MLSE refused to sell Maple Leaf Gardens to anyone who proposed to use it as an arena in competition with the Air Canada Centre.
Among these turned down was Eugene Melnyk, owner of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHL hockey team and the Maple Leafs' rival team, the Ottawa Senators.
Various redevelopment schemes were proposed, most notably an entertainment complex containing retail shops and cinemas (similar to the redevelopment of the Montreal Forum), but these plans were abandoned when it was discovered that the tiered arena seating was holding up the exterior walls of the building, acting as a form of interior flying buttress.
If the bowl of seating were removed, therefore, the exterior walls would lose most of their support.

Loblaw Companies, Canada's largest food retailer, purchased the Gardens in 2004 for $12 million under the condition that it not be used as a sports and entertainment facility, though MLSE eventually consented to allowing a small arena to be restored in the building.
They were planning to convert the interior to accommodate a Real Canadian Superstore and parking.
Immediately, there was criticism that the conversion of the building to retail uses diminished its heritage value, and that Maple Leaf Gardens should continue to serve as an arena in accordance with its rich history and traditions.
Others, however, noted that the structure had been deteriorating for a number of years, and that its ongoing use for minor league sports and events would not generate sufficient income to secure the building's preservation and restoration.
Furthermore, the active re-use of the building would allow it to remain open to the public for years to come.

Needing an authentic stand-in for New York's third Madison Square Garden during the Depression Era, the producers shot the boxing sequences of Cinderella Man (Russell Crowe and Renée Zellweger) at Maple Leaf Gardens in 2004.
Maple Leaf Gardens was stripped of some of its outdoor signage for production of an episode of Canadian-produced Flashpoint.
The arena was named "The Godwin Coliseum" in the episode titled "Behind the Blue Line" that originally aired on November 20, 2009.

On September 8, 2009, Matt Damon hosted a concert in support of the charity ONEXONE.
It was the first concert at Maple Leaf Gardens in 8 years.
The arena was used on May 8, 2009 for the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association's convention tradeshow.
Also in 2009, the arena was used as the venue for the first season of Battle of the Blades, a CBC-produced reality competition pairing former NHL hockey players with professional figure skaters in a pairs figure skating competition.

In 2009, Loblaws announced it had entered into discussions with Ryerson University regarding the possible future joint use of the arena.
On November 30, 2009, the federal government agreed to contribute $20 million as part of a $60 million project to renovate the arena into a Loblaws grocery store and a new athletic facility for Ryerson University which included a fitness facility, studios, high-performance courts, and an NHL-sized ice hockey rink seating approximately 2,796 guests.
The plans involved gutting the existing interior, and laying new floors for retail use at ground level, with the athletic centre located above.
Construction began later that year.

After many delays including finding a creek running through the basement and a time capsule behind the 1931 cornerstone on Carlton Street, the new store opened on November 30, 2011.
It incorporated many elements of Maple Leaf Gardens including original seats, a red dot on the ground floor marking the original centre ice location, the recreation of an original mural by the checkouts and a giant maple leaf made out of old seats from the arena among numerous other things.
The centre also includes underground parking, a Joe Fresh, an LCBO liquor store and a medical clinic.
It is the chain's flagship location.
The transformation would win a World Architecture News Retail and Leisure Interiors Award in the "Retail outlets over 200 square metres (2,200 sq ft)" catego
MLSE refused to sell Maple Leaf Gardens to anyone who proposed to use it as an arena in competition with the Air Canada Centre. Among these turned down was Eugene Melnyk, owner of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHL hockey team and the Maple Leafs' rival team, the Ottawa Senators. Various redevelopment schemes were proposed, most notably an entertainment complex containing retail shops and cinemas (similar to the redevelopment of the Montreal Forum), but these plans were abandoned when it was discovered that the tiered arena seating was holding up the exterior walls of the building, acting as a form of interior flying buttress. If the bowl of seating were removed, therefore, the exterior walls would lose most of their support.
Loblaw Companies, Canada's largest food retailer, purchased the Gardens in 2004 for $12 million under the condition that it not be used as a sports and entertainment facility, though MLSE eventually consented to allowing a small arena to be restored in the building. They were planning to convert the interior to accommodate a Real Canadian Superstore and parking. Immediately, there was criticism that the conversion of the building to retail uses diminished its heritage value, and that Maple Leaf Gardens should continue to serve as an arena in accordance with its rich history and traditions. Others, however, noted that the structure had been deteriorating for a number of years, and that its ongoing use for minor league sports and events would not generate sufficient income to secure the building's preservation and restoration. Furthermore, the active re-use of the building would allow it to remain open to the public for years to come.
Needing an authentic stand-in for New York's third Madison Square Garden during the Depression Era, the producers shot the boxing sequences of Cinderella Man (Russell Crowe and Renée Zellweger) at Maple Leaf Gardens in 2004. Maple Leaf Gardens was stripped of some of its outdoor signage for production of an episode of Canadian-produced Flashpoint. The arena was named "The Godwin Coliseum" in the episode titled "Behind the Blue Line" that originally aired on November 20, 2009.
On September 8, 2009, Matt Damon hosted a concert in support of the charity ONEXONE. It was the first concert at Maple Leaf Gardens in 8 years. The arena was used on May 8, 2009 for the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association's convention tradeshow. Also in 2009, the arena was used as the venue for the first season of Battle of the Blades, a CBC-produced reality competition pairing former NHL hockey players with professional figure skaters in a pairs figure skating competition.
In 2009, Loblaws announced it had entered into discussions with Ryerson University regarding the possible future joint use of the arena. On November 30, 2009, the federal government agreed to contribute $20 million as part of a $60 million project to renovate the arena into a Loblaws grocery store and a new athletic facility for Ryerson University which included a fitness facility, studios, high-performance courts, and an NHL-sized ice hockey rink seating approximately 2,796 guests. The plans involved gutting the existing interior, and laying new floors for retail use at ground level, with the athletic centre located above. Construction began later that year.
After many delays including finding a creek running through the basement and a time capsule behind the 1931 cornerstone on Carlton Street, the new store opened on November 30, 2011. It incorporated many elements of Maple Leaf Gardens including original seats, a red dot on the ground floor marking the original centre ice location, the recreation of an original mural by the checkouts and a giant maple leaf made out of old seats from the arena among numerous other things. The centre also includes underground parking, a Joe Fresh, an LCBO liquor store and a medical clinic. It is the chain's flagship location. The transformation would win a World Architecture News Retail and Leisure Interiors Award in the "Retail outlets over 200 square metres (2,200 sq ft)" catego
Maple Leaf Gardens