Northlands Coliseum

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Lore & Background

Construction began on the 16,000-seat arena in 1974 using the same architect and plans as Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum, with a crane placed on a circular track to speed up progress. The final months faced setbacks from strikes by steelworkers, cement workers, and elevator workers, delaying the arrival of the last 5,000 seats until just before the Oilers' home opener against the Cleveland Crusaders on November 10, 1974. While the EEA held an official grand opening on July 1, 1975, financial turmoil in the early 1990s led owner Peter Pocklington to threaten relocation unless he gained full control of revenue and built luxury boxes. This resulted in a 1994 agreement where Pocklington paid $2.8 million annually, followed by a 1997 deal forming the Edmonton Investors Group (EIG) after a proposed sale triggered a clause. Under this new arrangement, Northlands regained control while the Oilers paid operational costs and $1 in rent per year, eventually leading to naming rights deals with Skyreach Equipment in 1998 and Rexall in 2003.

In Their Own Story

On April 6, 2016, the final NHL game at the arena took place as the Oilers defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6–2. The last NHL goal was scored by Leon Draisaitl, followed by a post-game ceremony featuring current and past players. Although Northlands initially planned to convert the facility into a multi-level ice venue or a Hockey Canada Centre of Excellence, these plans were scrapped when renovations proved more costly than building anew. Revenue declined as major events moved to the new Rogers Place, making it difficult for the non-profit owner to pay off loans for the 2009 Edmonton Expo Centre expansion. Consequently, the City of Edmonton took over the facility on January 1, 2018, permanently ceasing operations. The master agreement between Oilers Entertainment Group and the city prohibited further investments or repurposing as a sports facility, leading to a December 2022 council vote to demolish the structure at a cost of $35 million.

Reader's Guide

Visiting Northlands Coliseum meant experiencing one of the NHL's most unique layouts; it was the last arena with player benches on the same side as TV cameras. The venue featured a distinctive center-hung scoreboard that evolved from a black-and-white dot matrix in 1974 to an eight-sided unit with four video screens by 1994. Noise levels were legendary, reaching 119 decibels during playoff games due to the intimate design and lack of luxury suite separation early on. Capacity shifted over time: starting at 15,423 in 1974, it expanded to 17,490 after adding a side tier for the NHL, peaked at 17,503 in 1986, and settled at 16,839 by closure after 52 luxury suites were added in 1994. The arena also hosted the 1989 NHL All-Star Game and multiple World Junior Hockey Championship games, including Canada's 6–3 victory over Finland on New Year's Day 1995.

Did You Know?

• The final 5,000 seats arrived only shortly before the inaugural game on November 10, 1974.
• Noise levels reached 119 decibels during playoff games due to the arena's acoustic design.
• The building was originally planned for downtown Edmonton, but referendums on that location were struck down by voters.
• After closing in 2018, demolition plans were delayed until summer 2026 due to hazardous substances like lead and asbestos.