▁Arena ▁is ▁the ▁city ' s ▁premier ▁sports ▁ven ue . ▁In ▁the ▁years ▁since ▁the ▁Sp ok ane ▁Arena ▁opened , ▁it ▁has ▁played ▁host ▁to ▁several ▁major ▁sport ing ▁events . ▁The ▁first ▁major ▁event ▁was ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁Memorial ▁Cup , ▁the ▁championship ▁game ▁of ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Hockey ▁League . ▁Four ▁years ▁later ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁the ▁city ▁hosted ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁Sk ate ▁America ▁figure ▁sk ating ▁competition ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁U . S . ▁Figure ▁Sk ating ▁Championships ▁in ▁the ▁Sp ok ane ▁Arena . ▁The ▁latter ▁event ▁set ▁an ▁attend ance ▁record , ▁s elling ▁nearly ▁ 1 5 5 , 0 0 0   tick ets . ▁Sp ok ane ▁later ▁hosted ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁U . S . ▁Figure ▁Sk ating ▁Championships ▁– ▁ending ▁eigh teen ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁Winter ▁Olympics ▁in ▁V ancouver , ▁British ▁Columbia ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Team ▁Challenge ▁Cup . ▁ ▁In frastr ucture ▁ ▁Transport ation ▁ ▁City ▁streets ▁ ▁Sp ok ane ' s ▁streets ▁use ▁a ▁street ▁grid ▁that ▁is ▁orient ed ▁to ▁the ▁four ▁cardinal ▁directions ; ▁generally , ▁the ▁east – west ▁roads ▁are ▁designated ▁as ▁a ven ues , ▁and ▁the ▁north – s outh ▁roads ▁are ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁streets . ▁Major ▁east – west ▁thorough f ares ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁include ▁Francis