Calgary Wranglers

Calgary Wranglers

Arena Name: Stampede Corral
Capacity: 7,475
Built: 1950
Address: 10 Corral Trail SE, Calgary, AB T2G 2W1
Ice Surface Size: Regulation
Last Game: 2019
Demolished: 2021

WHL

 Stampede Corral

Stampede Corral

 What's the Arena Like?

The Stampede Corral was built in 1950 on the grounds of the Calgary Stampede as the main arena for the city of Calgary. It acted in that capacity for thirty-three years, until the 1983 opening of the Olympic Saddledome across the street. But the Corral would carry on until the 2010's, still hosting smaller events. From the steps of the Saddledome, the Corral was a squat cinderblock building with a huge Stampede mural painted on its face.

I never got inside the Corral before its demolition, but from internet pictures it appears to have all been on one level. It's a shame that a perfect junior-sized arena was never made better use of by the Hitmen, but for the most part they only played playoff games there when the Saddledome was double-booked.

 What's It Used for Today?
The Corral was used by a variety of Calgary teams over the years, including the WHL's Centennials and Wranglers. The NHL's Flames also played in the building between their move to Alberta in 1980 and the construction of the new Olympic Saddledome in 1983. The Hitmen used the building as their permanent home only for one season, 1994-95, but played odd games here and there at the Corral when the Saddledome wasn't available.

In 2018 and in anticipation of the Corral's impending demolition, the Calgary Hitmen played three final games at the old barn, including wearing the old Cowboys, Wranglers and Centennials jerseys for those games. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed demolition somewhat, but it finally got underway in the fall of 2020 and was completed in 2021. The site will be home in the future to Calgary's convention centre, which was under construction as of my latest visit in the winter of 2023.

 Feedback
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at Email and I'll update the guide.


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Last Revised: February 9, 2023