Toronto Maple Leafs fans entering Scotiabank Arena are in for a bigger, brighter experience when they enter the building Saturday night.
Ahead of the 2023-24 NHL season, the downtown venue — also home to the Toronto Raptors — showed off the second wave of changes, which includes a transformation of the 100 Level concourse, the Event Level suites, its Real Sports retail store and the iconic Hot Stove restaurant.
The latest unveiling marks the midway point in its $350-million, four-phase renovation plan for the arena that has served as the home of the Leafs and Raptors since opening its doors in February 1999.
“Right now, as I say, we’re Jon Bon Jovi, ‘We’re halfway there,’” MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley joked. “But we’re certainly not living on a prayer.”
“The primary impetus behind the renovation was to create an incredible fan experience for our fans who come to this arena for the Maple Leafs, the Raptors or a live concert,” Nick Eaves, MLSE’s COO, told Postmedia. “The arena had many of those features, previously, but after 25 years there were things that we knew we could do differently or better.”
The “main attraction” of the overhaul is a new immersive entryway into the area by Gate 1. Content themed to that night’s event will be displayed on LED screens across the ceiling and along the walls as fans make their way inside.
“We know when fans are coming to Scotiabank Arena for a Leafs game or Raptors game or a concert, the excitement and anticipation they have as they’re coming to the arena builds throughout the day. But we want them to feel the energy when they’re coming through this entrance,” says Eaves.
Crews worked throughout the summer, with 50 concerts taking place since the Leafs and Raptors wrapped their seasons last spring.
“We’re excited about this immersive feature,” Eaves added of the main entrance. “We’re using technology in a significant way.”
In a bid to make the space more inclusive, the arena has widened its concourse to make it easier to navigate and added new all-gender washrooms and a prayer room.
For the moneyed crowd, the brand-new MNP Pass Social Club on the event level lets up to 220 guests enjoy a fine-dining experience next to the glassed-in player tunnels that the Leafs and Raptors will use as they make their way from the locker-room to the ice or basketball court.
“This is a newly renovated, reimagined space,” says Tom McDonald, the senior vice-president of ticket sales and service for MLSE. “The highlight of the club itself is the tunnels going directly through the centre. Fans will be able to see both the Maple Leafs and the visiting NHL team walk through the club as they make their way to the ice. At the other end, during basketball games, they’ll have access to see the Raptors and the visiting NBA players as well.”
The tunnel club activation mimics the one soccer fans get to experience at BMO Field with the Toronto FC.
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The famous Hot Stove Lounge, which was first a fixture at Maple Leaf Gardens after it first opened in 1963, has also undergone a floor-to-ceiling remodel.
“We saw an opportunity to do something different for our fans,” Dan Morrow, senior VP of food and beverage at MLSE, told Postmedia. “It’s a steakhouse-meets-speakeasy.”
The restaurant, located on the 200 Level, can be accessed from outside and will be open to patrons without a ticket to the night’s event.
The retail experience is also getting a refresh thanks to a second 2,600 square-foot shopping area that will let you scoop up a brand-new jersey in a little under a minute with expedited checkout stands.
“You’ve probably seen the new throwback purple Raptors jerseys,” says Shannon Hosford, MLSE’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We have another new City Edition jersey (which is a nod to Vince Carter) that you’re going to want to add to your collection.”
Construction will continue through the Leafs and Raptors’ upcoming season on additional areas of the 100 level. Next summer, Scotiabank will implement upgrades to its 300 Level section.
The Leafs open their 2024-2025 season against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. The Raptors’ 2024-25 campaign kicks off against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 23.