Content Provided By: Steinbach Online
The highly anticipated Southeast Event Centre in downtown Steinbach is opening its doors for the first time tonight with a special event featuring its main tenant, the Steinbach Pistons.
Michelle Sawatzky-Koop from the Southeast Event Centre (SEC) says this is an exciting moment for the community.
“We are so excited. This has been a long time coming,” she says. “I think our dream is to open the whole thing, and we will be doing that, but we are still dreaming. I think we’ll always be dreaming at the Southeast Event Centre. But this is our very first event, it’s for our main tenants, the Steinbach Pistons, and I know they’re especially excited about it.”
What to expect at the game
This first event is being described as a “soft opening” as not all parts of the building are ready. Visitors will be able to access the main spectator bowl, but only part of the lobby will be open.
“It looks close,” says Kevin Geisheimer from the Steinbach Pistons, “it’s just some of the fine details need to be completed.”
Fans attending the event should also expect limited concessions and audio-visual experiences as teams continue to familiarize themselves with the facility.
“We know we are going to grow, so as we go through the weeks and days ahead, it’s going to get better and better,” Geisheimer adds.
Tickets for upcoming games at the new arena can be purchased at tickets.steinbachpistons.ca. While tickets are sold-out for the Friday night game against the Selkirk Steelers, there are still tickets available for Saturday night’s match up against the Winnipeg Blues.
More to come for the event centre
While the arena is the first part of the centre to open, Sawatzky-Koop emphasizes that there is much more to come.
“While this isn’t all about the ice and the Pistons, but it’s essential that they’re with us,” she says. “They are part of our Southeast Event Centre family so that we can run the programs, the gym, the walking track, and get that all going. It’s going to be spectacular.”
The public is invited to be part of this historic moment as the Steinbach Pistons take to the ice in their new home.