BMO Centre Expansion

Overview

Key Takeaways

• 1

  Western Canada’s largest convention centre

  The expansion more than doubled the rentable space in Calgary’s beloved BMO Centre, increasing its total occupancy to 33,000.

  1

  Western Canada’s largest convention centre

  More than doubling its rentable space to over one million sq ft, BMO Centre’s expansion has elevated Calgary’s convention hosting status to the next level, allowing our city to compete head-to-head with top-tier convention destinations around the world. The new space boasts two ballrooms totalling 70,000 sq ft, 38 meeting rooms and more than 100,000 sq ft of new exhibition space.

  Western Canada’s largest convention centreMore than doubling its rentable space to over one million sq ft, BMO Centre’s expansion has elevated Calgary’s convention hosting status to the next level, allowing our city to compete head-to-head with top-tier convention destinations around the world. The new space boasts two ballrooms totalling 70,000 sq ft, 38 meeting rooms and more than 100,000 sq ft of new exhibition space.
• 2

  An undertaking of magnificent proportions

  Despite its staggering complexity and scale, with 600+ workers on site every day, CMLC delivered the project on time and on budget

  2

  An undertaking of magnificent proportions

  The BMO Centre expansion is a model of skillfully coordinated construction—and a study in spectacular scale. At 50,000 sq ft, the Champions Ballroom alone will accommodate 5,000 people. Visitors can cozy up to the country’s largest indoor fireplace. Each of the service elevators is large enough to transport a pickup truck. And the building’s structural framework called for 10,000 tonnes of steel.

  

  

  

  

  An undertaking of magnificent proportionsThe BMO Centre expansion is a model of skillfully coordinated construction—and a study in spectacular scale. At 50,000 sq ft, the Champions Ballroom alone will accommodate 5,000 people. Visitors can cozy up to the country’s largest indoor fireplace. Each of the service elevators is large enough to transport a pickup truck. And the building’s structural framework called for 10,000 tonnes of steel.
• 3

  A $500-million city-building investment

  By opening the city to a whole new market, the BMO Centre will play a vital role in bringing the world to Calgary and The C+E

  3

  A $500-million city-building investment

  With the capacity to host an impressive 33,000 guests at one time, the new BMO Centre has given Calgary a greater way to gather; and organizations around the world are clamouring to book this remarkable new space. Of the dozens of conventions already booked for the new venue, more than half could not have been accommodated by BMO Centre pre-expansion—a testament to the project’s city-building value.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  A $500-million city-building investmentWith the capacity to host an impressive 33,000 guests at one time, the new BMO Centre has given Calgary a greater way to gather; and organizations around the world are clamouring to book this remarkable new space. Of the dozens of conventions already booked for the new venue, more than half could not have been accommodated by BMO Centre pre-expansion—a testament to the project’s city-building value.
• 4

  A public art focal point for the BMO Centre’s vast outdoor plaza

  Spirit of Water—a 70-foot, 112,000-pound steel sculpture by UK-based artist Gerry Judah—anchors the BMO Centre’s outdoor gathering space.

  4

  A public art focal point for the BMO Centre’s vast outdoor plaza

  

  

  Commissioned by CMLC and the Calgary Stampede, Spirit of Water is a focal point of the BMO Centre’s outdoor plaza—a nearly 100,000 sq ft year-round gathering space on the building’s south side. Renowned international artist Gerry Judah has created many public art works including striking large-scale pieces for festivals, museums and public realms in the US, UK, New Zealand and United Arab Emirates.

  Public art has been an important element of the expansion since the onset of the project. In 2021, CMLC and the Calgary Stampede initiated a multi-stage process to identify qualified artists or artist groups to develop the expansion’s public art. The first stage involved an RFQ process that garnered an initial response from 218 artists and artist groups from around the world. Each was reviewed for their qualifications, and 39 advanced to review by a jury of volunteers. Ultimately, a shortlist of six were invited to advance to a detailed RFP stage to submit more detailed proposals.

  The jury of 11 local experts in art and placemaking reviewed the submissions. While referencing the identity of the expanded BMO Centre and providing a landmark to help orient visitors to Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District and Stampede Park, it was important that the creative vision for the art celebrate Calgary’s heritage and the Calgary Stampede’s western identity. The public art must also honour the history and significance of the area, serve as a gathering space for visitors and contextually align with the architectural scale of the building and human scale of activations around it. Following the multi-stage process, several days of artist presentations and 14 hours of deliberations, the jury’s seven voting members ultimately recommended Gerry Judah’s Spirit of Water for approval by the project’s steering committee.

  Special thanks to the BMO Centre Expansion Public Art Jury

  Voting Members:

  Marjan Eggermont, Artist; teaching professor and faculty member at U of C at the Mechanical and Manufacturing Department of the Schulich School of Engineering.

  Neil MacKimmie, Calgary Stampede Public Art Committee Member

  Deeter Schurig, President and CEO, C-SPACE Projects

  Christine Sowiak, Curator; Director and Chief Curator of the Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary

  Bryce Starlight, Vice President of Taza Development Corporation

  Su-Ying Strang, Director, The New Gallery

  Ray Todd, community representative; art collector

  Non Voting Members:

  Kelly Coles, CMLC Vice President, Building and Infrastructure

  Sean Delsnider, Calgary Stampede Public Art Committee

  Leo Lejeune, Senior Principal, Architecture Practice Lead, Southern Alberta, Stantec Architecture

  Clare LePan, CMLC Vice President, Communications & Strategic Partnerships,

  Olivia Rocksar, City of Calgary, Arts and Culture, Recreation

  The installation of the sculpture was completed in May 2024. Spirit of Water was engineered by Diales, fabricated in the UK and assembled and installed in Calgary by Littlehampton Welding Ltd with local assistance from Heavy. The sculpture joins Calgary Stampede’s growing public art collection, adding depth and dimension to Calgary’s public art landscape.

  

  

  A public art focal point for the BMO Centre’s vast outdoor plazaCommissioned by CMLC and the Calgary Stampede, Spirit of Water is a focal point of the BMO Centre’s outdoor plaza—a nearly 100,000 sq ft year-round gathering space on the building’s south side. Renowned international artist Gerry Judah has created many public art works including striking large-scale pieces for festivals, museums and public realms in the US, UK, New Zealand and United Arab Emirates. Public art has been an important element of the expansion since the onset of the project. In 2021, CMLC and the Calgary Stampede initiated a multi-stage process to identify qualified artists or artist groups to develop the expansion’s public art. The first stage involved an RFQ process that garnered an initial response from 218 artists and artist groups from around the world. Each was reviewed for their qualifications, and 39 advanced to review by a jury of volunteers. Ultimately, a shortlist of six were invited to advance to a detailed RFP stage to submit more detailed proposals. The jury of 11 local experts in art and placemaking reviewed the submissions. While referencing the identity of the expanded BMO Centre and providing a landmark to help orient visitors to Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District and Stampede Park, it was important that the creative vision for the art celebrate Calgary’s heritage and the Calgary Stampede’s western identity. The public art must also honour the history and significance of the area, serve as a gathering space for visitors and contextually align with the architectural scale of the building and human scale of activations around it. Following the multi-stage process, several days of artist presentations and 14 hours of deliberations, the jury’s seven voting members ultimately recommended Gerry Judah’s Spirit of Water for approval by the project’s steering committee. Special thanks to the BMO Centre Expansion Public Art Jury Voting Members: Marjan Eggermont, Artist; teaching professor and faculty member at U of C at the Mechanical and Manufacturing Department of the Schulich School of Engineering. Neil MacKimmie, Calgary Stampede Public Art Committee Member Deeter Schurig, President and CEO, C-SPACE Projects Christine Sowiak, Curator; Director and Chief Curator of the Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary Bryce Starlight, Vice President of Taza Development Corporation Su-Ying Strang, Director, The New Gallery Ray Todd, community representative; art collector Non Voting Members: Kelly Coles, CMLC Vice President, Building and Infrastructure Sean Delsnider, Calgary Stampede Public Art Committee Leo Lejeune, Senior Principal, Architecture Practice Lead, Southern Alberta, Stantec Architecture Clare LePan, CMLC Vice President, Communications & Strategic Partnerships, Olivia Rocksar, City of Calgary, Arts and Culture, Recreation The installation of the sculpture was completed in May 2024. Spirit of Water was engineered by Diales, fabricated in the UK and assembled and installed in Calgary by Littlehampton Welding Ltd with local assistance from Heavy. The sculpture joins Calgary Stampede’s growing public art collection, adding depth and dimension to Calgary’s public art landscape.

Media & Recognition

Macleans

Calgary’s BMO Centre is Open For Business Read More

Global News

‘It’s a game changer’: Calgary’s expanded BMO Centre is officially open Read More

Calgary Herald

Canada's largest indoor fireplace set to call the new BMO Centre home Read More

CBC

56-tonne Spirit of Water anchors plaza outside Calgary's newly expanded BMO Centre Read More