Cutting-Edge Tech

Calgary Sports and Entertainment, owner and operator of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, today announced the deployment of Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology in a checkout-free store at the Scotiabank Saddledome, which becomes the first Canadian venue to introduce this technology.

“Fan experience is at the heart of everything we do,” said Ziad Mehio, Calgary Sports and Entertainment’s vice president of technology and food & beverage. “With this leading-edge technology, we can now serve customers in an expedited, more convenient manner. We are proud to be the first venue in Canada to collaborate with Amazon on this innovative convenience store, and we’re excited for our patrons to experience it firsthand.”

The new convenience store, located on the main concourse, will be open to all Scotiabank Saddledome patrons. Amazon’s cutting-edge Just Walk Out technology eliminates checkout lines and provides an effortless customer experience. Customers use their credit or debit card at the store’s entrance gates and grab what they need. The technology automatically detects what is taken from (or returned to) store shelves, creating a virtual shopping cart. When customers complete their shopping, they leave the store without stopping to check out, and their payment card is charged for the items taken.

Just Walk Out technology is made possible by artificial intelligence, computer vision, and deep learning techniques, including generative AI, to accurately determine who took what in any retail environment. Amazon-built synthetic datasets mimic millions of realistic shopping scenarios—including variations in store format, lighting conditions, and even crowds of shoppers—to ensure accuracy in virtually any environment.

“We are thrilled to bring Just Walk Out technology to Canada at the Scotiabank Saddledome,” said Jon Jenkins, vice president of Just Walk Out technology. “This is the first installation of Just Walk Out technology in Canada, and we are excited to see this technology reach a new geography. With Just Walk Out, fans will find a convenient way to purchase items with a frictionless shopping experience so they can quickly get back to their seats and the action. This is just the beginning.”

On September 29, fans can experience the Just Walk Out technology for the first time when the Flames host the Edmonton Oilers at the Scotiabank Saddledome.