Halifax Scotiabank Centre undergoes major upgrades to boost 'fan experience'

Halifax's Scotiabank Centre recently underwent major upgrades for the benefit those hitting the ice and the fans visiting the multi-purpose facility.

"The Mooseheads (hockey team) has made some significant investments in the fan experience in the building," said Suzanne Fougere, executive vice-president of Scotiabank Centre Events East, during an interview with CTV Atlantic's Crystal Garrett.

Those investments include:

• a 1,400 pound "moose head" set piece overlooking the ice that measures 16-feet wide and 12-feet tall
• 79 solo tubes installed on the glass around the ice help light up the rink when turned on

The new moose head set piece in the Halifax Scotiabank Centre is pictured. (Source: CTV News Atlantic)

"So that moose… it is a custom-made moose that was made special for them by an artist in British Columbia," said Fougere. "It lights up, it blows smoke and when they score a goal, when they're doing their opening sequence introducing the team, it's now going to become a key part of the experience. And I will tell you, kids love it. They were going crazy for it last weekend."

Fougere says the new additions are similar to what you would experience during an NHL game.

"And the kind of fan experience that people are looking for. The quality of play was amazing last Friday night. The Mooseheads did an amazing job. They won," said Fougere.

"And then you would also have all these enhancements that just create a great sense of energy and just a really fun night for families and for people who are fans of the Mooseheads."

The centre, along with the Halifax Regional Municipality, started ice plant renovations last spring to replace the previous ice plant.

Fougere says the new system is the largest refrigerated ice production system installed in Canada to date.

"So that allows our team to make sure that we control the cold quality of the ice surface, so for the players, like the Mooseheads, or curling, or skating, it's really important that the quality's great for them so that they can compete at their highest level," said Fougere.

Fougere says the new system, which cost $12.5 million, is also far more energy efficient than the last.

"So, we'll be able to reduce our water consumption and our overall energy use. So, it's been a pretty significant investment in the quality of the surface, but also towards making those changes that allow us to be more environmentally friendly."

The Scotiabank Centre is a 46-year-old venue with a seating capacity of more than 10,500. It is fully accessible to persons with disabilities, fully air-conditioned, and includes 47 Skyboxes, premium seating lounges and executive suites.

The facility is the home of the Halifax Mooseheads, the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo and the Halifax Thunderbirds. 

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