Stampede Corral facts for kids
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| Location | 10 Corral Trail SE Calgary, AB T2G 2W1 Canada |
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| Owner | Calgary Exhibition & Stampede |
| Capacity | 7,475 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | December 15, 1950 |
| Closed | 2020 |
| Demolished | October 2020 - March 2021 |
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The Stampede Corral was a famous building in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It was a place where many different events happened. People watched ice hockey, professional wrestling, rodeo shows, and even tennis matches there. The Corral was part of Stampede Park, a big area for events.
It was built in 1950 and cost about C$1.25 million. This building replaced an older arena called Victoria Arena. The Stampede Corral became the home for the Calgary Stampeders hockey team. This team played in the Western Hockey League for many years. The Calgary Exhibition & Stampede organization owned and built the Corral.
In March 2016, the Calgary Stampede group shared plans to take down the Stampede Corral. They wanted to make space for a bigger BMO Centre nearby. Officials said the old Corral was not safe anymore. It would have cost too much money to fix it up. The demolition started in December 2020 and finished in 2021.
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A Big Arena for Western Canada
At the time it was built, the Stampede Corral was the largest arena in Canada west of Toronto. It was special because it had no support poles blocking views. This meant everyone could see the action clearly. The arena officially opened on December 15, 1950.
First Hockey Game and Music Stars
The first hockey game at the Corral was on December 26. The Stampeders beat the Edmonton Flyers 5–0. A huge crowd of 8,729 people watched the game. Many famous musicians also performed there over the years. These included Joni Mitchell, Loverboy, and Tegan and Sara.
Hosting Major Events
The Stampede Corral was a popular place for big events. It hosted the 1972 World Figure Skating Championships. It was also used for figure skating and ice hockey during the 1988 Winter Olympics. Rodeo competitions were also a big part of its history.
Tennis and Wrestling Matches
The Corral was often a venue for the Canada Davis Cup team. This is an international tennis competition. Canada had a great record there, winning 5 out of 5 matches. In 2008, Canada beat Mexico 4–1 in the tournament.
The Stampede Corral also hosted many special wrestling shows. These were put on by Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling. Many famous wrestlers performed there before the company was sold in 1984. Some of these stars included Bret Hart, Archie Gouldie, Dan Kroffat, and Jake Roberts. Even WWE used the Corral for their non-televised shows.
A Home for Sports History
The Stampede Corral held one of Canada's largest private collections of sports photos. These photos were on display for everyone to see. They were part of the Calgary Stampede Archives. In 2016, a big project began to restore these photos. This work took two years and cost over $75,000.
Teams That Played Here
Many different sports teams called the Stampede Corral home. Here are some of them:
| Team Name | Sport League | Years Played | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary Stampeders | Various | 1950–72 | Original hockey team |
| Calgary Centennials | WCHL | 1966–77 | Junior hockey team |
| Calgary Cowboys | WHA | 1975–77 | Professional hockey team |
| Calgary Wranglers | WHL | 1977–87 | Junior hockey team |
| Calgary Boomers | NASL | 1980–81 | Indoor soccer team |
| Calgary Flames | NHL | 1980–83 | Played here before moving to the Saddledome |
| Calgary 88's | WBL | 1988–92 | Professional basketball team |
| Calgary Drillers | ABA | 2004 | Team stopped playing after five home games |
| Calgary United F.C. | CMISL | 2007 | Indoor soccer team |
| Calgary Hitmen | WHL | 1995-1996, 1998, 2016 and 2019 | Used the Corral when their main arena was busy |
