Langley Events Centre - Vancouver Giants
- Dave Cottenie
- 4 hours ago
- 6 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Langley Events Centre
7888 200th Street
Langley, BC V2Y 3J4
Year Opened: 2009
Capacity: 5,276
They Might Be Giants
In 2001, Vancouver, British Columbia, was granted an expansion team. The Vancouver Giants called the Pacific Coliseum home and enjoyed decent success there. The Giants took home the Ed Chynoweth Cup as Western Hockey League Champions in 2006 and eclipsed that feat with a Memorial Cup the following season. The Giants have produced several NHL players, including Cody Franson, Evander Kane, Brendan Gallagher, and Milan Lucic.
In 2016, the Giants moved away from the oversized Pacific Coliseum, the former home of the Vancouver Canucks, to the Langley Events Centre. Built in 2009 and more appropriately sized for junior hockey, Langley Events Centre is a ways from central Vancouver, but serves the suburban cities.
It is also the former home of the Vancouver Stealth of the National Lacrosse League, who later moved west to Rogers Arena and were rebranded the Vancouver Warriors. The Giants are currently owned by a consortium under the leadership of Ron Toigo, but have consistently boasted of celebrity ownership. The Giants currently boast one half of the Property Brothers, Drew Scott, and singer Michael Bublé as part of their ownership group, but proudly also boast of hockey legends Pat Quinn and Gordie Howe as former owners.
Food & Beverage 5
The food selection at Langley Events Centre is excellent. Papa John’s Pizza, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, and Triple O’s (a top-notch British Columbia burger chain) are all present in Langley Events Centre. Other food items include Grilled Cheese, nachos, Mike’s Ice Cream, Righteous Gelato, Nashville Chicken, and Macaroni and Cheese. A pre-game buffet is also available and should be reserved beforehand.
The beer selection at Langley Events Centre is top-notch. Molson Canadian and Coors are available at most stands. However, there is an excellent, local craft beer selection available at The Barley Merchant. Brands include Dead Frog, Trading Pool, Brookswood, Langley Loop, Camp Beer, Smuggler’s Trail, Five Roads, and Farm Country. Fans who enjoy wine at the game are in luck as The Wine Bar has a strong selection of BC wines available.
Atmosphere 5
Langley Events Centre is one of the most attractive junior hockey venues in the country. The LEC is located in Willoughby Community Park and has a host of sports facilities indoors, to go along with the plethora of outdoor sports fields in the area. The LEC building is attractive with huge wooden beams that support a canopy over the entries that are found at the northwest and southwest corners of the building. The western side, with the venue name above it, features wooden beams that form an outer structure, along with light siding and windows. A green space with pine trees to the west adds to the forest/cabin motif, which seems to run through the arena.
Upon entry at the northwest or southwest corners, fans must traverse a large staircase to bring them to the concourse level. Above the staircases, fans will find attractive, local wooden art. The arena features a main seating bowl consisting of 14 rows of blue, plastic arena seats. Behind the seating bowl is an open concourse for travel around the arena. Suites are found above the seating bowl in a horseshoe fashion.
The ice is west-east oriented, with the south side being the spot to be for the perfect centre ice logo picture. Huge wooden beams support the rounded ceiling and continue the forest motif, providing a very attractive interior. At the east end, at the top, hang banners honouring Pat Quinn and Gordie Howe as former owners of the Giants.
A mural with the two squaring off back in their playing days adorns the concourse below the banners. Also hanging at the east end, below the Quinn and Howe banners, are banners for the Giants Ring of Honour. Members include Scott Bonner, Mark Fistric, Gilbert Brule, Cody Franson, Andrej Meszaros, Brett Festerling, Milan Lucic, Evander Kane, Lance Bouma, Craig Cunningham, and Brendan Gallagher. Above centre ice hangs a small, four-sided videoboard, which is used for ads and video.
Simple scoreboards on each of the four sides provide scores, time, and penalties. On the south side of the videoboard, the Giants’ championship banners hang, including the 2006 WHL Championship and 2007 Memorial Cup. At the west end is a Banquet Hall, which is used for the pre-game buffet and other functions.
Gameday production at a Giants game is fairly unique. The Giants have a dance team, the Jackettes, who perform on the ice between periods and cheer from the stairways in the stands. The PA system is solid and makes easy-to-understand announcements. The Giants have two mascots, Jack the Giant and Bucky Beaver, who partake in the pre-game introductions and festivities, and partake in promotions.
Neighbourhood 3
Langley Events Centre is located in the sub-neighbourhood of Jericho, part of the Willoughby neighbourhood. There are a number of spots for pre- or post-game food or drink that are not too far away. Options include many national restaurant chains as well as Rio Brazilian, The Barley Merchant, The Bistro, Goldie’s Donuts, Brodeur’s Bistro, and S&L Kitchen. The Trinity Western Spartans share the Langley Events Centre and also play hockey there, as well as basketball in the adjoining gym.
The Vancouver Bandits of the CEBL also call the LEC home. Teams in Vancouver, including the Warriors, Canucks, Whitecaps,, and BC Lions, are also not too far. Other tourist options in the area include the Canadian Museum of Flight, Fort Langley, and a few other parks. Also, the tourist options of Greater Vancouver are not far away, and the skiing in Whistler is worth a drive for those who enjoy the sport. For fans wishing to stay near the arena, the Holiday Inn and Sandman are good options.
Fans 3
At the time of writing, the 2025-26 season, the Vancouver Giants averaged over 3,600 fans per game. This ranked them 15th in the 23-team WHL. The previous season, they averaged about 100 more fans and had the same ranking. There is definitely room to improve here; however, the sports landscape in Vancouver is competitive, and there are plenty of other sporting options. Fans in attendance are supportive and knowledgeable.
Access 4
Langley Events Centre is located in the Willoughby community in Langley Township. It is on the east side of 200th Street at 80th Avenue. It is 2 km south of the Trans-Canada Highway, Highway 1. It is relatively easy to get to. There is parking on site, which is free.
For fans wishing to take public transit to the game, there are buses available on 200th and 202nd. Fans should consult the TransLink website for fares, maps, and schedules. Getting around LEC is not difficult after the initial stair climb to get to the concourse level. Concourses are wide enough, and the washroom facilities are good. Langley Events Centre is a cashless facility.
Although security protocols are minimal at Langley Events Centre, Stadium Journey highly recommends consulting the LEC and Vancouver Giants websites before heading out for the most up-to-date security information and prohibited items.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for the Vancouver Giants begin at $28.50 and go up to over $50. This would be considered on the high side for the Canadian Hockey League. Parking at the LEC is free, and concession prices are reasonable. The product on the ice is solid, and the Giants put together a solid gameday production. However, the visuals at Langley Events Centre push the experience up just a bit to offer a strong return on the investment.
Extras 2
An extra mark for Langley Events Centre, doubling as a community hub with plenty of other sporting facilities and fields.
An extra mark for the forest motif that runs through LEC.
Final Thoughts
The Vancouver Giants do not play in Downtown Vancouver and are a bit of a hike for those who dwell in the city. However, the Giants do have one of the most attractive venues in the Canadian Hockey League and provide a solid gameday atmosphere, which should not be missed.
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