WATCH ABOVE: The Arena District is no more. An announcement was made Monday, calling the area around Rogers Place “Ice District.” Fletcher Kent has more.
EDMONTON — When Edmonton’s downtown Rogers Place arena opens in 2016, it will be part of what will be known as the “Ice District.”
On Monday morning the official name was announced via a video posted to Marketwired’s YouTube, saying the Ice District will “transform Edmonton and will be the largest mixed-use sports and entertainment development in Canada.” The video’s settings were later switched to private.
The Katz Group, Oilers Entertainment Group and WAM Development held a media event for a “milestone announcement” at noon on Monday in downtown Edmonton. The video was shown at the event.
“Effective immediately, the Edmonton Arena District is now the Ice District,” said Glen Scott, senior vice president of real estate for the Katz Group.
Based on its size and architecture, officials said there will be nothing like the district in North America.
WATCH: The Katz Group, Oilers Entertainment Group and WAM Development Group make an announcement Monday about the Ice District.
“The Ice District just says it all,” said Bob Nicholson, CEO of the Oilers Entertainment Group.
“It really started with Daryl (Katz),” he added, speaking about where the idea came from. “We took it to focus groups, stakeholders and people really started to buy in.
“Edmonton is a special place… a strong northern city and it’s only fitting that we build our brand around a symbol representative of that,” added Nicholson.
“Hockey is our sport, there’s no question. People bleed Oilers.”
Edmonton city councillor Scott McKeen was very keen on the winter-themed name.
“We do not have to apologize for being a winter city and we need to learn ways to honour that and exploit that,” he said. “I love that it ties in with that.”
The Ice District represents $2.5 billion in development. Phase 1 includes 1.3 million square feet of office space, 1,000 premier residential units, and 270,000 square feet of retail space.
“We want to make sure that whenever we’re talking about the Ice District, it’s not just the hockey name and arena,” said Scott. “There’s going to be so many more activities, hopefully every day of the year.”
Other landmarks included in the Ice District include the Edmonton Civic Tower, Stantec Tower, a casino, VIP cinemas and a four-star hotel, according to Nicholson.
WATCH: The promotional video for the newly-announced Edmonton Ice District
A new website for the Ice District was also announced Monday.
What do you think of the name? Vote in our poll below.
In recent days, promotional art installations popped up around downtown Edmonton, with the hashtag #ComingJuly13. Among them, an ice cube sculpture and chalk art drawings.
Several people speculated over the meaning on social media.
WATCH: Social media users react to the name Ice District
Initial reaction to the new name was rather frosty on Monday morning.
Not everyone hated the name though.
WATCH: Edmonton’s downtown arena area gets official name. Michel Boyer reports on the “Ice District” name reveal live on the Morning News.
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