Northlands Coliseum

Northlands Coliseum opened on November 10, 1974, at a cost of C$17.3 million, designed by the architectural firms Phillips, Barrett, Hillier, Jones Partners and Wynn, Forbes, Lord, Feldberg & Schmidt. The arena was built by the Northlands organization, a non-profit that managed the Edmonton Exhibition Lands, and was originally known simply as the Northlands Coliseum. The arena became the home of the Edmonton Oilers, who were then in the World Hockey Association, in 1974, and continued as their home when the Oilers joined the National Hockey League in 1979. The arena's most famous period came in the 1980s, when the Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky, won four Stanley Cup championships in five years from 1984 to 1988, and added a fifth in 1990 after Gretzky's trade to Los Angeles. The arena earned the nickname 'The House That Gretzky Built' for its association with the greatest player in hockey history and the dynasty team he led. The Oilers won the Stanley Cup at the Coliseum in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990, and lost in the Finals in 1983 and 2006, for a total of seven Stanley Cup Finals hosted at the arena. The arena also hosted the 1981 and 1984 Canada Cup hockey tournaments, the 1978 Commonwealth Games boxing and gymnastics events, and numerous other hockey events including the World Junior Hockey Championship. The arena was known by several names over its history, reflecting naming rights deals: Edmonton Coliseum from 1995 to 1998, Skyreach Centre from 1998 to 2003, and Rexall Place from 2003 to 2016, before returning to the Northlands Coliseum name in 2016. The arena underwent renovations in 1994, 2001, and 2007, at a total cost of over $27 million. The arena was also the home of the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL, the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League, and numerous other teams over the years, including the Edmonton Drillers of the NASL and NPSL, the Edmonton Road Runners of the AHL, and the Edmonton Sled Dogs of Roller Hockey International. By the 2010s, the aging arena was considered outdated, and the Oilers began planning a new, state-of-the-art arena in downtown Edmonton. The final NHL game at the arena was played on April 6, 2016, with the Oilers defeating the Vancouver Canucks 3-0. The Oilers moved to the new Rogers Place for the 2016-17 season. The arena continued to host occasional events but closed on New Year's Day 2018, after ownership was transferred from Northlands to the City of Edmonton. Northlands had planned to redevelop the arena into a multi-level ice facility, but these plans were scrapped after it was found that renovating would be more costly than building new. The building remains standing but disused, and its future remains uncertain.

Northlands Coliseum was known as 'The House That Gretzky Built' for its association with Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers' dynasty of the 1980s. The arena hosted seven Stanley Cup Finals, with the Oilers winning the Cup there in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990, and losing in 1983 and 2006. The Oilers' 1984 Stanley Cup victory was the first of four championships in five years, one of the greatest dynasties in NHL history. The arena was known by several names over its history, including Edmonton Coliseum, Skyreach Centre, and Rexall Place, before returning to the Northlands Coliseum name in 2016. The arena hosted the 1981 and 1984 Canada Cup tournaments, international hockey competitions featuring the world's best players, with Canada winning both tournaments. The arena also hosted boxing and gymnastics events for the 1978 Commonwealth Games. The arena was the home of an remarkable variety of teams over the years, including the Edmonton Oilers (NHL), Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL), Edmonton Rush (NLL), Edmonton Drillers (NASL and NPSL), Edmonton Road Runners (AHL), Edmonton Sled Dogs (RHI), and Edmonton Skyhawks (NBL). The final NHL game at the arena on April 6, 2016, saw the Oilers defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-0, a fitting farewell to a beloved building. The arena closed on New Year's Day 2018, and remains standing but disused, with its future uncertain. The arena's capacity of 17,100 for hockey made it one of the larger NHL arenas of its era, and it was known for its passionate fans and loud atmosphere during the Oilers' championship years.