Downtown arena will be named Rogers Place

Rogers Communications Inc. has secured the naming rights for Edmonton's new downtown arena.

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The arena will be called Rogers Place.

Rogers already has naming rights for two other major sports venues including Rogers Centre where the Toronto Blue Jays and Argonauts play and Rogers Arena home to the NHL's Vancouver Canucks.

Rogers has become a major player on the Canadian sports scene in the last decade, owning the Blue Jays and with rival Bell is part owner of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which counts the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, NBA's Toronto Raptors and MLS's Toronto FC among its properties.

Last week Rogers announced a 12-year, $5.2-billion media rights agreement with the NHL, which gives Rogers national rights to all NHL games, on all of its platforms in all languages.

The Edmonton deal is for 13 years and is part of a telecommunications sponsorship deal between the Edmonton Oilers and Rogers announced in October which includes extensive brand and advertising placements and arena signs.

Rogers is also the presenting sponsor of Oilers television broadcasts, the Oilers Website and the Oilers Mobile App.

Rogers wouldn't break out how much is designated for the naming rights, saying only that $1 million is "not in the ballpark."

Mayor Don Iveson also called the deal a milestone and one more step towards downtown revitalization.

"This a rallying point for the city," he said. "It's a very good day for Edmonton's downtown."

Under the framework agreement reached earlier this year with The Katz Group, the city allowed Oilers owner Daryl Katz to keep any moneyearned from naming rights.

Construction is scheduled to begin next year with the arena set to open its doors for the 2016 NHL season.