GFL Memorial Gardens

What GFL Memorial Gardens does

GFL Memorial Gardens is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue located at 269 Queen Street East in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Owned and operated by the Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie, the facility opened in October 2006 (originally as Essar Centre, renamed in August 2018 under a naming rights agreement with GFL Environmental Inc.) and offers flexible seating for 1,000 to 6,000 attendees. It serves as the home arena of the Ontario Hockey League's Soo Greyhounds and hosts concerts, conventions, trade shows, galas, and community events, drawing audiences across Northern Ontario and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The venue's core product portfolio centers on event hosting (concerts, sporting events, corporate functions), supported by an integrated stack of ticketing (via evenue with mobile wallet support), ice rentals ($235/hour adult, $210/hour youth at GFL), VIP suite rentals with in-house catering, meeting room reservations (via Active Communities), and a 70-seat Molson Canadian Hockey House restaurant plus five fixed concession stands. Technical infrastructure includes five fully equipped dressing rooms, accessible facilities with elevators and ramps, and approximately 212 free parking spaces. The venue also operates the Insider Club — a free email membership program powered by Oracle Eloqua for pre-sale access — and houses the Sault Ste. Marie Hockey Hall of Fame on-site.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: ticket sales with facility fees, hourly ice rentals, suite and meeting room rentals, advertising (rinkboards, in-ice logos, jumbotron), and F&B operations, all governed by municipal budget processes rather than external capital markets. The go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer ticketing (Box Office at Gate A, online, phone) with B2B sales for corporate/special event bookings managed by named staff including General Manager Robert Santa Maria, Events Assistant Marc Foggia, and F&B Coordinator Anthony DiSabatino.

Name

GFL Memorial Gardens

Legal name

GFL Memorial Gardens

Website

https://gflgardens.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GFL Memorial Gardens is a municipal, multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, seating 1,000-6,000 attendees. Owned by the City, it serves as home to the OHL's Soo Greyhounds and hosts concerts, conventions, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Purpose Arena and Event Venue

NAICS

Spectator Sports (7112), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKAEAB

Arenas & Indoor Sports Centers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Venues & Facilities (Stadiums, Arenas, Tracks, Complexes)

SECONDARYMPAKAEAG

Ice Rinks & Winter Sports Facilities

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Venues & Facilities (Stadiums, Arenas, Tracks, Complexes)

SECONDARYTHAHAAAF

Sports & Arena Event Venues (Stadiums, Arenas)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Conference & Convention Venues (Convention Centers, Civic Centers)

Keywords

• Multi-purpose arena
• Sports entertainment venue
• Event ticketing services
• Ice rental facility
• Venue suite rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Sault Ste. Marie

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Event Ticketing: Revenue from ticket sales for concerts, sporting events, family shows, and comedy performances through online, phone, and Box Office channels with facility fees
2. Ice Rentals: Hourly rental of ice surface for hockey, skating, and recreational programming. Adult rate $235/hour, Youth rate $210/hour at GFL Memorial Gardens
3. Special Event Bookings: Rental of venue for concerts, sporting events, conventions, trade-shows, and galas with in-house catering available
4. Suite Rentals and Catering: VIP Suite rentals (40 tickets, VIP entrance, catering, suite attendant, in-seat service) and suite catering services for private events
5. Meeting Room Rentals: Various meeting rooms available for corporate events, training seminars, and recreational programming with online booking through Active Communities
6. Advertising and Sponsorship: In-venue advertising opportunities including rinkboards, backlits, in-ice logos, jumbotron, and exclusive in-arena promotions coordinated through Soo Greyhounds

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GFL Memorial Gardens operates a multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, accommodating 1,000 to 6,000 attendees. The venue sells event tickets online, by phone, and at the Box Office for concerts, hockey games, family shows, and conventions. It also rents ice time, meeting rooms, VIP suites, advertising space, and provides in-house food and beverage operations including the Molson Canadian Hockey House restaurant and concession stands.

Product overview

GFL Memorial Gardens is Northern Ontario's premier sports and entertainment facility offering a unified portfolio of venue services. The core offering centers on event hosting for 1,000 to 6,000 attendees, encompassing concerts, sporting events, conventions, and galas with in-house catering. The product suite includes ticketing services (online, phone, box office), ice rentals, VIP suite rentals, and meeting room facilities. Supporting services include food and beverage operations (Molson Canadian Hockey House restaurant, The Dog House, Coffee House, and concession stands), advertising opportunities, and the free Insider Club membership for priority access to events. The venue serves as home to the Soo Greyhounds (Ontario Hockey League) and operates as a City of Sault Ste. Marie-owned facility since 2006.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Soo GreyhoundscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary tenant of GFL Memorial Gardens - OHL hockey team hosting 34+ home games annually. Soo Greyhounds Business Operations office located on Suite Level. Handles ticket partnerships, merchandise (Hound Pound store), group sales for games, and jumbotron advertising.
• Algoma Makers MarketsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent organizer hosting large holiday market events at venue including 255+ local makers, artisans, and small businesses. Proceeds support Sault Area Hospital Foundation NICU.
• City of Sault Ste. MariecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner and operator of GFL Memorial Gardens. Municipal government providing venue maintenance, capital improvements, and administrative support.
• Lake Superior State University LakerssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege hockey team hosting games and special matchups at GFL Memorial Gardens
• Watchtower Convention (Jehovah's Witnesses)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecurring annual convention event held multiple times per year (2008-2026) hosting thousands of attendees over multiple days
• Sault Area Hospital FoundationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare nonprofit receiving proceeds from event donations including Algoma Makers Market Holiday Market admission donations supporting NICU
• Skills OntariosecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkills Ontario Trade & Tech Summit hosted at venue bringing educational programming and youth engagement
• CARHA WorldsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARHA World Cup Championships (2012) - international hockey tournament bringing teams from across North America
• Special Olympics OntariosecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial Olympics Ontario 2019 Winter Games hosted at venue

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Paramount Fine Foods Centre: 5,600-seat multi-purpose arena in Mississauga, Ontario hosting OHL hockey (Mississauga Steelheads), concerts, and family shows. Broader Ontario arena peer with similar capacity but in a much larger market (GTA).
• Scotiabank Arena: Premier 19,000-seat arena in Toronto operated by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, hosting NHL (Maple Leafs), NBA (Raptors), and major tours. Broader incumbent in the same Ontario arena category but at vastly larger scale and with a national/international booking book.

Direct peers

• Sudbury Community Arena: Municipal arena in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, home to the Sudbury Wolves (OHL) and a venue for concerts, trade shows, and community events in Northern Ontario. Directly comparable in market size, geographic position, tenant structure, and event mix.
• Dow Event Center: Multi-purpose arena in Saginaw, Michigan—home of the Saginaw Spirit (OHL) and a major concert/event venue. Direct cross-border peer: same OHL tenant model, comparable capacity (~5,500), and similar small-market entertainment role.
• Budweiser Gardens: Multi-purpose arena in London, Ontario, home to the London Knights (OHL) and a major concert stop. Comparable OHL tenant and event-hosting profile, though a larger market and slightly bigger venue than GFL Memorial Gardens.
• Tribute Communities Centre: Multi-purpose arena in Oshawa, Ontario, home to the Oshawa Generals (OHL) with similar seating capacity and a comparable mix of OHL hockey, concerts, and family shows. Operates as a municipal facility in a mid-sized Ontario city, making it one of the closest structural comparables to GFL Memorial Gardens.
• North Bay Memorial Gardens: Municipal arena in North Bay, Ontario, home of the North Bay Battalion (OHL). Comparable OHL-tenant mid-sized Northern Ontario arena with similar civic ownership, capacity, and event programming mix.
• CAA Arena (formerly WFCU Centre): Multi-purpose arena in Windsor, Ontario hosting concerts, family shows, and OHL-caliber events. Comparable civic-style arena serving a border-town market with similar revenue mix (ticketing, suites, F&B, advertising).
• Peterborough Memorial Centre: Municipal arena in Peterborough, Ontario, home to the Peterborough Petes (OHL). Closely comparable OHL-anchored multi-purpose arena with similar capacity, civic ownership, and concert/event programming profile.

Others

• Soo Greyhounds: OHL hockey team and primary tenant of GFL Memorial Gardens. Not a competing venue but the anchor customer driving the venue's recurring game-night revenue, suite, advertising, and merchandise operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GFLGardens
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLXSFR1kjimusTwd6_97bylcS3xQnT6CLC
• Facebookfacebook.com/gflgardens
• Instagraminstagram.com/gflgardens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gfl-memorial-gardens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 GFL Memorial Gardens