(EDMONTON & TORONTO) – Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG), in association with Rogers Sportsnet, is proud to announce the worldwide television premiere of Part Two of “Arena: Building of an Icon”, on Friday, December 9 at 5:00 PM MST on Sportsnet prior to the Oilers game against the Minnesota Wild (check local listings).
This two-part documentary series explores in-depth the eight-year effort to construct and operate the brand new home of the Edmonton Oilers: Rogers Place.
Picking up from Part One, which told the story of the high-stakes political deal-making, innovative design and construction of Rogers Place that unfolded over five years, Part Two follows the building’s General Manager Susan Darrington and her operations staff through an intense first month of programming in the arena during the fall of 2016. Major concerts, Edmonton Oil Kings junior hockey and the Oilers training camp and exhibition games must all somehow be accommodated while Darrington and her team are working out the kinks in their new facility.
The other main thread of Part Two focuses on challenges faced by a creative and technical team, led by Oilers Event Presentation Director Rich Meyers, in preparing an unforgettable Opening Night celebration to mark the NHL team’s first regular season game in Rogers Place against the Calgary Flames on October 12. Viewers are taken behind the scenes as Meyers and his colleagues design and build an ambitious pre-game show featuring First Nations performers who link the building to the indigenous heritage of northern Canada, stunning computer-generated 3-D ice projections and a symbolic passing of the torch from two superstars of a legendary Oilers team of the past to the young captain of a team that fans fervently hope will someday become Edmonton’s next Stanley Cup champions.
“Five years in the making, “Arena: Building of an Icon” is a beautifully shot and edited documentary,” said Bob Nicholson, OEG CEO & Vice-Chairman. “It will give viewers an up-close and behind the scenes look at Rogers Place, while showcasing the amazing spaces and features that make the arena a sports and entertainment icon. This is as close as you can get to Rogers Place without actually visiting the space.”