Largest esports Facility In Canada Coming To St. Clair College

Monday June 14th, 2021, 10:54am

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Canada’s first varsity esports program will have a new home in a state-of-the-art facility at St. Clair College.

The esports facility at the school’s South Campus will be the largest publicly accessible facility of its kind in Canada at over 15,000 square feet, making St. Clair a destination college for aspiring students, gamers and esports enthusiasts.

“This new esports facility really is the last piece of the puzzle for us. We have top-tier academic, varsity and club esports programs, but now they will be able to intermingle under one roof allowing for an unparalleled degree of synergy,” said Esports Director Shaun Byrne.

In addition to being the new home for the St. Clair Saints varsity esports team, the facility will also feature a classroom and broadcast studio for the Esports Administration and Entrepreneurship Academic Program, an open gaming lab and console lounge, and a large competition stage complete with screens around the facility to catch all of the action.

The space will also host various other events such as summer camps, viewing parties, and more.

College officials say that the combination of academics and varsity esports has been a game-changer. The varsity program has been able to provide students with work-integrated learning opportunities through its teams and current facilities. The new building will not only expand on those opportunities but improve on them by allowing students to integrate their knowledge gained throughout the program in the planning, development, and execution of esports events.

“The fact that some students have already found success in their careers using the equipment currently provided is incredible. But I can only imagine how many more students will find, if not the same, but greater success with these amazing upgrades coming into the new facility,” said Esports Professor David Rabinovitch.

Construction is scheduled to be completed by January 2022. It is part of a $23-million expansion at the school’s Windsor campus. The new Zekelman Centre of Business and Information Technology will also feature classrooms, student study areas, meeting rooms and offices for faculty. The Alumni Hall auditorium and the esports facility are the centerpieces of the new build.

Full esports facility features include: