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It’s been 10 years since the Vancouver Giants actually played within the city limits of Vancouver, but a new arena slated for development will move them a little closer to the city.
The City of Surrey announced Tuesday that it has reached an agreement in principle to develop a new arena and cultural event centre, where the Giants will be the anchor tenants.
But, Langley fans still have time to enjoy the hockey team in their community; the Surrey arena is not expected to be complete until about 2030, according to a news release from Surrey.
The Giants left Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum in 2016 for the Langley Event Centre. The team had called the Coliseum home since its inception in 2001.
Surrey’s arena will boast 10,000 seats, almost double the 5,276 seats in Langley, but still not quite the 15,713 available in Vancouver.
A rendering of the arena slated for development in Surrey, B.C. (City of Surrey)
It will be built across from Surrey Central SkyTrain and city hall — making it easier to get to for transit riders throughout the region.
“We are thrilled to be part of this amazing venue that will change the face of Surrey like never before,” Ron Toigo, majority owner and president of the Vancouver Giants, said in the release.
The development project as a whole will also include a hotel and conference space, as well as housing, the city said, with a goal of creating a new sports and entertainment hub in one of B.C.’s fastest-growing cities.
“Bringing this arena to Surrey means jobs, investment, conference capacity, and major sports, arts and entertainment like never before,” Mayor Brenda Locke said in the release.
The estimated cost of the project is $360 million.
