GSL Group

What GSL Group does

GSL Group is a privately held, Vancouver-headquartered holding company founded in 1989 by Graham Lee, organized across eight operating divisions: Sports Facilities and Arenas, Entertainment, Sports, Food and Hospitality, Media, Tech and Ecommerce, Real Estate, and Investments. The company's core operations center on owning, designing, building, and operating multi-purpose arenas and recreational facilities in British Columbia — including Prospera Place in Kelowna (operating since 1999, 25 years as of 2025), Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, and multiple Planet Ice facilities in Delta, Coquitlam, and Maple Ridge — delivered through a publicly-recognized public-private partnership (P3) model that shields municipalities from construction and operating risk while generating property tax remittances and capital contributions back to the cities. GSL monetizes these venues through a diversified stack of revenue streams: live event ticket sales (via its in-house Select Your Tickets platform, one of Canada's largest independent ticketing providers), sports operations including ownership of the WHL's Victoria Royals, hospitality and concessions, third-party event rentals, digital out-of-home advertising through GSL Media (a newly launched network across Victoria, Vancouver, and Kelowna), fantasy sports services via OfficePools.com (serving 600,000+ teams each season), and real estate development and property management of 3 million+ square feet of community space.

The company's underlying technology stack spans in-house LED video and score-clock software (deployed across its venues since 2004), an autonomous ice time verification system developed inside the GSL IDEA Lab, and the Select Your Tickets / OfficePools.com consumer platforms. GSL's GTM model is multi-channel: enterprise P3 sales directly to municipal governments, B2B sponsorship and advertising sales to brands (including through GSL Media), and direct-to-consumer ticket and merchandise sales through both owned venues and Select Your Tickets, supplemented by an event-driven festival strategy including Rock The Lake (8th edition in 2025, $79–$495 ticket range), Kelowna Hockey Fest (launched August 2024), Ambleside Live, and the upcoming Anyma 'ÆDEN'-headlined Soulrise Music Festival at Ambleside Park in August 2026.

GSL is entirely bootstrapped since its 1989 founding, with founder Graham Lee serving as sole shareholder and CEO, and the company has expanded into adjacent verticals (Blue Gentian Capital investment vehicle, Canadian Wildfire Prevention Foundation, Graham Lee Innovation Centre at UBC, hospitality including a blueberry farm) while remaining operationally anchored to its BC venue footprint. The business has not raised external equity capital and operates without disclosed financial statements, while employing 1,001–5,000 people across its diversified operations.

Name

GSL Group

Legal name

GSL Group

Website

https://gslholdings.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

GSL Group is a Vancouver-based, privately held holding company founded in 1989 that owns and operates premier sports and entertainment venues across British Columbia — including Prospera Place and Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre — under a pioneering P3 municipal model, alongside sports team ownership (Victoria Royals), ticketing, digital out-of-home advertising, and real estate development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Facility Operations and Live Entertainment

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional Multi-Sport Games & Festival Organizers (MPAKADAK)

Keywords

• Sports facility operations
• Live entertainment venues
• Public-private partnerships
• Arena management services
• Community recreation development

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Live Entertainment and Events: Revenue from concerts, music festivals, live performances, and outdoor events through ticket sales, event production fees, and venue rentals at arenas such as Prospera Place and Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
2. Sports Operations and Team Ownership: Revenue from Victoria Royals WHL hockey team ownership, hosting NHL exhibition games, international hockey events, and community sports programs including hockey academies.
3. Arena and Facility Operations: Revenue from operating multi-purpose arenas and recreational facilities under P3 arrangements with municipalities, including Prospera Place, Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, Planet Ice facilities, and other community venues.
4. Food, Hospitality and Concessions: Revenue from restaurants, hotels, catering services, farm operations, and concessions at venues and events.
5. Digital Out-of-Home Advertising: GSL Media generates revenue from digital billboard and arena display advertising across its network in Victoria, Vancouver, and Kelowna, delivering millions of monthly impressions.
6. Online Ticketing Services: Revenue from Select Your Tickets ticketing platform serving as one of Canada's largest independent ticketing providers.
7. Fantasy Sports Platform: Revenue from OfficePools.com online fantasy sport platform serving over 600,000 teams each season.
8. Real Estate Development: Revenue from real estate development, property management, and construction of residential, commercial, recreational and sports/entertainment properties under the P3 model.
9. Investment Portfolio: Strategic investments through Blue Gentian Capital spanning technology, retail and services, and real estate sectors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GSL Group designs, finances, builds and operates multi-purpose community arenas and recreational facilities under public-private partnerships (P3) with municipalities. It produces and delivers live entertainment events and festivals, owns and operates sports teams and leagues, sells tickets through its Select Your Tickets platform, and runs GSL Media's digital out-of-home advertising network across Western Canada.

Product overview

GSL Group is a diversified holding company operating across sports, live entertainment, real estate, hospitality, media, technology, and investments. The portfolio consists of multiple business divisions including sports facility ownership/operations (Planet Ice, Prospera Place, Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre), entertainment production (Rock The Lake, Ambleside Music Festival), sports team ownership (Victoria Royals, hockey/soccer leagues), technology products (OfficePools.com fantasy sports platform, Select Your Tickets ticketing platform, LED advertising services), digital media advertising (GSL Media DOOH network), real estate development (P3 model, property management), and investment vehicles (Blue Gentian Capital). The company also operates the Canadian Wildfire Prevention Foundation for social impact initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Victory Royals Foundation: Philanthropic arm of the Victoria Royals focused on health and wellness, education, and grassroots sports programming
• Graham Lee Innovation Centre
• Graham Lee Family Foundation
• Canadian Wildfire Prevention Foundation
• Blue Gentian Capital

Products and services

• OfficePools.com Online fantasy sports pool management platform offering real-time updates, player news, fantasy guides, free contests and pool configuration options for fantasy sports players across North America.
• Select Your Tickets One of Canada's largest independent ticketing providers, selling tickets for events at GSL venues and festivals and offering ticketing solutions and self-service content delivery systems.
• LED Advertising & Installation Services Large screen indoor and outdoor LED video and equipment solutions for arenas and electronic billboards, delivered end-to-end by an in-house IT group from equipment selection through physical installation and custom software development.
• GSL Media Digital Out-of-Home Advertising Premium network of digital billboards and arena displays across Victoria, Vancouver and Kelowna, including exclusive downtown boards at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, Highway 91 digital displays in Vancouver, MNP Place in Kelowna and Planet Ice facilities in Delta, Coquitlam and Maple Ridge, offering targeted digital advertising with audience reach data.
• Food and Hospitality Services Restaurants, hotel, catering, farm and concessions services delivered at GSL's venues and events, ranging from intimate dining experiences to large-scale event catering and on-site concessions.
• Victoria Royals WHL Hockey Team Owned and operated Canadian major junior ice hockey team in the B.C. Division of the Western Conference of the Western Hockey League (WHL), based in Victoria, BC and playing home games at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
• Pacific Adult Hockey League (PAHL) Adult hockey league organized by GSL Group, representing the largest adult hockey program in Western Canada and using GSL-operated ice facilities.
• Pacific Adult Soccer League (PASL) Adult soccer league organized by GSL Group, representing the largest adult soccer program in Western Canada and played at MNP Place in Kelowna.
• Hockey Academies (Victoria Jr. Royals & Delta Hockey Academy) Hockey academy programs that combine classroom education with on-ice skill development in partnership with the school system, delivered through GSL facilities including the Victoria Jr. Royals and Delta Hockey Academy.
• Rock The Lake Music Festival Three-day outdoor classic rock festival held annually outside Prospera Place in Kelowna, BC, featuring legendary bands, food and community atmosphere with live music programming by GSL Sports & Entertainment.
• Ambleside Music Festival Annual outdoor music festival at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, BC, celebrating music, art and culture with coastal scenery, diverse performer lineups and local food vendors produced by GSL Sports & Entertainment.
• Ambleside Live Community-centric outdoor concert series at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, BC, transforming scenic locations into engaging event spaces with top international music performers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6 million people have attended events at Prospera Place since 1999
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kelowna Professional Firefighters Charitable Society (KPFCS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2025Rock The Lake 2025 partnership with KPFCS through GSL Group's Canadian Wildfire Prevention Foundation. Festival donates $1 per ticket sold plus proceeds from limited edition merchandise to fire prevention and relief efforts. GSL Group committed to match donations up to $5,000.
• Kelowna High Performance (KHP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2025Co-presenter of Kelowna Hockey Fest with GSL Sports & Entertainment. KHP brings hockey players, fans, families together for celebration of Canada's favourite game at Prospera Place.
• Stingray MediacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 February 2025Official media partner for Rock The Lake 2025. Stingray reaches over 7 million listeners weekly across Canada, helping promote the festival to national audience through K96.3 Kelowna's Classic Rock and other Stingray stations.
• K96.3 Kelowna's Classic RockcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 February 2025Official media partner for Rock The Lake festival. Long-time partner with history with the festival since its early years.
• Curling CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Host partner for 2025 Montana's Brier curling championship at Prospera Place, featuring ten days of sold-out curling action.
• InsomniaccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with Insomniac and OFF2 to bring Anyma's 'ÆDEN' audiovisual show to Canada for the first time, headlining Soulrise Music Festival at Ambleside Park in August 2026.
• OFF2coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with Insomniac and OFF2 to bring Anyma's 'ÆDEN' audiovisual show to Canada for the first time, headlining Soulrise Music Festival at Ambleside Park in August 2026.
• YMCA of Southern Interior BCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 August 2024Kelowna Hockey Fest raised over $20,000 to support YMCA programs for low-income children and at-risk youth, including free swimming lessons, academic tools, and family support services.
• Forest Enhancement Society of BCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023Rock the Lake and Ambleside Music Festival donated ticket proceeds to support wildfire emergency efforts and forest enhancement initiatives.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oak View Group (OVG): Venue development, hospitality, and arena-focused company co-founded by Irving Azoff and Tim Leiweke. Comparable as it builds, owns, and operates premium arenas and entertainment districts — closely aligned with GSL's design-build-operate P3 model.
• Legends Hospitality: Hospitality, merchandise, partnerships, and venue services business serving sports and entertainment properties worldwide. Comparable in providing venue-side services and sponsorship sales that complement owned-arena operations like GSL's.
• Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE): Owns and operates multiple Canadian professional sports franchises (Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC, Argonauts) and venues including Scotiabank Arena. Comparable as a Canadian-owned multi-team, multi-venue sports and entertainment operator.
• ASM Global: World's largest venue management and facilities services company, operating hundreds of arenas, stadiums, and convention centers under public-private and municipal partnerships. Directly comparable to GSL's managed-services and arena operations across BC, with similar P3-style third-party operating arrangements.

Others

• Pollstar: Leading industry trade publication tracking live entertainment ticketing, venue performance, and touring trends; naming GSL's Prospera Place as 'Canada's Best Facilities' makes it a relevant adjacent peer rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Live Nation Entertainment: Largest global live entertainment company with concert promotion, venue ownership, ticketing, and sponsorship arms. Compares to GSL's festival and ticketing divisions (Select Your Tickets, Rock The Lake, Ambleside Music Festival).
• Comcast Spectacor: Sports and entertainment arm of Comcast, operating venues (including Spectra division now part of ASM), teams and content businesses. Provides a broader comparable for GSL's combination of venue operations and owned sports teams.
• AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group): Diversified global sports and live entertainment company operating venues, teams, and festivals worldwide. Overlaps with GSL's arena ownership, event production, and ticketing footprints at much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GSLgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/GSL-Group-996586283727864
• LinkedInca.linkedin.com/company/gsl-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/gslgroup

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GSL Group