Optimism about business impact of Calgary’s Rivers District ahead of future development

Businesses near Calgary’s Rivers District say they’re excited for future development in the area, and that they’re already seeing a slight uptick in customers.

Construction around the revitalization area and Calgary’s new event centre, the future home of the Calgary Flames, is already well underway, and business owner along a stretch of 17 Avenue say they’ve seen a bit of an increase in business since the transformation began.

“There’s so much excitement for the area, it’s just the growing phase right now, and getting to be involved in what that looks like, and to help set the tone and make sure that people have somewhere that they can come and enjoy,” says Robyn Usher, General Manager of Rosso Coffee Roasters.

She hopes the area immediately west of Stampede grounds becomes more of a destination and says a shift is happening, slowly, with new businesses popping up.

“Most people think of further down 17th, and so we’re trying to bring it back into the area,” Usher says.

Businesses that have been in the area for decades agree the revamp will be transformative for the area.

“I would love to see more restaurants and some other retail,” says Heesung Kim, owner and general manager of Embarcadero Oyster Bar. “I mean there’s retail along the way, but there’s a lot of no man’s land between here and the more vibrant part of 17th Avenue.”

She feels the city is doing a good job preparing the area for the future, which includes the 17 Avenue extender, which will allow drivers to exit west from the Stampede Grounds.

“It was a bit like a Berlin wall kind of effect, 17th Avenue stopping right at the Stampede grounds,” she says. “So now it makes the grounds more a part of the community as well.”

The new events centre, officially dubbed Scotia Place, will be located two blocks north of the Calgary Flames current home, the Scotiabank Saddledome. The hope is that construction will be completed in time for the team to begin to play there for the 2027-28 NHL season.

The designs for the new facility were revealed earlier this month, it’s set to be part of the areas much-larger planned entertainment district.