SCOTIABANK ARENA

Scotiabank Arena is Toronto's flagship indoor sports and entertainment venue, anchoring the city's downtown sports district beside Union Station. Opened in 1999 as Air Canada Centre, it replaced Maple Leaf Gardens as the Maple Leafs' home and gave the Raptors a permanent NBA arena. Its dual NHL/NBA identity, transit-connected location, and year-round concert calendar make it one of the most important venue entities in Canada.

Scotiabank Arena is the beating heart of Canadian pro sports — home to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and one of the busiest concert venues in the world. Sitting on Bay Street directly above Union Station, it is the most accessible major arena in North America.

Opened in 1999 as the Air Canada Centre, the building was renamed in 2018 after a 20-year, $800-million naming-rights deal with Scotiabank — at the time the largest in North American sports history.

The arena famously hosted the Toronto Raptors' 2019 NBA Finals run, with thousands more fans packing 'Jurassic Park' outside in Maple Leaf Square — a Canadian sports moment that defined the building's modern identity.

19,800 basketball / 18,800+ hockey depending on configuration

• Hockey18,819
• Basketball19,800
• Concert19,800

Capacity varies by sport and standing-room setup.

• Postal building origins and adaptive reuse
• Air Canada Centre era
• Renaming to Scotiabank Arena
• Leafs and Raptors venue impact
• Transit, PATH and Union Station access
• Capacity by hockey, basketball and concert setup

• Opened in February 1999 as Air Canada Centre and renamed Scotiabank Arena on July 1, 2018.
• Built on the site of the Canada Post Delivery Building; east and south walls/facade elements were retained/restored.
• Shared NHL/NBA home for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors; hockey and basketball capacities differ.

1. 1999Opens as Air Canada Centre on February 19 with a Tragically Hip concert
2. 2002Hosts NHL All-Star Game
3. 2016Hosts NBA All-Star Weekend — first ever outside the United States
4. 2018Renamed Scotiabank Arena in July
5. 2019Raptors win NBA Championship; Game 5 played here
6. 2024New centre-hung scoreboard installed for season

Current

• Toronto Maple Leafs
• Toronto Raptors
• Toronto Rock

• 2019 NBA Finals (Raptors championship)
• 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend
• Multiple Stanley Cup Playoff runs
• World Cup of Hockey 2016 final
• Hosted U2, Taylor Swift, The Tragically Hip's farewell tour stops

The 100s lower bowl wraps tight to the ice and court — the closest sightlines are sections 113–118 along the benches. The 300s upper bowl is famously steep, but Row 1 of any 300 section is a great-value seat. Premium options include the Scotiabank Suite Lounge, Platinum Club behind the Leafs bench, and the rinkside Chairman's Suite. Accessibility seating is available throughout the bowl with companion seats.

Located atop Union Station with direct indoor PATH access — the GO Train, UP Express to Pearson, TTC subway (Line 1, Union), and TTC streetcar all converge underneath. Driving is discouraged; nearby Green P and private lots run $40–$80 on event nights. Toronto Island Airport is a 10-minute walk plus ferry.

The Hot Stove Club steakhouse is the signature dining experience. Concourse highlights include Pizza Pizza, smoked-meat sandwiches from Mustard, Real Sports Apparel flagship store, and an extensive Ontario craft beer selection. The Scotiabank Loft on the 300 level offers all-inclusive food and drink in a club setting.

What to check before you go

• bag policy
• prohibited items
• camera/video rules
• mobile tickets
• cashless payments
• re-entry
• accessibility entrances
• transit and parking
• door times
• food and beverage
• family washrooms
• sensory/accessibility accommodations

Official policy sources

• Scotiabank Arena bag policy

  Official page says bag policy is subject to change by event; summarize only with disclaimer.

• Scotiabank Arena Know Before You Go

  Use for current event-entry planning guidance.

Tour status · verify current official status before publishing

• candidate not fact source
  AMAZING Behind the Scenes look at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena!

  Behind-the-scenes venue feel; verify before embedding.

  Search result showed ~44K views at verification time; likes not verified via search.

• candidate official video
  Inside Scotiabank Arena - Episode 12: Concerts

  Concert load-in / arena operations texture.

  Views not used as authority; verify channel ownership before embed.

Videos are included for venue feel and visitor context. Use official venue/team/municipal sources for factual claims; verify video views/likes/channel identity at publish time.

• Scotiabank Arena capacity changes and event configurations
• Scotiabank Arena naming rights and former names
• Scotiabank Arena transit, parking and arrival guide
• Scotiabank Arena accessibility and family visitor notes
• Scotiabank Arena seating, sightlines and atmosphere
• Scotiabank Arena concert setup vs sports setup
• Scotiabank Arena neighbourhood or district impact in Toronto
• Scotiabank Arena historic moments and major events timeline
• Scotiabank Arena hockey rink operations and ice events
• Scotiabank Arena suite, club and premium seating guide

Supporting pages should be generated only after official sources are checked; policy pages require event-specific disclaimers.

Last verified May 20, 2026

• scotiabankarena.com
• en.wikipedia.org
• scotiabankarena.com