Flames' new arena construction to begin in August 2021, end in May 2024

Construction on the Calgary Flames' new arena is scheduled to begin in August 2021 and be completed in May 2024.

The Calgary Municipal Land Corp. on Wednesday announced the companies that will work on the Event Centre project.

The Flames plan to move into the arena for the 2024-25 season. It will hold up to 19,000 spectators and is expected to cost an estimated $550 million Canadian ($401.5 million U.S.).

The two companies leading the project, Dialog of Calgary and HOK of Kansas City, Missouri, collaborated on Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

"As we move forward with the development of this facility, we are confident this project team brings the experience, leadership and ambition to realize the full potential of what the Event Centre provides Calgary," said John Bean, president and CEO of Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp., which owns the Flames. "With their experience of large-scale sport and entertainment facilities, we know that Calgary's new Event Centre will be a source of civic pride for many years to come."

The Flames have played at the Saddledome since 1983. It is the second-oldest arena in the NHL; Madison Square Garden, home of the New York Rangers, opened in 1968, but a $1 billion renovation was completed in 2013.

The Calgary City Council approved the Event Centre plan and agreement July 30, 2019. The project cost will be shared 50-50 by the city and CSEC, with the city getting 100 percent ownership of the arena.

"Certainly, it's exciting," Flames general manager Brad Treliving said Friday. "This has had a long runway and we still got lots of runway to go. I think every step of the way there's little mile-markers here. Getting the group, the design team and construction and architects together and named is a mile-marker on the road.

"I'm over the moon to get the new facility, but to be perfectly honest, my focus has been a little bit narrower on getting ready for training camp right now, so I haven't spent a lot of time on the new facility. But I think the fact we've got that announcement just continues to build momentum and hopefully get to the day when people are putting shovels in the ground and cutting the ribbon."

The Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League and the Calgary Roughnecks of the National Lacrosse League, each owned by CSEC, also will play at the arena, which will be located just north of the Saddledome on land owned by Calgary Exhibition and Stampede Ltd.