1995:

After two years of construction, $160 million in private financing, and months of anticipation, the Vancouver Canucks play their very first game at the recently-completed facility that is to become their new home: G.M. Place.

“It’s absolutely fantastic. It’s better than we expected. It’s going to be a great home for us for a long time,” gushes General Manager Pat Quinn, as the team goes on to score a 4-3 victory against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

“I feel great every time I come here,” adds right-winger Pavel Bure. “It’s great being in this beautiful dressing room and being out on the ice with that big TV screen up there.”

More than 15,000 fans attend the exhibition game, with many – including former Canuck Robert Dirk, complimenting the arena as a great improvement over their former home at the Pacific Coliseum. G.M. Place has hosted several other events within its walls, previous to the exhibition game, including a September 19th performance by Bryan Adams, but, although the fan response is generally positive, the Vancouver Province is less impressed.

“The highly-paid Canucks hit the ice last night, and the high-paying Canucks fans started shelling out in earnest,” reports the paper. “While some said the prices were justified to keep the superstars here, others said the working person can no longer afford to see the working person’s game.”

The Province then goes into great detail about the prices of soft drinks, coffee, and team memorabilia at G.M. Place, and contrasting them with the lower prices found in virtually every other arena in the city.

“G.M. Place coffee will set you back $2.20, almost a buck more than the $1.25 brew just down Pacific Boulevard,” the article complains, “While the $2 small Coke is about half the size of B.C. place’s 16-oz. $2.25 cup.”

“For the average Joe to come and bring the kids, forget it,” says Leanne Kemp, a registered nurse. “It’s crazy.”

However, when questioned by the paper, longshoreman Clayton Eccles is more reserved.

“We’ve got to help pay Pavel Bure’s salary, I guess.”