10 years on: How has the MTS Centre changed downtown Winnipeg?

It has been 10 years since the MTS Centre opened up on Portage Avenue, which has some reflecting on what kind of impact it has had on downtown Winnipeg.

• From the CBC archives: Hello MTS Centre … goodbye, 'Old Barn' 

Jino Distasio, director of the Institute of Urban Studies at the University of Winnipeg, said the arena has revitalized downtown.

"There's little doubt that the MTS Centre has been the most dramatic addition to the downtown, in probably several decades," said Distasio. "In fact, I think next to the MTS centre, we have to go back to The Forks Market to see something of a similar type of impact."

Distasio said that although downtown Winnipeg is still a work in progress, he thinks the arena continues to attract things like more condo development.

'Limited' improvement

"We do get a lot of exposure,” said Gurinder​ Nirula.

Nirula owns the O'Calcutta store across the street from the MTS Centre. He has been in business in downtown Winnipeg for 35 years.

Nirula said he’s seen a lot change in the area in that time, but the addition of the arena hasn't necessarily made it better for his business.

"It's brought more people back downtown to some extent, but I believe it's done so in a very limited fashion."

Nirula said he would like to see more people downtown more often, not just for hockey games or concerts.

Downtown Biz

The Downtown Winnipeg Biz's Stefano Grande said more people are living downtown thanks to the MTS Centre.

"If you just look at the numbers, The MTS arena itself brings 1.5 million people to the downtown every year,” said Grande.

Those numbers will only continue to grow as more condos are developed over time, said Grande.