Rexall vs. Rogers: Concert venue wars.
Sandra Sperounes
With Edmonton’s new hockey arena, Rogers Place, slated to open in 2016, what will happen to Rexall Place?
Will the old barn still host concerts? Or will most tours stop at the newer, flashier and bigger downtown rink instead? Depends on who you ask. Oilers president Patrick LaForge says Rogers Place wants to be the city’s entertainment destination. Apart from Oilers and Oil Kings games, the 18,641-seat venue could host national and international tours, plus special events such as the Juno Awards, Canadian curling finals, and Ultimate Fighting Championship matches.
“We’re certainly in the mood to do everything we can to get all the entertainment we can for the city,” says LaForge. “We’re going to be aggressive with hospitality, we’ll be aggressive in pricing and in the menu of entertainment available.”
“It’s hard to imagine that both (arenas) can make it in this market.”
But Northlands, the nonprofit organization behind Rexall Place, thinks an evergrowing Edmonton will still need the aging arena.
Sharilee Fossum, acting president and CEO of Northlands, expects to lose some concerts to Rogers Place, but she thinks the two arenas can work together. Rexall could be used as an alternative if the downtown arena is already booked.
“There are dates when the new arena is busy with hockey and we can supplement what they’re doing,” she says. “Then, when we’re busy with Canadian Finals Rodeo, perhaps they can offer a country concert.”
(CFR’s contract w ith Northlands is up for renewal in 2016.)
Rexall Place, which opened in 1974, is currently the third busiest arena in Canada, with annual sales fluctuating between 294,072 tickets (2013) and 472,519 (2007), according
“It’s hard to imagine that both (arenas) can make it in this market.” Patrick La Forge , Oilers president
to Pollstar, a concert industry publication. Last year, Rexall hosted 86 events — including concerts, Oprah Winfrey, Stars On Ice, religious conferences, CFR and the Brier — in addition to 99 hockey and lacrosse games.
Northlands holds a lease on Rexall Place until 2034, with an option to renew until 2049.“Wei ntend toc ontinue to satisfy the entertainment needs of Edmonton,” says Fossum. “We’re looking forward, with anticipation, at what we can continue to bring to the city and looking to find ways to add that offering for the community. ... We have great relationships with our (concert and event) producers and we don’t see that ending.”
Two arenas, however, won’t lead to double the concerts for Edmonton, says Paul Haagenson, president of Live Nation Canada. The tour promoter says our city is a “really healthy market” for live entertainment and already attracts most of the biggest names in music.
“I just don’t know how many more shows — because what’s not coming?” he asks.“Paul McCartney came, Roger Waters came. Arcade Fire is coming. There’s not a lot in the mix that doesn’t come. Katy Perry’s doing two shows, Luke Bryan’s doing two shows.
“… (Edmonton) isn’t a town like Chicago, where there are two big arenas. It’s Edmonton, a city of a million. There’s only so much capacity.”
Haagenson has “no complaints” about Rexall Place, but he predicts fans will prefer to see shows in the new arena, so he wants to use it. Several key features, including the Winter Garden, community skating rink, two loading areas, and an adjacent hotel, will make Rogers Place more of a one-stop shop than the northside arena.
“Arenas have come a long, long, LONG way in 40 years,” he says.
“(Rogers Place) is going to take being at shows and being part of shows to another level — everything from coming into the concourse to your food and beverage experience to your seating experience to your amenities around the arena. All that stuff is way more critical and appreciated by fans than it ever has been. Going to a show isn’t just an isolated experience anymore — it’s
“… (Edmonton) isn’t a town like Chicago, where there are two big arenas. It’s Edmonton, a city of a million. There’s only so much capacity.” Paul Haagenson , president of Live Nation Canada
an entire evening. Before, after and during. So you’re engaging the fan on a deeper level and making it a more positive experience.
“There are great places to do shows and fans like going there. If fans like going somewhere and want to be engaged, then this is a better concert experience and it will make more people want to go. You don’t want to go to a house party when nobody’s there. You want to go where everybody’s going, so it’s important to keep that integrity.”
Rogers Place hopes to open with a series of concerts before any pucks drop in the arena. LaForge is consulting with the world’s top concert promoters, Live Nation and AEG, plus two of the NHL’s newer arenas — the Prudential Centre in Newark, N.J., and the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Penn. — for programming advice, though it’s too early to confirm performers.