Spectrum
Following the
wars and interwar period Edmonton
Exhibition Association (EEA) horseracing experienced a
resurgence of sorts. Renewed spirits and a growth in leisure time and
money proved an ideal match for racing in Alberta. Other prairie cities
had been building new grandstands that yielded larger audiences and
increased revenue. For the EEA board that was seeking ways to facilitate
the organization’s expansion, a grandstand seemed a smart prospect.
The first step was to tear down the old stand, wholly
constructed of wood. Timber from the structure was
salvaged and used to fashion seating in the baseball park now known as
Telus Field. On the site of the previous grandstand, a much larger
cement structure rose up.
Racing and gaming thrived over the following decades and ongoing
renovations and expansions were required. This led to
diversification of the grandstand, as it became part of a larger
multi-purpose building that offers gaming. The modern-day facility, the Spectrum,
houses five floors and a variety of
attractions. Recent renovations were completed in 2002.
In the building’s first floor is the slot room where patrons can test
their luck and intuition on games such as Sega Royal Ascot.
Also found on the main level, though at a further side of the
building, is the paddock, where horse connoisseurs and parimutuel
investors can get a close up look at the horses that will be racing.
Inside the Spectrum’s second floor are two busy areas that keep horse
racing fans entertained. Seating 300, the bustling Uplinks Sports
Theatre provides simulcast racing, which is a live video feed from races
as far as China or the Southern United States. With eyes attentively
fixed on 10-foot flat screens, Spectrum visitors can root for their top
pick while enjoying a café style meal.
For those seeking to take in live thoroughbred or harness racing
while relaxing in a refreshingly stylish environment, Colours Dining
Room restaurant is the ideal space. With its open design, plenty
of natural lighting, tiered seating, and deliciously prepared meals,
watching the horses can be a truly classy affair. An unobstructed view
of the track and simulcast feeding televisions placed at each table
allow up to 700 people to enjoy the viewing options.
Also part of the Spectrum is the outdoor concrete grandstand that is
accessed on the third level and seats 2,000. Now
more than 50 years old, this is the original component of the new
building.
Overlooking the racetrack is Eye in the Sky, the
space that houses technical staff who help make racing an
interactive sport. Unwary of heights, counters, technical callers,
popular announcers, judges, and photographers all perch above to get a
clear view of the track action. Also located in the higher levels of the
Spectrum are the luxury box seats that can accommodate about 400 people
within a comfortable closed in environment.
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