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Western Canada’s newest and largest convention center isn’t just big; it’s a striking blend of design, technology and ambition. 

“It’s a once-in-a-career building that will be admired by people from around the world,” says Chad Gray, a project manager for PCL Construction.  The company served as construction manager for the massive expansion to Calgary’s BMO Centre, which opened in the summer of 2024.

“There’s an immense sense of pride, just walking through here,” beams Glenn Chase, a PCL building systems manager. “You get such a feeling of euphoria when you look at the finished product and see what you’ve accomplished over nearly four years.”

Located on the grounds of the world-famous Calgary Stampede, just southeast of downtown, the expansion more than doubled the size of the facility to more than a million square feet. Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) acted as the development manager on the project, in partnership with owner Calgary Exhibition & Stampede.

Designed by Stantec, Populous and S2 to mirror the rolling prairie landscape and mountain views Calgary offers, it’s now considered a Tier 1 convention facility, meaning it meets the highest international standards for hosting large-scale conventions, conferences and events.

“I think the part that always struck me was the owner’s commitment to the highest level of quality,” says Gray. “This was never going to be just a square box. This space was designed and built to be a landmark.”

From the start, it was clear that the iconic design would not translate to a simple build — but PCL’s teams were up to the challenge.

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