McMahon Stadium History: How Calgary Built a Football Landmark in Just 103 Days

This is the first post in Calgary’s Concrete Chronicles — a new blog series exploring the iconic landmarks that have shaped the spirit, skyline, and soul of Calgary. From stadiums to skyscrapers, each post will uncover the stories behind the structures that define our city. We love sharing this information, especially with newcomers or people looking for a new adventure in Calgary.

We’re kicking things off with McMahon Stadium, a gridiron giant built in just 103 days — and a venue that’s hosted everything from CFL thrillers to Olympic magic.

 

Use our quick navigation guide below to jump to any point of our blog on McMahon Stadium: 65 Years of Football, Olympics, and Flames:  


Before McMahon: The Legacy of Mewata Stadium

Before McMahon Stadium’s concrete towers rose on the city’s northwest edge, Calgary football lived downtown — at Mewata Stadium, beside the historic Mewata Armouries.

Opened in 1908, Mewata was Calgary’s first real sports field — a humble wooden, open-air venue that hosted track meets, rugby, soccer, and eventually, professional football. From 1945 to 1959, it was home to the Calgary Stampeders, whose early years there defined the team’s spirit.

Located at 11th Street and 14th Avenue SW, right next to the sandstone Armouries, Mewata could seat around 10,000 to 12,000 fans. The bleachers creaked, the locker rooms were cramped, and the field often turned to mud after a fall snow. But for Calgarians of the era, Mewata was magic — the roar of the crowd echoing off downtown buildings, the smell of popcorn, and the thrill of prairie football.

By the mid-1950s, though, Calgary was booming, and Mewata was showing its age. Renovation plans proved costly and constrained by space. The city needed something bigger, better, and built for the future.

That’s when two visionary oilmen — Frank and George McMahon — stepped forward with a daring idea: fund and build a new stadium in the northwest, in record time.

The 103-Day Miracle That Built McMahon Stadium

In 1960, Calgary needed a new home for the Stampeders — and fast. With crowds outgrowing Mewata Stadium, and optimism surging in Alberta’s oil-boom years, the city took a leap of faith.

The McMahon brothers pledged $300,000 of their own money and guaranteed additional funding. They promised the impossible: a fully operational football stadium by kickoff that same year.

Against all odds, McMahon Stadium was completed in just 103 days — concrete poured, seats installed, lights raised, and grass laid down before the August 15 home opener against Winnipeg. Built on land that would later become the University of Calgary campus, it became a testament to the city’s relentless energy and determination.

From Modest Beginnings to a National Stage

What began as a 22,000-seat field of dreams didn’t stay small for long. Over the next decades, the stadium grew with its city:

  • 1967–1978: A series of expansions pushed capacity beyond 32,000.

  • 1975: Artificial turf installed; Calgary hosted its first Grey Cup.

  • 1988: The Winter Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies turned McMahon into a global stage.

  • 2011: The NHL Heritage Classic transformed the football turf into an outdoor hockey rink.

Each renovation mirrored Calgary’s evolution — from frontier optimism to urban energy.

The Beating Heart of Calgary Football

Home to the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL and the University of Calgary Dinos, McMahon has seen generations of triumph and heartbreak under the prairie sky. From flurries during Grey Cups to late-summer sunsets over the bleachers, it’s where Calgarians have gathered for over six decades to celebrate, mourn, and rally.

There’s a rhythm to McMahon — marching bands, cowbells, the Stamps’ horse galloping after touchdowns — that makes it more than concrete and steel. It’s part of the city’s DNA.

More Than a Stadium: A City’s Time Capsule

McMahon Stadium has hosted it all:

  • Concerts, community events, and high-school championships

  • The 1988 Olympic torch lighting up a cold February night

  • The 2011 Heritage Classic, where fans watched the Flames and Canadiens battle outdoors in the snow

These moments stitched McMahon into Calgary’s identity — a landmark as iconic as the Saddledome or the Calgary Tower.

When the World Watched: The 1988 Winter Olympics

In February 1988, McMahon Stadium became a global stage when Calgary hosted the XV Olympic Winter Games.

Both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies were held here, transforming the football field into a snowy amphitheatre of pageantry and pride.

  • Opening Ceremony (Feb. 13, 1988): More than 60,000 spectators filled the stands as athletes from 57 nations paraded through the snow. The Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds performed an aerial flyover, and doves were released as a symbol of peace. The highlight came when 12-year-old figure skater Robyn Perry lit the Olympic flame — representing the youth and optimism of Calgary.

  • Closing Ceremony (Feb. 28, 1988): It marked the first outdoor closing ceremony in Winter Olympics history, with temperatures dipping below freezing but spirits soaring.

The Olympic cauldron still stands near McMahon today — a permanent reminder that, for two unforgettable weeks, Calgary’s local football stadium became the centre of the sporting world.

Ice Under the Open Sky: The 2011 NHL Heritage Classic

More than two decades later, McMahon Stadium once again transformed — this time from gridiron to frozen rink.

On February 20, 2011, over 41,000 fans bundled up against −10°C temperatures to witness the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic, an outdoor regular-season game between the Calgary Flames and the Montreal Canadiens.

The Flames triumphed 4-0, with Miikka Kiprusoff stopping 39 shots for the first shutout in an NHL outdoor game. Rene Bourque scored twice, and the crowd’s roar echoed through northwest Calgary.

The Heritage Classic was the first outdoor NHL game in Canada since 2003, blending two national passions — hockey and winter — in the heart of Alberta.

The event was a logistical feat: an NHL-quality rink built on a football field, temporary stands expanded, and heaters working overtime. But it worked beautifully — proof that McMahon could still evolve, decades after its concrete was poured.

The Neighbourhood Around the Stadium  

McMahon Stadium isn’t just a sports venue — it’s part of a living, breathing corner of Calgary. Nestled between the communities of Banff Trail, University Heights, and St. Andrews Heights, the stadium sits at a crossroads of history, education, and everyday life.

Across the street is Foothills Athletic Park, home to Foothills Stadium — Calgary’s main baseball venue and a site that has hosted minor league teams, community games, and international tournaments. The stadium has seen its own share of debates around upgrades and redevelopment, with city planners eyeing the entire area as a future mixed-use sports and recreation hub.

Just a few blocks west lies the University of Calgary, whose students have streamed to McMahon for decades to cheer on the Dinos or catch a CFL game. The nearby Banff Trail C-Train station makes access easy, and the area buzzes with restaurants, coffee shops, and student housing that give it a unique, energetic vibe on game days.

Whether you're grabbing a pre-game bite on Crowchild Trail, meeting friends on the train, or strolling over from a nearby home, McMahon is part of the fabric of northwest Calgary — a stadium tucked right into the rhythm of the city.

An Aging Icon with a New Chapter Ahead

Now over 65 years old, McMahon is one of the oldest active facilities in the CFL. Its concrete bones are weathered, the amenities dated, and debate swirls over whether it’s time for a replacement or a full modernization.

But the story isn’t over yet.

In 2026, the 113th Grey Cup will return to Calgary — hosted right here at McMahon Stadium. The city will once again welcome the entire country to the same stands that have seen everything from Olympic torches to championship parades.

And for Stampeders fans in 2025, the mission is clear: if the team makes a deep playoff run, you’ll have to hit the road to cheer them on in that year’s Grey Cup. But one season later, in 2026, the CFL’s biggest game will come home to Calgary — and to McMahon.

It’s poetic symmetry — the stadium that once symbolized Calgary’s rise now has the chance to showcase its enduring legacy once again.

The Legacy of McMahon Stadium

Few venues capture the soul of a city like McMahon. Built fast, funded locally, and loved fiercely, it’s a living reminder that great things don’t always need billion-dollar budgets — sometimes, they just need belief.

For 65 years, McMahon has stood as a meeting place for generations of Calgarians — a symbol of what the city can build when it dares to dream big.

And when the lights shine bright for the 2026 Grey Cup, McMahon will once again remind Canada why this old concrete giant still matters.

Visiting McMahon Stadium: Skip the Parking, Ride the CTrain

If you're heading to the game tomorrow to watch some CFL action and see the Stampeders take on the BC Lions, do yourself a favour — leave the car at home. Parking around McMahon is limited, and definitely not free, especially on game day. The easiest (and stress-free) way to get there? Hop on the CTrain. The Banff Trail Station drops you just steps from the stadium gates. Whether you're coming from downtown or the suburbs, it’s the smartest way to beat traffic, save money, and get into game mode with your fellow fans along the way.

Share Your McMahon Memory 

What’s your McMahon Stadium story?

A freezing Grey Cup, a roaring touchdown, a concert under the stars? Share it with your family and friends or even better, live some and make some — because every cheer, every echo, every fan keeps this Calgary landmark alive.

Explore McMahon Stadium Events

McMahon Stadium Events Calgary
Dusko Sremac - Calgary REALTOR®

Calgary’s Concrete Chronicles: Built to Last

The structures that define Calgary tell the story of who we are — bold, fast-moving, and built with purpose. From McMahon Stadium’s 103-day miracle to the modern skyline rising above us today, I believe every concrete giant says something about this city’s spirit of ambition and resilience.

Through this series, I’m exploring the landmarks that shaped Calgary’s identity — because understanding where we’ve come from helps us imagine where we’re going next in this city we all love.

Dusko Sremac – Calgary & Area REALTOR® | Team Lead, REPYYC

Cell: 403-988-0033   |   Email: dusko@repyyc.com

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