Lesley Plumley is the owner and creative director of LP Events, an award-winning event management company in Calgary. She has planned and executed some of Calgary’s largest major events for more than 20 years and says, bringing a client’s vision to life is the biggest reward. “It is such an organic feeling as a lot of clients have a hard time articulating what they really want. So, with a lot of brainstorming with the client and then with my…
Tourism Calgary chief executive officer Cindy Ady is retiring after 10 years of successfully elevating Calgary’s profile as a year-round global tourism destination. Ady’s retirement marks the end of an astonishing era of growth and change for tourism in Calgary and signals the beginning of Tourism Calgary’s next remarkable phase and a comprehensive search process for a new CEO. The organization has undergone significant positive changes under Ady’s leadership, expanding its focus from just marketing to long-term industry development – growing its…
Calgary has moved one step closer towards breaking ground on a modern event centre. Construction of the event centre building, new public plazas and Calgary’s first downtown community rink on the new event centre block, and other district improvements will likely start in 2024. A finalized agreement to fund Calgary’s future event centre (between the City of Calgary, the Alberta government, Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) and the Calgary Stampede) allows the city to begin the design and pre-construction…
Calgary’s BMO Centre will welcome visitors to the new building in 2024 with the project on time and on budget. The $500-million expansion will add 500,000 sq. ft. of convention space to the BMO Centre, making it the largest convention centre in Western Canada, with more than one-million square feet. The new space will feature three floors of tradeshow and convention space, with a more than 100,000 sq. ft. exhibition hall, 38 additional meeting rooms, and two new ballrooms…
The Dorian Hotel in Calgary announced Ian Jones is taking the helm as the hotel’s new general manager. “We are thrilled to announce the addition of Ian Jones to our talented team. His expertise and passion for flare flawlessly aligns with our vision of excellence,” says Erin Richter, director of sales and marketing. “We are confident that Ian’s contributions will further enhance our guests’ experiences and solidify our position as Calgary’s premier lifestyle destination.” With more than 35 years of…
When it comes to planning corporate meetings and events, combining the right venue and hotel accommodation location can offer many benefits. Calgary is adding an exciting new option for planners with the announcement of a new convention centre hotel. Construction on the hotel will begin in 2024 and connect directly to BMO Centre, which is currently undergoing an extensive expansion. Matthews Southwest Hospitality (MSWH) will create the first hotel at Stampede Park and connect an expected 220 plus rooms…
The Dorian, Autograph Collection (The Dorian), in Calgary has appointed Kevin Birch as its executive chef, who will oversee the hotel’s three dining experiences. Birch, the hotel’s newest team member, is an accomplished chef, a successful entrepreneur, and has been a culinary instructor at Canada’s top hospitality school, SAIT. He has led teams of more than 200 culinary professionals and has worked in two of Canada’s top 100 restaurants. He will be overseeing all three culinary offerings at The…
Designs for a new $12 million disability arts venue in Calgary have been unveiled by the National accessArts Centre (NaAC). Conceptual drawings and plans have been developed by Dialog, a previous collaborator with NaAC. The facility will include an art gallery, cafe, performance venues and outdoor gathering spaces. A multidisciplinary studio space will make up the heart of the building that will also feature a protected roof terrace, open office administration space for the 46-year-old organization, and a lower terrace that…
Crews have broken ground on the $500 million BMO Centre expansion at Calgary’s Stampede Park in the city’s developing culture and entertainment district. “We are thrilled to see this project move into the construction phase on schedule,” said Kate Thompson, president and CEO of the Calgary Municipal Land Corp. (CMLC). “I believe it’s just the beginning of big, positive change for this district and downtown Calgary as a whole — something that’s going to be galvanizing for our city, which, as…
Work to expand BMO Centre at Calgary’s Stampede Park is entering a new phase with the completion of Exhibit Hall F — 100,000 square feet of exhibition space on the north side of the existing convention centre. “Over the past 18 months, our project team has made significant progress on the preparatory work required to support the successful delivery of the BMO Centre expansion,” says Kate Thompson, president and CEO of the Calgary Municipal Land Corp. (CMLC). “While we’ve certainly…
