Scoring the World Cup of Hockey before Calgary’s new rink is even built is a stunning win for the city.

The NHL and boss Gary Bettman obviously believe Scotia Place will open in fall 2027 and be ready for the tournament in early 2028.

In fact, Bettman has suggested that without Calgary’s new rink and entertainment area, Alberta wouldn’t have landed this prize at all.

Edmonton still rules in the NHL, of course. Rogers Place gets both semifinal games and the championship contest.

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But Calgarians should not be put out.

Although Bettman saw Scotia Place plans and the site, the finished project is still more than a year away.

Also, Edmonton’s Ice District is fully built-out with hotels and other amenities. In Calgary, the first neighbouring hotel is just being built.

Still, the league is betting Calgary’s arena will be up and running in plenty of time for the tournament.

Bettman, always up for some local praise, said it might be “the nicest building anywhere.”

The announcement also shows the NHL isn’t worried about Alberta separatism. They’d hardly bring this event to a province that’s ripping itself out of Canada.

If the original arena deal hadn’t collapsed in December 2021, we’d have a rink and the entertainment district would be much further along.

That was disappointing. But now, the timing turns out to be fantastic for the city.

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Not long after the Flames take the ice in fall 2027 — hopefully with a strong, rebuilt team — hockey fans around the world will see the NHL’s newest and possibly best hockey venue.

A few months ago, Calgarians might have wondered if the construction, with thousands of trimmings, could possibly be complete for fall 2027.

People passing the site only saw a gigantic hole in the ground, with a few girders sticking out.

But now, with 18 months left until the first NHL puck drop, the building is taking shape.

The city provides regular updates along with some fascinating time-lapse videos.

The latest, showing work in January, reveals concrete pouring for parkade walls and the main concourse, steel framework installed on the upper deck, steel installation for one restaurant and much more.

There’s also major work around 6th Street S.E. and 9th Avenue S.E. in preparation for the 6th Street underpass into the Stampede area. This will join the 4th Street underpass as a second entry point from 9th Avenue.

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These are expensive jobs — the 4th Street S.E underpass cost $70 million in 2011. They’re necessary solely because of the Canadian Pacific Kansas City tracks and right of way, which continue to be a shabby, unsightly, embarrassing mess.

Those tracks, in fact, are the reason the East Village and Stampede zone have never been properly integrated as a flourishing east-side area.

The city is stuck with the right of way, but surely it doesn’t have to be so ugly.

With civic fortunes being spent to develop this area, you’d think the rail company could pitch in with a cleanup effort.

There’s no sign of any such gesture.

When the World Cup of Hockey starts, Calgary will get six tournament matches and one elimination game. We share that with Prague, a choice that shows the NHL’s international ambitions.

As interest rises to the final, Edmonton will still reign as Alberta’s top hockey venue.

That’s for now, but not for long.

Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Herald

X and Bluesky: @DonBraid

© Calgary Herald