The complex, originally planned to be located in West Village along the Bow River[5][7] as a "hub of pro and amateur sporting activity.

supported the plan to redevelop the West Village area, but many – including Mayor Naheed Nenshi – expressed concern at the proposal,[8] which would potentially have the city initially fund between $440 and $690 million of the projected cost which promoters claimed would be recouped over a long period of time.

[citation needed] The city of Calgary would have owned the Event Centre while CSEC would have been responsible for the facility's operation and maintenance, keeping all revenue under a 35-year lease agreement, which included a non-relocation clause for the Flames during that period.

The arena was planned to utilize an "inverted bowl" design which may not have been feasible on the selected piece of land and posed accessibility concerns.

[16] Additionally, the city announced as part of the updated deal with CSEC that the Calgary Municipal Land Corp (CMLC).

[19][20] On October 5, 2023, the City of Calgary, Province of Alberta, and CSEC announced that they had finalized agreements for the new event centre and district improvements.

[3][21] On July 22, 2024, the design and final name of the arena, Scotia Place, was announced at a groundbreaking ceremony, with construction beginning shortly after.