in London, in 2002.
With a total attendance surpasing two million, the facility hosts over 300 events annually covering an impressive array of activities, including the 1999 Memorial Cup.
Today, the Rona Centre is best known as the home of Ottawa 67's and with a seating capacity of 9,862 with 47 luxury suites it is one of the best homes in junior hockey.
The Hershey Centre is the home arena of the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey League. It previously housed the Mississauga IceDogs from 1998–2007, and the Toronto ThunderHawks during the 2000-2001 National Professional Soccer League season.
The arena also featured the only Extreme Championship Wrestling show in Canada before the promotion's demise in 2001.
The Hershey Centre was also the venue for the inaugural Heritage Cup, an international indoor lacrosse tournament.
First opened in 1998, the Hershey Centre is located on Rose Cherry Place, named after the late wife of Don Cherry, founder and former owner of the IceDogs.
In 2007, a new multi-sport facility called Hershey SportZone opened just to the north of the main bowl. SportZone houses a full size indoor soccer field, a full size FIBA basketball court, a gymnastics facility, and two outdoor soccer fields
The BMC was one of the first modern arenas built in the OHL and was the blueprint from which a lot of the newer arenas were modeled. There is a full concourse so you can walk all the way around the arena. In the west end the concourse goes through the Horsepower Grill (previously Casey's Restaurant). The BMC has a standard four-sided scoreboard and a scoreboard at the west end. There are time of day clocks and shot clocks at each end. The BMC added 4 video screens in the arena bowl for replays and to watch the game. The ice surface at the Barrie Molson Centre is regulation size of 200' by 85'.
Opened in 1983, the Tullio Arena accommodates tradeshows, conventions and meetings. The arena stages concerts, ice shows, football, basketball, hockey, and the circus, and is home to the OHL's Erie Otters and the NBA Development League's Erie Bayhawks, as well as the Erie Explosion.
Of the arena's 7,000 fully upholstered chairs, 5,500 are permanent theater-style seats. Part of the permanent seating can be made to fold away through electrically-operated telescopic risers, turning the arena floor into 30,000 square feet of exhibition space.
The Tullio Arena is part of a four-facility entertainment complex managed by the Erie County Convention Center Authority.
This modern, well equipped facility features a seating capacity of 4,500 for an ice event and 5,000 for a concert or seminar, and is an ideal place to host concerts, sporting and family events, trade shows and conferences.
Since opening its doors in September, 2000, the Sleeman Centre has hosted a variety of events including the Dreams on Ice skating show, concerts by Great Big Sea and Wayne Newton, and the annual Shrine Circus to name a few.
The Sleeman Center is also home to the OHL's Guelph Storm. Take in a game and see the future stars of the NHL! For those interested in upgrading from regular seating to something more luxurious, the Sleeman Centre offers "Storm Central" VIP Club Seats, "Eye of the Storm" Seats, Luxury Private Suites and Party Suites.
The Gatorade Garden City Complex is the main arena facility in St. Catharines, Ontario. It houses two arena pads - the Jack Gatecliff Arena which is home to the Niagara IceDogs, and the smaller Rex Stimers Arena. The original section was constructed in 1938, and was named the Garden City Arena. The facility was later named after local sportswriter Jack Gatecliff after extensive renovations in 1996 that combined the Garden City Arena and Rex Stimers Arena into a single building. The complex was renamed the Gatorade Garden City Complex on September 19, 2007 after selling naming rights to Gatorade.
The current capacity of the Jack Gatecliff Arena is 3145, including standing room. Only limited seating is available in the Rex Stimers Arena (800 seats).
The arena is currently home to the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL, as well as the St. Catharines Jr. B Falcons of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. From 1982 to 1986 it was home to Toronto Maple Leafs farm team St. Catharines Saints of the American Hockey League. The Gatorade Garden City Center has the smallest ice surface in the OHL.
Situated in the heart of Oshawa on Athol Street, the General Motors Centre has two ice pads and has hosted major concerts and special events such as the Tragically Hip, INXS, Bachman & Cummings as well as the Oshawa Generals OHL season. The main pad will seat aprox 5,400 people for hockey and aprox 6,400 for other events.
With a total project cost of $45 million, this complex houses the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame, Prospects Bar & Grill, executive suites, special club seating and an Oshawa Generals retail store.
The Prospects Bar & Grill has the best vantage point for restaraunts of any OHL Arena. I highly recommend that if you take in a General's game, this is where you should sit.
The Bayshore Community Centre contains the J.D. McArthur Arena, a 4,300-seat multi-purpose arena in Owen Sound, Ontario, The facility was opened in 1983 on the east shore of Owen Sound Bay and replaced the city's old downtown arena.
Known locally as "Bayshore Arena," it is home to the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League, the Owen Sound Woodsmen of the OLA Senior B Lacrosse League and the Owen Sound Rams of the OLA Junior B Lacrosse League and was the home of the Owen Sound Greys formerly of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
The community centre was substantially renovated from 2000 to 2002, adding private boxes, more seating and a new front entrance. The complex had also previously been renamed the "Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre" in honour of Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Harry Lumley, who was born and raised in Owen Sound and began his hockey career there.
The Peterborough Memorial Centre is a 4,329-seat multi-purpose arena in Peterborough, Ontario. It was built in 1956. It is home to the Peterborough Petes of the OHL.
The Peterborough Memorial Centre is a single-pad arena. It is most noted for having a large stage to the south end of the arena and a large portrait of the Queen hanging above the ice. It is named in honour of the many war veterans who came from the region.
Along with hockey, the arena has hosted many events from trade shows, summer fairs, to lacrosse games and corporate Christmas celebrations for large industries such as Canadian General Electric.
In 2003, the Memorial Centre was renovated adding 24 luxury box suites, improved concessions, a licensed restaurant, new seats, boards, scoreboard and the addition of air conditioning. In late 2005 the building added a full video scoreboard.
The Compuware Sports Arena was constructed in 6 months time, ready for the 1996-97 season. The team remained the Detroit Whalers after moving to Plymouth Township and then were renamed the Plymouth Whalers in 1997-98.
The complex features two arenas: the main arena, in which the Whalers play their home games, is standard NHL-size and has seating for roughly four thousand people; it also has a larger (in terms of ice area) Olympic-size ice surface, which has much more limited seating on only one side of the ice. Attached to the complex is "CJ's Brewery Tap Room".
The arena also hosts the annual MHSAA high school state championships for boys ice hockey. .
During the summer months, the Arenas parking lot is home to a drive-in movie theatre that features double feature first run movies on three giant screens.
The Dow Event Center is located in downtown Saginaw, Michigan. The center consists of three parts: Heritage Theater, a meeting facility , and Wendler Arena, an ice rink. It also houses the Saginaw Spirit. In 2008 served its first year as host to the Indoor Football League's Saginaw Sting.
Wendler Arena has a capacity of 7,600 people for concerts (without the ice), and 5,500 for hockey games. Heritage Theater has a capacity of 2,276 people.
Originally built in 1972 as part of an urban development program, the center is the only existing structure left. Most of the other buildings were razed in the 1980s due to many problems, including health risks and foreclosure/bankruptcy.
The RBC Centre is a 5,500-capacity (4,118-seated) multi-purpose arena in Sarnia, Ontario. It is located on the campus of Lambton College and opened in September 1998. The RBC Center is currently home to the Sarnia Sting, and the Sarnia Legionnaires Jr. 'B' hockey club holds its training camp at the facility before moving over to the old Sarnia Arena for its regular schedule. Originally known as the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre, the Royal Bank Of Canada took over sponsorship of the Arena in October 2009, the arena then became known as the RBC Centre.
The arena features two NHL-sized ice pads, 43 luxury suites, and an in-house, full-service restaurant.
The Essar Centre is a 5,000 seat sports and entertainment centre in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It opened on September 29, 2006, replacing the now demolished Sault Memorial Gardens. The new building was constructed directly next door to the former Memorial Gardens and incorporated its most distinctive feature, the Memorial Tower, into its plans. The block surrounding the arena is called "Memorial Square."
The Essar Centre's primary tenant is the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds made their regular season debut in their new home on October 11, 2006, against the Sudbury Wolves, losing 2–1 before a paid attendance of 4,725
The Sudbury Community Arena is a multi-purpose arena in the downtown core of Sudbury, Ontario. It was built in 1951.
It has an ice size of 200' x 85', with a capacity of 4,600 seated, 5,100 standing and is wheelchair accessible.
During the summer of 2007, the arena underwent extensive renovations, which added 12 private boxes and a new club seating section, with padded seats and refreshments services along with new washrooms, concession stand and lounge. Seats have been sacrificed to make way for the improvements. Standing room capacity has shrunk from 1,000 to 500, while seating capacity has dropped by 150. The new arena capacity, with standing room patrons, is now 5,100, down from 5,750.
It is home to the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League. Every time the Wolves score a goal, a taxidermic wolf rolls out on a pulley system to howl at the opposing team's bench.
Since opening its doors in September, 2000, the Sleeman Centre has hosted a variety of events including the Dreams on Ice skating show, concerts by Great Big Sea and Wayne Newton, and the annual Shrine Circus to name a few.
The Sleeman Center is also home to the OHL's Guelph Storm. Take in a game and see the future stars of the NHL! For those interested in upgrading from regular seating to something more luxurious, the Sleeman Centre offers "Storm Central" VIP Club Seats, "Eye of the Storm" Seats, Luxury Private Suites and Party Suites.
The Gatorade Garden City Complex is the main arena facility in St. Catharines, Ontario. It houses two arena pads - the Jack Gatecliff Arena which is home to the Niagara IceDogs, and the smaller Rex Stimers Arena. The original section was constructed in 1938, and was named the Garden City Arena. The facility was later named after local sportswriter Jack Gatecliff after extensive renovations in 1996 that combined the Garden City Arena and Rex Stimers Arena into a single building. The complex was renamed the Gatorade Garden City Complex on September 19, 2007 after selling naming rights to Gatorade.
The current capacity of the Jack Gatecliff Arena is 3145, including standing room. Only limited seating is available in the Rex Stimers Arena (800 seats).
The arena is currently home to the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL, as well as the St. Catharines Jr. B Falcons of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. From 1982 to 1986 it was home to Toronto Maple Leafs farm team St. Catharines Saints of the American Hockey League. The Gatorade Garden City Center has the smallest ice surface in the OHL.
With a total project cost of $45 million, this complex houses the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame, Prospects Bar & Grill, executive suites, special club seating and an Oshawa Generals retail store.
The Prospects Bar & Grill has the best vantage point for restaraunts of any OHL Arena. I highly recommend that if you take in a General's game, this is where you should sit.
Known locally as "Bayshore Arena," it is home to the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League, the Owen Sound Woodsmen of the OLA Senior B Lacrosse League and the Owen Sound Rams of the OLA Junior B Lacrosse League and was the home of the Owen Sound Greys formerly of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
The community centre was substantially renovated from 2000 to 2002, adding private boxes, more seating and a new front entrance. The complex had also previously been renamed the "Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre" in honour of Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Harry Lumley, who was born and raised in Owen Sound and began his hockey career there.
The Peterborough Memorial Centre is a single-pad arena. It is most noted for having a large stage to the south end of the arena and a large portrait of the Queen hanging above the ice. It is named in honour of the many war veterans who came from the region.
Along with hockey, the arena has hosted many events from trade shows, summer fairs, to lacrosse games and corporate Christmas celebrations for large industries such as Canadian General Electric.
In 2003, the Memorial Centre was renovated adding 24 luxury box suites, improved concessions, a licensed restaurant, new seats, boards, scoreboard and the addition of air conditioning. In late 2005 the building added a full video scoreboard.
The complex features two arenas: the main arena, in which the Whalers play their home games, is standard NHL-size and has seating for roughly four thousand people; it also has a larger (in terms of ice area) Olympic-size ice surface, which has much more limited seating on only one side of the ice. Attached to the complex is "CJ's Brewery Tap Room".
The arena also hosts the annual MHSAA high school state championships for boys ice hockey. .
During the summer months, the Arenas parking lot is home to a drive-in movie theatre that features double feature first run movies on three giant screens.
Wendler Arena has a capacity of 7,600 people for concerts (without the ice), and 5,500 for hockey games. Heritage Theater has a capacity of 2,276 people.
Originally built in 1972 as part of an urban development program, the center is the only existing structure left. Most of the other buildings were razed in the 1980s due to many problems, including health risks and foreclosure/bankruptcy.
The RBC Centre is a 5,500-capacity (4,118-seated) multi-purpose arena in Sarnia, Ontario. It is located on the campus of Lambton College and opened in September 1998. The RBC Center is currently home to the Sarnia Sting, and the Sarnia Legionnaires Jr. 'B' hockey club holds its training camp at the facility before moving over to the old Sarnia Arena for its regular schedule. Originally known as the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre, the Royal Bank Of Canada took over sponsorship of the Arena in October 2009, the arena then became known as the RBC Centre.
The arena features two NHL-sized ice pads, 43 luxury suites, and an in-house, full-service restaurant.
The Essar Centre's primary tenant is the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds made their regular season debut in their new home on October 11, 2006, against the Sudbury Wolves, losing 2–1 before a paid attendance of 4,725
It has an ice size of 200' x 85', with a capacity of 4,600 seated, 5,100 standing and is wheelchair accessible.
During the summer of 2007, the arena underwent extensive renovations, which added 12 private boxes and a new club seating section, with padded seats and refreshments services along with new washrooms, concession stand and lounge. Seats have been sacrificed to make way for the improvements. Standing room capacity has shrunk from 1,000 to 500, while seating capacity has dropped by 150. The new arena capacity, with standing room patrons, is now 5,100, down from 5,750.
It is home to the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League. Every time the Wolves score a goal, a taxidermic wolf rolls out on a pulley system to howl at the opposing team's bench.
