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Location within British Columbia Show map of British ColumbiaLocation within Canada Show map of Canada | |
Address | 1925 Blanshard Street Victoria, British Columbia V8T 4J2 |
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Coordinates | 48°25′53″N 123°21′38″W / 48.43139°N 123.36056°W / 48.43139; -123.36056 |
Operator | GSL Group |
Capacity | 7,006 (Hockey) 9,000 (Concerts) |
Construction | |
Broke ground | June 6, 2003[1] |
Opened | March 26, 2005 |
Construction cost | CA$40 million |
Architect | ICR Projects Inc. John Neilson Architects Inc.[2] |
Structural engineer | Pomeroy Engineering Ltd.[2] |
Services engineer | Keen Engineering[2] |
General contractor | RG Construction, Ltd.[3] |
Tenants | |
Victoria Royals (WHL) (2011–present) Victoria Salmon Kings (ECHL) (2005–2011) South Island Royals (BCMML) | |
Website | |
sofmc |
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, previously the home arena of the Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL, and currently the home of the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League.
SOFMC was developed and is operated by RG Properties Ltd., a Vancouver-based development/entertainment company with commercial, recreational and entertainment facilities throughout British Columbia. RG Properties Ltd. was the corporate owner of the former Victoria Salmon Kings hockey team and owns the Victoria Royals. Ice sheet is 60x180
The arena is primarily used for ice hockey and is also used for 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; the public skated with the former Victoria Salmon Kings players after some of the games. The building also features a fine dining restaurant (Lion's Den Restaurant), 26 luxury suites, retail and meeting space. Shaw Communications has a television studio on the main floor and Regroove Solutions Inc] (formerly itgroove Professional Services) shares office space with the arena and Victoria Royals 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, the Bay Centre shopping centre and Market Square.
SOFMC 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" (rectangular with a curved roof, resembled a barnoraircraft hangar) which had been constructed in 1949. The first event to be held at the new arena was a Rod Stewart concert, one in which Stewart and his performers came out on stage in hardhats and orange safety vests, poking fun at the fact the arena wasn't totally completed at the time.
The arena has hosted many musical and performance acts, as well as guest speakers, sporting tournaments, trade shows and other events. The following is a partial list of some of the more well-known guests and events to appear during the first two decades of the arena's existence:
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. And is also operated in Kelowna B.C.
Preceded by | Home of the Victoria Salmon Kings 2005–2011 |
Succeeded by Last |
Preceded by
Prospera Centre |
Home of the Victoria Royals 2011–present |
Succeeded by Present |
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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