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Five architectural firms bid on downtown events centre, none local

Of the five bids submitted for the Downtown Sudbury events centre/arena, none are from the Greater Sudbury area, with one bid coming from Kansas City, Missouri
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A conceptual image of the Kingsway Entertainment District’s municipal arena/events centre, as released by Ball Construction in 2022. Although a vote by city council killed the project later that year, the $200-million downtown events centre/arena standalone building currently being planned for Downtown Sudbury has the same specification.

The $200-million events centre/arena slated to take shape in downtown Sudbury is another step closer to reality, with five bids submitted for its architectural design.

With bidders’ head offices located in Toronto, Calgary and Kansas City, Mo., none of the Greater Sudbury-area plan takers proceeded with a bid.

With five bids placed, it’s likely that one of the following architectural firms will have staff design an events centre to be located somewhere on a tract of newly acquired city-owned land in Downtown Sudbury, with seating for 5,800 people:

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An artist’s rendition of Scotia Place in Calgary, as designed by DIALOG Alberta Architecture Engineering Interior Design Planning Inc. The same company that designed the future home of the Calgary Flames is one of five bid takers for Greater Sudbury’s downtown arena/events centre architectural services. Image: dialogdesign.ca

A City of Greater Sudbury spokesperson told Sudbury.com that the request for proposals would be awarded in mid- to late-November.*

The project is virtually identical to the events centre previously proposed to take shape on The Kingsway (The Kingsway Entertainment District, which city council cancelled in 2022 when its cost more than doubled to $215 million).

In addition to location, key differences between the Kingsway Entertainment District and the current project are that the downtown Sudbury effort does not include the construction of a road network, parking, stormwater management facility or a shared outdoor space called Festival Square.

Similar to the Kingsway project, the downtown facility is to include fixed seating for 5,800 people (the existing Sudbury Community Arena has 4,470), including 5,020 in general seating, 500 club seating, loge box seating of 40 and private suites with 240 dedicated seats.

There were 53 plan takers for the events centre’s architectural services, including eight Sudbury-based architectural firms.

Notable among the eight local architectural firms is Yallowega Architecture Inc., which is currently working with Two Row Architect and Teeple Architects on the city’s Cultural Hub at Tom Davies Square library/art gallery and municipal services relocation project.

Other local architectural firms include 3rdLine Studio, Bélanger Salach Architecture, Caritas Development, Centreline Architecture, Danielson Architecture Office Inc., Luciw Boudreau Architecture, Perry + Perry Architects Inc. 

The next steps in the city’s timeline include: 

  • December 2024: Identify venue operator
  • January 2025: Select event centre site
  • June 2025: Design and cost approval
  • March 2026: Award construction contract
  • May 2028: Grand opening

City staff are expected to provide an update to city council during their Oct. 8 meeting regarding downtown demolition efforts to make way for the arena/events centre project.

*Editor's note: This line has been updated with new information after this story was initially published.

Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.


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Tyler Clarke

About the Author: Tyler Clarke

Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
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