Bell MTS Place
| The Phone Booth | |
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| Former names | True North Centre (planning) MTS Centre (2004–2017) |
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| Address | 300 Portage Avenue |
| Location | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Coordinates | 49°53′34″N 97°8′37″W / 49.89278°N 97.14361°WCoordinates: 49°53′34″N 97°8′37″W / 49.89278°N 97.14361°W |
| Owner | True North Sports & Entertainment |
| Operator | True North Sports & Entertainment |
| Capacity |
Hockey: 15,294 End-Stage Concert: 16,170 Centre-Stage Concert: 16,345 Rodeo/: 13,198 Basketball: ≥15,750 |
| Field size | 440,000 square feet (41,000 m2) |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 16, 2003 |
| Opened | November 16, 2004 |
| Construction cost |
CA$133.5 million ($188 million in 2016 dollars) |
| Architect | Sink Combs Dethlefs Number TEN Architectural Group Smith Carter |
| Project manager | Hammes Company |
| Structural engineer | Martin & Martin/Crosier Kilgour |
| Services engineer | M*E/MCW-AGE |
| General contractor | PCL Constructors Canada Inc. |
| Tenants | |
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Winnipeg Jets (NHL) (2011–present) Manitoba Moose (AHL) (2004–2011, 2015–present) Winnipeg Alliance FC (CMISL) (2007, 2010) |
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| Website | |
| Official website | |
Bell MTS Place (formerly MTS Centre) is an indoor arena in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. The arena is the home of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League and the Jets' American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.
The Bell MTS Place stands on the former Eaton's site and is owned and operated by True North Sports & Entertainment. The 440,000 square feet (41,000 m2) building was constructed at a cost of $133.5 million CAD. It opened on November 16, 2004, replacing the since-demolished Winnipeg Arena. It has a capacity of 15,294 for hockey and 16,345 for concerts. Originally known as the True North Centre during its planning and construction stages, it was named MTS Centre as part of a naming rights agreement with Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS). It was renamed Bell MTS Place on May 30, 2017 following Bell Canada's acquisition of MTS.
With the bankruptcy of the iconic Eaton's retailer, the famed store that was originally constructed in Winnipeg was emptied in late 2001. Various alternative uses for the building (including residential condominiums) were suggested, but ultimately the arena was deemed to be the most viable and beneficial to the city's struggling downtown by Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray and True North. After a small, but emotional resistance to losing the Western Canadian landmark Eaton's building by some locals and the Save the Eaton's Coalition, which inspired a "group hug" of the "Big Store" by a reported 180 people in 2001, the store was demolished in 2002 to make way for the new entertainment complex.
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