Construction on the Southeast Event Centre project is currently on schedule. 

That is according to Jeffrey Bannon, General Manager of the Southeast Event Group. He says the final piles should be delivered any day now.  

"Then, after the piles are in, we're going to start to see the first batch of concrete slabs and beams with some concrete walls going up, so that's probably in the next 30 days. I would say by the August long weekend people will walk by there and say, ‘oh stuff is actually above ground now.” 

If nothing gets in the way, Bannon says the bones of the building should be visible in about 60 days. 

“Steel should be going up, so that's when you'll really start to see the structure. And then in 90 days, that steel is going to be framed in. So, if we, I don't want to say this, but if we don't have snow in 90 days, we're in good shape. As long as the rain stays away in droves, and we have a later winter, I think we're going to accelerate the timeline.” 

Bannon jokes he is so eager to see each step of the project take place, that he is no longer allowed to ask if the project is on pace at every construction meeting. That said, as of right now, he has been told the project is rolling along on schedule.  

Barring disruptions, the project will be completed by the fall of 2024.  

construction can be seen in the distancePiles will soon be going in where the old Centennial Arena once stood

In the meantime, Bannon says he has been busy. 

“I'm meeting with all the vendors and partners from Coke or Pepsi, who do we deal with? Which food service provider? Security, to AV, to janitorial, all of these concepts and partners, I'm in those meetings right now. I'm also reaching out to the Sport Manitoba and the Manitoba High School Athletic Association, meeting with event promoters, and concert promoters, so really starting to build the network. That's what I'm doing right now.” 

Bannon says it is important that they hit the ground running at the Southeast Event Centre. 

For those that do not know Jeffrey Bannon, he began his role as General Manager for the Southeast Event Group just over two months ago.  

Before taking the role, he says he spent 13 years with McDonalds, running 10 restaurants by the end of that time. He then worked with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for 10 years in event management and spent the last two years as director of retail operations for the Edmonton Oilers. 

“It was a dream to work for the NHL, but my heart was back in Manitoba, so that's why I came back. I saw this opportunity and when I read the job description, I'm like ‘this is my entire life.’ I would come to Steinbach just for sporting events, but now being part of this community for the past two months, it's very easy to fall in love and I understand why people want to live here.” 

Bannon says the whole team is feeling very optimistic about the Southeast Events Centre right now.  

The SCU can be seen behind the construction site