On Thursday, August 10, 2023, the 268,000 square foot venue opened following over two years of construction. (Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

Lethbridge & District Exhibition’s Agri-Food Hub and Trade Centre opens doors

Aug 11, 2023 | 11:31 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Lethbridge & District Exhibition’s Agri-Food Hub and Trade Centre opened its doors to the public on Thursday, August 10, 2023.

On Thursday, the 268,000 square foot venue opened with two celebrations to kick off it’s life cycle, including a morning pipe offering with the Blackfoot Confederacy and an afternoon ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony.

Construction on the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre began in March 2021, and cost $76.6 million to complete.

The project was funded by multiple sources. The Government of Alberta through Alberta’s Recovery Plan, the City of Lethbridge, Lethbridge County, a $3.5 million federal grant from PrairiesCan, and a 30-year loan secured against the future operations of the venue.

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Mike Warkentin, CEO, Lethbridge & District Exhibition, said, “The Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre will shine a light on the agriculture industry, bring people to our region, and be an economic driver for generations to come. This is where Canadian agriculture grows.”

Among the features of the building are a new, state-of-the-art audio-visual system, 104,000 square feet of trade floor space, four banquet salons, four meeting rooms, and outdoor patio areas.

Lethbridge & District Exhibition expects the centre to contribute more than $90 million annually to the regional economy.

Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation RJ Sigurdson said, “This [centre] is a huge importance to both the province, but also it shows a lot of advancements in sustainability that’s happening right now in agriculture, and it also showcases a lot of what we have to offer for investment in agri-food production.”

A free public open house will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 12.

The building will also host multiple events during Whoop-Up Days, including the Whoop-Up Days Marketplace, the Siksikaitsitapi Pow Wow and Princess Pageant, the Wildlife Festival, and Pure Power Wrestling’s Hot Summer Night.

READ MORE: Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre to open summer 2023

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