The architectural firm that designed Rogers Place says attendance, now pegged at 500,000, has exceeded expectations since the arena opened in September.



Rogers Place has sold out 45 home games for the Edmonton Oilers while the Edmonton Oil Kings had their largest attendance on opening night.



Ryan Gedney, who is a senior project designer for HOK, touted the long-term vision for the arena.



“The arena and the adjacent ICE District currently under construction are milestone projects that won’t just shape Edmonton, but will also influence the way communities across the world approach the use of a sports and entertainment anchor venue in developing successful mixed-use districts,” he said in a statement Wednesday.





The arena has a capacity of more than 18,000 people for hockey games and 20,000 for concerts. Since opening, approximately 500,000 visitors have passed through the venue for various events.



The ICE district, which is set to be completed by 2020, is being branded as Canada’s largest mixed-use sports and entertainment project, including a public plaza, a JW Marriott hotel, offices, condos, retail, a casino, nightlife and restaurants.