From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (March 2007)

Rexall Place
Location	7424 118 Ave. N.W. Edmonton, Alberta T5B 4M9
Opened	1974
Owner	City of Edmonton
Operator	Northlands Park
Construction cost	$19,400,000 CAD
Former names	Northlands Coliseum (1974-1995) Edmonton Coliseum (1995-1998) Skyreach Centre (1998-2003) [1]
Tenants
Edmonton Oilers (NHL) (1974-present) Edmonton Rush (NLL) (2006-present) Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) (2007-present) Edmonton Drillers (CMISL) (2007) Edmonton Road Runners(Toronto Road Runners) (AHL) (2004-2005) Edmonton Drillers (NPSL) (1996-2000) Edmonton Skyhawks (NBL) (1993-1994)
Capacity
Hockey: 16,839 Concerts: approximately 13,000

Rexall Place is an indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada situated on the north side of Northlands Park. It is home to the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL, the Edmonton Rush of the NLL, and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL.

When the arena opened on November 10, 1974, it was known as Northlands Coliseum to house the World Hockey Association Oilers. Then it became the Edmonton Coliseum in 1995, and Skyreach Centre in 1998, before it changed to its current name during the middle of the 2003-04 NHL season when its naming rights were purchased by the Rexall medicine company, a subsidiary of Katz Group Canada.

The arena was used to host games in the 1981 and 1984 Canada Cup hockey tournaments, including Game 2 of the 1984 finals between Canada and Sweden. In the 1995 World Junior Championships, which where held in various cities and towns throughout Alberta, Edmonton Coliseum was the site of several games, including Canada's 6-3 victory over Finland on New Year's Day.

The venue was the site of several Commonwealth Games sports in 1978, and part of Universiade (the World University Games) in 1983. Annual events include the Canadian Finals Rodeo and the Christian Conference, YC Alberta [2].

Before the 2007/08 season started, the Oilers dressing room was renovated for $4 million. The state-of-art room is now wider with a new medical room, lounge, bar, video room, weight room as well as other new facilities. Just after the entrance to the dressing room is a cubicle with 5 replica stanley cups in it that has all the names of the past oilers who won cups with the team.[[3]]

Contents 1 Seating capacity 2 Random Info 3 Live Recordings 4 External links

The official capacity for hockey is currently 16,839, which is slightly less than the 17,100 the arena held before the 2001-02 NHL season. Some media sources still quote the old capacity even though the Oilers have never announced an attendance above 16,839 since the most recent changes. When it opened, the capacity was slightly more than 15,200, but it was increased to 17,353 after the Oilers joined the NHL by adding an extra tier of seating on the side opposite the pressbox. This was increased to 17,503 in 1984. The arena underwent an extensive renovation in 1994, in which 67 luxury suites were installed, reducing the capacity to 17,100.

• The ice quality at Rexall Place is regarded as one of the best in the National Hockey League. [4]

• Rexall Place is also known for its boisterous and faithful fans. Even though the arena only seats 16,839 people, noise levels during playoff games have reached 114 dB.[5].

• A large bronze statue of Canadian hockey icon and former Oilers Captain Wayne Gretzky is situated outside of Rexall Place.

• At the beginning of Game 3 of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim/Edmonton series of the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Oilers' anthem singer Paul Lorieau sang only a few lines of "O Canada" before letting the audience sing out the rest of the anthem. This was done at all subsequent home games in the playoffs, and even grew to include "The Star-Spangled Banner".

• During the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Oilers fans took to throwing a piece of Grade A Alberta Beef onto the ice. It was started during the 2006 Detroit Red Wings/Edmonton series as an answer to the Red Wings' tradition of throwing octopuses onto the ice.

• Currently, it is the only NHL arena (and possibly, will be the last) in which the team benches are on the same side as the press boxes. As a result, unlike other venues in the league, the players are seated with their backs to the main TV cameras that cover the action on the ice rink.

• At Rexall Place, the Oilers walk through a lounge on the lower concourse to get to their bench (this doesn't happen at any other NHL arena).

• The 2008 National Lacrosse League All Star Game is going to be held at Rexall Place on March 16, 2008

The following bands recorded live performances in the arena:

• Yes filmed their 1984 concert film "9012Live: The Solos" at the arena.

• Nickelback filmed their 2002 concert video "Live at Home" at the arena.

• Our Lady Peace recorded part of their 2003 record Live at the arena.

• The Who recorded a live DVD in 2006 at the arena

• WWE Backlash 2004 was also held at Rexall. Chris Benoit returned to defend the World Heavyweight Championship.

• Michael W. Smith recorded his live "Worship" DVD at YC Alberta.

• Rexall Place official website
• Aerial view at Terraserver.com
• Aerial view at Google Maps
• Discussion of hockey ice quality
• Edmonton Fans singing the Canadian anthem

Preceded by Edmonton Gardens 1972–1974

Home of the Edmonton Oilers 1974–present

Succeeded by current

Coordinates: 53°34′16.95″N, 113°27′21.72″W

v • d • e Current arenas in the National Hockey League
Eastern Conference	Air Canada Centre · BankAtlantic Center · Bell Centre · HSBC Arena · Madison Square Garden · Mellon Arena · Nassau Coliseum · Philips Arena · Prudential Center · RBC Center · St. Pete Times Forum · Scotiabank Place · TD Banknorth Garden · Verizon Center · Wachovia Center
Western Conference	American Airlines Center · General Motors Place · HP Pavilion · Honda Center · Jobing.com Arena · Joe Louis Arena · Nationwide Arena · Pengrowth Saddledome · Pepsi Center · Rexall Place · Scottrade Center · Sommet Center · Staples Center · United Center · Xcel Energy Center

v • d • e Current arenas in the Western Hockey League
Eastern Conference	Art Hauser Centre  · Brandt Centre  · Centennial Civic Centre  · Cranbrook Recreational Complex  · Credit Union Centre  · ENMAX Centre  · ENMAX Centrium  · Keystone Centre  · Medicine Hat Arena  · Moose Jaw Civic Centre  · Pengrowth Saddledome  · Rexall Place
Western Conference	CN Centre  · Everett Events Center  · Interior Savings Centre  · KeyArena  · Memorial Coliseum  · Pacific Coliseum  · Prospera Centre  · Prospera Place  · Rose Garden  · Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena  · Toyota Center

v • d • e Current arenas in the National Lacrosse League
Eastern Division	Air Canada Centre · Blue Cross Arena · HSBC Arena · Madison Square Garden · Sears Centre · Wachovia Center · Xcel Energy Center
Western Division	HP Pavilion · Pengrowth Saddledome · Pepsi Center · Rexall Place · Rose Garden