Canada Life Centre
Canada Life Centre (formerly Bell MTS Place) is an indoor arena in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The arena is the home of the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.[9][10][11]
Former names
True North Centre (planning/construction)
MTS Centre (2004–2017)
Bell MTS Place (2017–2021)
300 Portage Avenue
True North Sports & Entertainment
Ice hockey: 15,321
Concerts: 16,345
April 16, 2003[4]
April 2003 - November 2004
November 16, 2004
Sink Combs Dethlefs
Number TEN Architectural Group
Smith Carter
Martin/Martin, Inc. / Crosier Kilgour[6]
M*E/MCW-AGE[7]
The arena stands on the site of the former Eaton's Winnipeg store, and is owned and operated by True North Sports & Entertainment. The 440,000 square feet[4] (41,000 m2) building was constructed at a cost of $133.5 million CAD. It opened on November 16, 2004, as MTS Centre, replacing the since-demolished Winnipeg Arena. It has a capacity of 15,321 for hockey and 16,345 for concerts.
History[edit]
With the bankruptcy of the iconic Eaton's retailer, the famed store that was originally constructed in Winnipeg was emptied in late 2001.[12] 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 by Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray and True North.[13] After a small, but emotional resistance to losing the Western Canadian landmark Eaton's building by some locals and the Save the Eaton's Coalition, which inspired a "group hug" of the "Big Store" by a reported 180 people in 2001, the store was demolished in 2002 to make way for the new entertainment complex.
The arena officially opened on November 16, 2004, replacing the aging Winnipeg Arena, which had been in operation since 1955. In recognizing Eaton's history, red bricks were incorporated into the design of the arena façade, evoking the memory of their 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. In addition, two war memorials were incorporated into the building.[12] The Timothy Eaton statue that was once a main feature of the store is also housed on the concourse of the arena, one floor directly above where it stood on the ground floor of the original Eaton's building.[14]
Originally known as the "True North Centre" during its planning and construction stages, it was named MTS Centre as part of a naming rights agreement with Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS). It was renamed Bell MTS Place on May 30, 2017 following Bell Canada's acquisition of MTS.[15][16] On June 15, 2021, True North announced that the naming rights had been sold to Winnipeg-based Canada Life Assurance Company under a 10-year agreement, renaming it Canada Life Centre.[17][18][19] It is often nicknamed "The Phone Booth", due to its naming rights having previously held by telecom companies.[1][2]