Keyano College Celebrates Grand Opening of SMG Esports Arena

Keyano College today celebrated the grand opening of the SMG Esports Arena on the Clearwater Campus, the permanent home of Keyano College Huskies Athletics' Esports teams and what will be the community hub for esports in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

"Esports is a billion-dollar industry that promotes innovation and non-traditional athletics," said Dr. Jay Notay, President & CEO of Keyano College. "We are proud to be one of Canada's first institutions to offer cutting-edge academic programming and innovative space that promotes the growing industry to Wood Buffalo's youth."

The SMG Esports Arena is set to be a first-of-its-kind facility in all of Alberta, offering a space for everyone to connect with the world of online gaming. The facility features 26 computers and three console stations, each featuring a Sony PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. The arena also has capacity for student-athletes and the community to utilize during tournaments and other competitions.

In addition to competitions, access to the arena will be made available for other events such as student drop-in, birthday parties, and corporate retreats. Be sure to stay tuned and follow Huskies Esports for when programming becomes available.

"This space will help attract future student-athletes to our program and provide our Esports team with a competitive advantage among its competition," said Jonathan Lambert, Director of Athletics & Recreation with Keyano College. "Providing premiere space to our student-athletes is a core part of our program's commitment to consistently raising the bar in the classroom and on the court." 

The establishment of the SMG Esports Arena compliments the current offering of the Business Administration Diploma with a specialization in Esports Management by Keyano College. The two-year diploma helps students develop the skills needed to start their career in the industry.

"The Esports arena offers opportunities to connect students, community youth, and partner organizations through their interest in or love of gaming," says Tyneille Neufeld, Business Development Advisor for the Keyano Huskies. 

The establishment of the SMG Esports Arena is made possible through support from SMG Builders by Sultan Zamman. The arena is also fueled thanks to the generous support of Red Bull.

Those interested in partnership or sponsorship opportunities are encouraged to connect with Tyneille at tyneille.neufeld@keyano.ca. All other inquiries can be directed to esports@keyano.ca.