At Scotiabank Centre, we’re committed to creating energy beyond the four walls of our venue; what’s felt inside also spreads throughout Halifax and makes our community feel alive with excitement!
One of our goals is to create memorable event experiences for everyone who walks through our doors, and 2019 did not disappoint.
Last year we made a series of enhancements that elevated the guest experience at Scotiabank Centre to an entirely new level. A major milestone: the expansion of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) into Halifax with our very own team, the Halifax Thunderbirds. But we didn’t stop there, we also replaced the dated center-hung scoreboard with a new state-of-the-art high definition (HD) video scoreboard that has taken our game days to new heights (26ft x 21ft, to be exact) and provides the ultimate in-game experience for our fans. We also introduced The Lounge, a new premium space that allows our tenants and event organizers to take their hosting experience to the next level.
This year brought us everything from team expansions to infrastructure upgrades to hosting one of the largest and diverse lineups of events to-date, giving our guests the best and most memorable event experiences each and every time.
Welcome Home, Thunderbirds
From the moment Curt Styres completed his 2,000km canoe journey from Six Nations, Ontario, to the Halifax Waterfront on October 1st, 2019, the Thunderbirds knew they were home. Greeted by fans on the waterfront, the team made their first of many memorable entrances in Halifax.
"It never ceases to amaze me how the fans have embraced and welcomed us to Halifax. Along with the neighbouring restaurants, the city, Mayor Mike Savage, Carrie Cussons and her team, we truly feel at home", said Curt Styres, owner and general manager of the Halifax Thunderbirds.
The NLL is the largest men’s professional indoor lacrosse league in North America, bringing a new calibre of sport and heart-pounding action to our fans. Hosting a packed house every night, the Halifax Thunderbirds were an immediate hit, with Scotiabank Centre quickly earning a new nickname – “the nest”! Haligonians would agree, there isn’t a better place to be than in downtown Halifax on game day.
Behind the scenes, our event team met new challenges head-on, adapting our operational processes to accommodate a new sport in our building. Learning how to store and place the state-of-the-art lacrosse turf, developing new skills to change from ice, and ensuring technology was in place for the dynamic atmosphere our new tenant created.
“The Thunderbirds have added new energy to our tenant mix. We could not be more pleased with the newest member of the Scotiabank Centre family,” said Carrie Cussons, president and CEO, Scotiabank Centre. “The way our community has rallied behind the Halifax Thunderbirds has been special to see. Fans have filled our building every game day, proudly wearing bright purple and orange to show their support.”
The thrilling game converted many event-goers into true lacrosse fans. “It feels great to be in Halifax,” said Halifax Thunderbirds Team Captain, Cody Jamieson. “For a place that hasn’t seen professional lacrosse, and to embrace us the way they have, makes it exciting for the future.”
Starting with the team’s home opener on December 9, 2019, and each game day that followed, fans were on the edge of their seat with the sport’s fast pace, hard hits, and full contact action from start to end. Loud and proud, fans chanted “Go Thunderbirds Go!” during the games with #FeelingTheThunder pride.
Welcome home, Halifax Thunderbirds, your “nest” is here to stay.
New HD Scoreboard
The newest upgrade we made to Scotiabank Centre is hard to miss, clocking in at 26 x 21 feet, it’s a game-changer for the fan experience. After 16 years, it was time to update our centre hung clock to something a little bigger and brighter. We stirred up a lot of #ClockTalk in the lead-up to the big reveal of our brand new HD video scoreboard. At over double the size of the previous clock, it has enhanced the overall feel, energy, and in-venue experience for our sports fans.
“The addition of our new HD video scoreboard allows for a more immersive and engaging experience. It provides an incredible in-game experience for our fans as well as a state-of-the-art platform for our partners to promote their initiatives,” said Suzanne Fougere, executive vice president, strategy and business development, Scotiabank Centre.
The new scoreboard boasts additional upper and lower video displays as well as four corner video wedges. These help to display additional content and messaging with 360-degree venue coverage creating an enhanced in-venue experience for both fans and partners. The new system allows our team to record up to eight camera angles simultaneously, which provides fans with a unique view of the in-game moments and play-by-play action.
Now that is what we’re #ClockTalking about.
Premium Upgrades - It's all in the details
The HD Scoreboard is not the only enhancement we’ve made to our facility. We’ve reimagined and renovated the former Voyageur Room into a new V.I.P. lounge. The private space, dubbed “The Lounge,” provides an area for our tenants and event promoters to offer an exclusive space for premium ticket holders, host press conferences, meet and greets, and so much more.
With comfortable seating, a large bar area, TVs, catering services, and just 50 feet away from the action, The Lounge provides the ultimate backdrop to enhance the guest experience.
“We wanted to create a unique space that could benefit both our fans and partners, where they could be close to the action but also enjoy a private networking area,” said Suzanne, executive vice president, strategy and business development, Scotiabank Centre. “The concept of the Lounge came directly from customer feedback and a growing trend in the sports and entertainment industry to provide a variety of unique experiences for fans. We’re proud of our new Lounge space, and it has certainly elevated the event experience here at Scotiabank Centre.”