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Cowboys Dance Hall is closing its location inside Cowboys Casino, after 30 years of being a Stampede staple for concerts and events.
In a statement shared on social media Monday, ownership said it is closing the dance hall’s doors and turning its focus to growing the Cowboys Music Festival, which has taken place at Cowboys Park the last two years.
“We are deeply grateful to every fan, team member and partner who has been a part of this incredible journey,” the statement said.
“The boots aren’t coming off; we’re stepping into something bigger, bolder and built for the future.”
American rapper Snoop Dogg performs a DJ set at Cowboys Dance Hall in 2024. (Amir Said/CBC)
Cowboys Casino, which is owned by the Calgary Stampede, will remain open and will rebrand in the coming months, according to a statement from Stampede officials.
“The closing of Cowboys Dance Hall marks the end of an era, and we are grateful for the longstanding relationship we have shared with Penny Lane Entertainment,” the statement said. “We wish them success in the years to come.”
The nightclub, owned by Penny Lane Entertainment, first opened in the Penny Lane Mall on Eighth Avenue in 1996.
Cowboys hosted its first music festival in 1999, featuring the Barenaked Ladies and Shania Twain, according to the festival’s website.
WATCH | How the Cowboys Music Festival has grown over the years:
Since then, it has become synonymous with the Calgary Stampede.
After the mall closed in 2007, it moved locations twice, eventually re-opening inside the Cowboys Casino at 421 12th Ave. S.E.
Two years ago, the city struck a new naming and sponsorship deal with Cowboys’ owners to hold the festival at what was formerly Millennium Park, but has faced pushback and criticism, most recently over noise levels and concert lengths.
