Business View Magazine | July 2019

170 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JULY 2019 tre 200 Much more than just ice C entre 200 is widely regarded as the premier cultural and entertainment venue on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, welcoming thousands of visitors through its doors, every year. Named in celebration of the harbor town of Sydney’s 200th birthday, Centre 200 is a versatile convention, exhibition, sports, and entertainment facility with exceptional flexibility to meet special requirements. It is home to the QMJHL Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, and the NBL Canada Cape Breton Highlanders. But beyond basketball and hockey, Centre 200 is much more than just court space and ice. General Manager of Centre 200, Paul MacDonald, shares the backstory. “Most of us have been with the facility 25 years or more. I was here when the AHL Cape Breton Oilers started playing in 1988 - that was the Edmonton Oilers affiliate team. Centre 200 was built in1987 for the Canada Winter Games. That was its primary purpose; it replaced an aging facility that was attached at one point, right next door. That site has now been turned into a casino. After the Games, the Centre hosted an AHL franchise for eight years and has hosted a number of national and international sports events, mainly hockey, including the World Junior Hockey Championships, National Women’s Hockey, and World Under 17 Hockey. We’ve also hosted big music concerts and award shows. Celtic Colours –a major international Celtic music festival has been here for about 22 years. We usually host the opening or closing of that event. Seven years ago, Elton John played here, and many famous country music acts have rolled