Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre


caption =
location = flagicon|Canada Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
broke_ground =
opened = March 26, 2005
owner = City of Victoria
operator = RG Properties Ltd.
construction_cost = C$30-million
architect =
former_names =
tenants = Victoria Salmon Kings (ECHL) (2005 – present)
seating_capacity = 7,400 (Hockey)The Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre (SOFMC) is an indoor arena located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and is the largest arena in British Columbia outside of Vancouver. It is primarily used for ice hockey (home arena of the Victoria Salmon Kings professional hockey team), concerts and other special events such as figure skating, curling, plays, trade shows and conferences. It is also opened for public ice skating on special occasions; sometimes the public can skate with the Victoria Salmon Kings players after some of the games. The building also features a fine dining restaurant (Kings Feast), retail & meeting space. Shaw Communications has a TV studio on the main floor and itgroove Professional Services shares office space with the arena and Salmon Kings personnel. It occupies the site of the former Victoria Memorial Arena as its successor facility. It is located within 10-15 minutes walking distance from the other Downtown Victoria landmarks such as: Chinatown, Victoria, Bay Centre shopping centre, Market Square, Victoria.

It was completed in 2005 and has a maximum seating capacity of 7,400. It replaced the aging and outdated Memorial Arena, also known as the "Barn on Blanshard" which had been constructed in 1949. The first event to be held at the new arena was a Rod Stewart concert, one in which Rod came out on stage in a hardhat, poking fun at the fact the arena wasn't totally completed at the time.

The SOFMC was developed and is operated by RG Properties Ltd., a Vancouver based development/entertainment company with commercial, recreational and entertainment facilities throughout BC. RG Properties Ltd. is the corporate owner of the Victoria Salmon Kings hockey team.

Art Work Controversy

There's a continuing controversy of a supposedly ugly [http://gregoryhartnell.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/is-alan-lowes-unfinished-arena-jinxed-by-gregory-hartnell-reprinted-from-la-rosa-36-election-day-november-2005/] "piece of art" right out front (called Pavilion, Rock And Shell by Mowry Baden), that was too expensive for the alleged low art quality. Artistic merit and quality is open ended and subjective according to individual tastes. The City of Victoria artistic committee chose the current sculpture as the centre piece, from amongst many other submissions. Some Greater Victorians still feel that the art piece is too bizarre and costly, while others do not mind. Regardless of personal viewpoints, the sculpture is now a permanent part of the facilities.

Concerts & Events held

(partial list)

*Rod Stewart
*Cher
*2005 Ford World Men's Curling Championship
*Skate Canada International
*Def Leppard
*Bob Dylan
*Avril Lavigne
*Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance
*Bryan Adams
*Hilary Duff
*Mötley Crüe
*Harlem Globetrotters
*Bill Clinton
*Nelly Furtado
*Snoop Dogg
*Il Divo
*WWE
*Black Eyed Peas
*Cats (Musical)
*Lipizzaner Stallions
*Cirque du Soleil
*Monster Trucks
*Billy Talent
*Backstreet Boys
*Sheryl Crow
*Kid Rock
*Judas Priest

Vancouver Canucks

In September 2007, as part of the Vancouver Canucks training camp that was being held at nearby Bear Mountain Arena in Colwood, the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre hosted the Vancouver Canucks annual intrasquad charity game.

elect Your Tickets

Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre has its own in-house ticketing company called Select Your Tickets, which is also owned by RG Properties Ltd. Select Your Tickets has been operating inside the building since it opened in 2005.

References

External links

* [http://www.saveonfoodsmemorialcentre.com/ Official website]

succession box
title = Home of the
Victoria Salmon Kings
years = 2005 – present
before = Bear Mountain Arena
after = Current