Entrances to some gates at Scotiabank Arena will be changed to make access to the inside a little easierSCOTIABANK ARENA
The name change from Air Canada Centre to Scotiabank Arena "become official" over the weekend, and while some signage updates on the venue "will be visible almost immediately," Maple Leaf Square will "undergo an evolution -- including dynamic new video screens -- that might take a little longer," according to Kevin McGran of the TORONTO STAR. Changes within the rink "will be ready" for the Maple Leafs’ regular season opener on Oct. 3. Meanwhile, the upscale Air Canada Club has been "gutted down to the concrete, to be replaced with a remodelled Scotia Club version that will include four- and six-seat loges." The entrances to a handful of gates also "will be changed to make access to the inside a little easier." The grey aluminum siding atop the outdoor walls "will be replaced with black cladding." Security changes are "coming as well." The city of Toronto, MLSE and Scotiabank are "investigating security solutions that are somewhat more beautiful than the chipped concrete edifices and street-blocking garbage trucks now used to protect big crowds at Maple Leaf Square" (TORONTO STAR, 7/2).
CHANGE IS COMING: The NATIONAL POST's Lance Hornby noted among four new logos to crown each corner of Scotiabank Arena, the West side on Maple Leaf Square "will feature one with full motion video, with hi-definition replays, weaved inside each the Scotiabank letters." They can also "rotate to any colour palette" to "bring attention to public events." MLSE Chief Venues & Operations Officer Nick Eaves said, "We’re making sure this building develops an identity that reflects all of the activity going on in and around it" (NATIONALPOST.com, 7/1). The GLOBE & MAIL's James Bradshaw notes the MLSE-Scotiabank deal struck last year was a "landmark in Canadian sports marketing, with a price tag and scope that surprised many in the industry." Scotiabank "sees the former Air Canada Centre as a rare jewel." The bank has been working with MLSE on a "complex logistical plan to remake its appearance and, more importantly, the overall experience for fans." There were 154 categories on a list of items that "need changing or rebranding around the arena" (GLOBE & MAIL, 7/2).
