Ambitious was the word used to describe the Calgary Stampede’s new 20-year master plan, and should it come to fruition, that description could be an understatement.

The Stampede unveiled its plans for Stampede Park over the next two decades, with the park divided into seven distinct thematic areas with most undergoing a transformative facelift in the coming years.

Calgary Stampede CEO Joel Cowley said that this is the next phase of Stampede Park that builds upon the vision set out when the exhibition was brought to Calgary 127 years ago.

“This is an incredibly exciting vision for Stampede Park for the next 20 years, and it’s a very ambitious vision,” he said.

“But as I like to think, if you don’t think big, you are guaranteed to fall short of what could have been.”

The seven different zones will launch off the success of the recently complete BMO Centre expansion, and include a new, purpose-built agriculture and animal area. The current barns date back to the earliest days of the Calgary Stampede.

It will also have a discovery and heritage area that honours the contribution of First Nations to the annual event, along with the Stampede’s evolution over the years. There will be a new multi-purpose venue with seating for 6,000 to 8,000 guests that will eventually replace the current Big Four Building, which was built in the 1950s.

Once the iconic Scotiabank Saddledome is demolished, the Calgary Stampede will set forth on a plan to create a live events zone that will include an outdoor concert area and gathering space.

Cowley said it’s likely that’s where a future Coca-Cola Stage would go. He acknowledged that the current area, where it’s wedged between Nashville North and GMC Stadium, can get crowded.

“As the live district is envisioned and developed, it will accommodate the Coke stage,’ he said.

“Hopefully, (there’s) room there for 7,000 or 8000 people to enjoy a concert, not just during the Calgary Stampede, but year-round as well.”

The plans also include a new Stampede gateway at the northwest entrance, an outdoor flex space to provide more room for crowds, and an expanded and renovated GMC stadium area that could enable expanded programming.

Priority areas and plans for development

Cowley said that right now there’s no specific price tag for the plan, given that each area will be developed as opportunities and partnerships arise – along with the cash.

“It will definitely take multiple partners to bring this to fruition. Not unlike the last master plan when that was rolled out, there really wasn’t any defined funding mechanism for all the great things that were envisioned there,” he said.

“But yet, here we stand in the BMO Center, we can look out that window and see the SAM Center and all the developments that have happened – Sweetgrass Lodge, our Elbow River Camp or community East Park, all of those things were envisioned in the last master plan without a defined funding mechanism.”

Though it will be redeveloped as opportunities arise, Cowley did say that the agricultural area and barns would be most ready to proceed.  The highest priority, however, would be the live event zone. That area is on a longer timeline due to the need to knock down the Saddledome and negotiate with the City and the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation.

The Stampede’s 20-year master plan is part of the overarching Rivers District Master Plan and the more granular Culture and Entertainment District.

Calgary Municipal Land Corporation president and CEO Kate Thompson said this vision for the area blends well with the overall area plan.

“This is the Culture and Entertainment District, and Calgary Stampede is a huge part of that,” she said.

“I mean, we’re fortunate to have the Calgary Stampede as part of our identity, as part of our culture and entertainment in this city, and we’re building off that with this plan.”

Thompson said the 20-year timeline is realistic for a plan of this nature.

“When you establish a timeline for a master plan, you need to give it time and space to have deals happen, have reality happen to it, the market, external forces, funding coming opportunistically here or there, so 20 years is a realistic timeline for something this ambitious to come to fruition.”

Tourism Calgary CEO Alisha Reynolds said this is a big step forward in their plan to growing the visitor economy from $3 billion today to $6 billion by 2035.

“In order to do that, we need more spaces, places and activated community areas to welcome more people,” she said.

“This and seeing that video gets me really excited about the ways that we’ll be able to welcome visitors in the future.”