Keystone Centre
Encyclopedia
Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It has 415000 square feet (38,554.8 m²) of multi-use space under one roof. The main 6,042-seat arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, previously known as the Keystone Arena, is now known as Westman Communications Group Place. On May 1, 2007, Westman Communications Group
Westman Communications Group
Westman Communications Group is the operating name of Westman Media Co-operative. Formerly referred to as Westman Cable, it is the main cable television company for the city of Brandon, Manitoba and the surrounding towns and villages of southwestern Manitoba.WCG was established in 1977 and...
purchased the naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
of the main arena, as well as the viewing lounge. It is home to the Brandon Wheat Kings
Brandon Wheat Kings
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
, the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba
Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba
The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is a non-profit organization and an agricultural society in Brandon, Manitoba that produces several fairs and events in the city, creating a significant economic impact in the region...
, and various other events and activities.
The Western Canadian Junior "B" Hockey Championship, the Keystone Cup
Keystone Cup
The Keystone Cup is the Junior "B" ice hockey championship and trophy for Western Canada. The Championship is the culmination of the champions of 12 hockey leagues in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northwestern Ontario.-History:...
, is named after the Keystone Centre as it was the alternate site used by the original tournament in 1983 that took place in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
-Transportation:Portage la Prairie railway station is served by Via Rail with both The Canadian and Winnipeg – Churchill trains calling at the station....
.
The original structure was built in 1972, but has seen numerous expansions since that time, including the construction of a hotel that replaced a former home of the Wheat Kings, the adjacent Manex Arena
Manex Arena
The Manex Arena was an indoor arena located in Brandon, Manitoba. It briefly hosted the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League between the demolition of the Wheat City Arena in 1969 and the construction of the Keystone Centre in 1972. Manex Arena was located in the same sports complex as...
. It underwent interior redesign in the summer of 2007. HD televisions in the concourse and two electronic reader board messaging systems as part of the ten-year deal with WCG.
On October 15, 2008 the WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
announced that Brandon had won the rights to host the 2010 Memorial Cup
2010 Memorial Cup
The 2010 Memorial Cup was a 4-team round-robin format tournament played during May 14–23, 2010 in Brandon, Manitoba. It determined the 92nd major junior champions of the Canadian Hockey League . The Western Hockey League announced on October 15, 2008, that the Brandon Wheat Kings were chosen to...
from May 14–23, 2010 at the Westman Communications Group Place.