In December 2011, after years of debate, St. Catharines City Council voted 9–3 to approve the construction of a multi-use spectator facility with 4,500 to 5,300 seats, at a maximum cost of $50 million.

[3] Ball-Rankin donated a pair of 25-metre elevated walkways to connect the centre to the city's downtown area on St. Paul Street, at a cost of $2 million.

The arena offers basic concession fare but also has other menu items not typically found including jalapeño sausages, macaroni and cheese and fresh salads.

The Niagara IceDogs won their first game at the Meridian Centre on October 16, 2014, against the Belleville Bulls by a score of 7–4 in front of a sellout crowd of 5,300, the largest attendance in franchise history.

In 2015, the Meridian Centre welcomed a secondary tenant in the Niagara River Lions of the National Basketball League of Canada.

[7] On September 29, 2016, the Meridian Centre hosted a pre-season exhibition game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League.

[8] The Meridian Centre hosted the 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the annual Canadian women's curling championship, between February 16 and 26, 2017.

The arena has also hosted such acts as John Mellencamp, The Tragically Hip, Chris De Burgh, Blue Rodeo, Tim Hicks, Old Dominion, Elton John, Daniel O' Donnell, Metric, Johnny Reid, The Glorious Sons, Hedley, Sum 41, NLE Choppa, Ice Cube, Arkells, Death Cab For Cutie, Barenaked Ladies, The Offspring, Simple Plan, Swae Lee, Randy Bachman, The Doobie Brothers, Burton Cummings & Jann Arden.

[9] In July 2024, the arena hosted Jelly Roll in his first performances in Canada, with the Meridian Centre being the first ever Canadian tour stop.