Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke announces new 12,000-seat arena proposal

Example of a 10,000-seat indoor stadium; artistic rendering of the 10,000-seat Palm Springs Arena. (Palm Springs AHL)

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says her city is about to reach a new stage of its evolution that will enable it to sustain and support a mid-sized arena or stadium.

She made the major policy announcement today during her first State of the City address to the business community.

Surrey City Council will be launching an economic impact and feasibility study tomorrow to examine in finer detail how such a major venue can fit into the city’s growing fabric.

You might also like:

“I’m happy to announce here today that Council is looking to add a 12,000-seat stadium or arena in Surrey soon, and that groundwork has already begun. Tomorrow, we will be launching an economic and feasibility study to get us there, and I can tell you there is a lot of interest for that kind of facility in our city,” said Locke during her speech.

Locke says this is part of the municipal government’s vision to establish two entertainment districts — one district in Surrey City Centre, and another district in Cloverdale.

With Surrey’s rapidly growing population, which is expected to exceed Vancouver by 2029, the mayor suggests her city can sustain such a venue, and that it is a needed community amenity for the critical mass of residents and businesses. By 2029, according to the provincial government’s latest population estimates, Surrey will reach 785,619 residents — squeaking past Vancouver’s 780,075 residents.

By 2042, Surrey is also forecast to become the first city in British Columbia to reach and exceed a population of one million people. Currently, the only Canadian cities with a population of at least one million people are Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Edmonton.

Inside Abbotsford Centre. (Abbotsford Canucks)

Surrey City Centre, in particular, is expected to see up to an additional 100,000 residents over the coming decades and tens of thousands of more jobs, with its connectivity further improved by major transportation infrastructure projects such as the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension.

“Surrey will soon be the biggest city in BC. In fact, we probably already are. But more than being the biggest city, Surrey is poised to reach one million people by 2042. So let that sink in for a moment. We’re talking about almost doubling our population in less than 20 years,” said Locke.

“In order to prepare Surrey for a population of a million people, our Council will be required to take decisive and bold action to ensure the residents of today and tomorrow can live, work, and play in a livable and world-class city.”

For these reasons, she says, Surrey is “not a bedroom community, and we haven’t been that in a very long time.”

“This means we will invest in big city amenities like major sporting and events facilities, and entertainment and music venues, as well as unique dining opportunities in Surrey,” continued Locke.

More hotel rooms are also needed within Surrey to support economic growth and new business opportunities, according to the mayor, who also specifically highlighted Oviedo Developments’ upcoming mixed-use redevelopment of London Drugs in Surrey City Centre, as it will incorporate a sizeable 15-storey, 156,000 sq ft hotel.

“There is still too many people leaving the city for their entertainment and we can change that, but it will take the help of the business community to make that happen. And yes, our vision is bold, but we must if we are to position Surrey as a destination city and a magnet for economic opportunities.”

davis cup tennis ubc doug mitchell thunderbird sports centre

Davis Cup held at UBC Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. (Standing In Motion)

Daily Hive Urbanized previously reported in 2020 a proposal to build a 10,000-seat indoor arena in Surrey City Centre, but it is not immediately clear if the City’s latest push is related to the private sector-imagined proposal.

If a 12,000-seat indoor arena were to be achieved, it would be the third largest indoor arena in the Lower Mainland — behind the 19,000-seat Rogers Arena and 16,000-seat Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, but ahead of the 7,500-seat Thunderbird Sports Centre at the University of British Columbia, 7000-seat Abbotsford Centre, 5,300-seat Langley Events Centre in Langley Township, and the 5,000-seat Chilliwack Coliseum.

Since 2021, the City of Abbotsford has contracted the operations and maintenance of Abottsford Centre to Aquilini Investment Group, the owners of the NHL Vancouver Canucks. This is the same year Abbotsford Centre became the new home of the AHL Abbotsford Canucks, the farm team of the Vancouver Canucks. Aquilini has a five-year contract, with renewal options enabling the partnership to last for up to 20 years.

Some renovations were performed to Abbotsford Centre last year, including new and improved video boards and seating.

As well, since 2016, Langley City Centre has been the home of the WHL Vancouver Giants, replacing their previous use of the Pacific Coliseum. In 2023, the CPL Vancouver FC built Willoughby Community Park — an outdoor soccer-specific stadium with a capacity for over 6,000 spectators — adjacent to Langley City Centre.

In 2026, the region will also gain a major new concert, events, and entertainment venue — the new $104-million, 10,000-seat PNE Amphitheatre, which will be a fully covered outdoor venue to expand its operating season far beyond the summer months.

You might also like: