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The University of Calgary is exploring the construction of a new stadium on its campus for its various varsity sports teams, after years of quietly fundraising for the project.
Those teams currently play at McMahon Stadium, a shared home for the University of Calgary Dinos and Calgary Stampeders since it was built 66 years ago.
“We’ve known for some time that the Dinos will outlive McMahon Stadium,” said Nick Holt, the dean of UCalgary’s Faculty of Kinesiology.
“We need a long-term solution to ensure the future of Dinos programming.”
That long-term solution could come in the form of a “fit-for-varsity stadium,” in which UCalgary plans to seek bids for design work in the coming days after “quiet phase” fundraising $21 million alongside the Dino’s 5th Quarter, the football team’s alumni group.
According to university officials, the proposal being explored would be a training and competition stadium with a capacity between 3,500 and 7,000 seats that could support multiple Dinos field sports, including football, soccer, and rugby.
The stadium would include a “seasonal dome” to allow for year-round use, and would be open to the public when it’s not in use, Holt told Global News.
“A big part of our vision is making it available to the community,” Holt said. “We know there’s a huge shortage of facilities in Calgary, we also know there’s a massive shortage in the wintertime so our vision is to have a seasonal dome and make it available to the community in the winter.”
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According to Moshe Lander, an economist at Concordia University, the move signals McMahon Stadium is “not financially viable,” and opens the door to significant redevelopment on the site.
“Building something that’s much more in line with university athletics in Canada seems much more reasonable,” he told Global News.
“Once McMahon is no longer in use, there’s a huge opportunity there to build, whether it’s dorms, building or infrastructure to support a growing campus.”
The move is raising questions about where the Calgary Stampeders will play in the future as the university’s proposal is smaller than typical CFL venues.
In a statement, Calgary Stampeders president Jay McNeil said McMahon Stadium has been “an incredible home” for the team, but the building is “reaching the end of its functional life.”
“The conversation about what comes next must be led by the community it serves,” McNeil’s statement said. “This isn’t just about football — it’s about what Calgarians want for their city: a modern, accessible and welcoming gathering place that supports sport, culture and year‑round community use.”
While the building is owned by the University of Calgary, it’s the McMahon Stadium Society that oversees its operations and upgrades.
The McMahon Stadium Society’s chair, Steve Allan, told Global News he’s “rooting” for the university’s success in its proposal, as conversations are in early stages about a new home for the Stampeders.
“We’ve been working on this for about four years now when I realized we won’t be getting any more money to put into McMahon,” Allan said Thursday.
Last month, Calgary Stampede officials hinted future planned upgrades to the infield seating at GMC Stadium could make way for field sports to be played on the site.
According to Allan, moving the Calgary Stampeders to an upgraded facility on the Stampede Grounds is a logical step.
“The Calgary Stampede already has the guts of a stadium, they attract people down there, they have transportation, they have parking,” Allan said, “They’ve got a lot of what we need so I think it makes a ton of sense.”
Back at the university, officials expect to receive initial designs for a potential stadium by the fall to firm up timelines and costs, with a “more public” campaign to raise funds for the project in the coming months.
According to Holt, officials continue to assess potential locations for the stadium on the campus’ west side, noting the project is “years, not decades” away.
“The key thing is to be on campus to bring the energy to our campus and give something for our students to really get behind,” he said.
McMahon Stadium is set to host the 113th Grey Cup game later this year.
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