Oilers Entertainment Group Vice Chair & CEO Bob Nicholson said that the team's new Rogers Place arena will "take the fan experience to a level never seen before in Edmonton," according to Tim Campbell of NHL.com. Rogers Place seats 18,641 for hockey and has "more than 9,300 lower-bowl seats, compared to 5,800 at Rexall." It has "57 suites, five different premium-seat areas, can hold 20,734 for concerts and the largest high-definition center-hung scoreboard in the NHL." It also includes "four restaurants, the two-level Sportsnet Club, the Molson Canadian Fan Deck, the Sky Lounge premium lounge/nightclub and the reservation-only Curve Restaurant." Nicholson: "It was important to [Oilers Owner Daryl Katz] to make sure all fans had a special experience -- and on two or three levels. First, on fan experience. From a VIP experience, it's unbelievable from our loge tables to our theater boxes to the sports clubs and the nightclub. And for our unbelievable fans here in Edmonton, usually you walk up to the last row of the seats in a building. In this building, you go up and all the amenities are at the top of Rogers Place and you walk down to your seats." Campbell noted the completion of Rogers Place also "opens doors to other hockey possibilities." Nicholson said that consideration is "already being given to trying to line up future tournaments like the IIHF World Junior Championship and the World Cup of Hockey" (NHL.com, 10/11).
PERFORMANCE BOOST? In Edmonton, Terry Jones notes Oilers C Connor McDavid is "convinced Rogers Place will be worth more points in the standings." McDavid: "It’s almost a fresh start. Everyone is excited about the new building. It's almost like we're flipping the page here." But he conceded that it "might have a bit of a neutral site factor for a few games." McDavid: "There is a certain unfamiliarity to it. There were certain things at Rexall we were used to. It's going to take some getting used to, but once we start playing games, it's going to start feeling like home again." Oilers C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said, "The new rink ignites everybody's excitement, from the fans to the players. It brings more excitement into the building and a better atmosphere. Our team will feed off that. I think it definitely can help" (EDMONTON SUN, 10/12).
