CalgaryNEXT, Thoughts on Calgary's Proposed Spots Centre

[sbh]

Details were finally released today on the CalgaryNext project which will include a new home for the Flames and Stampeder's along with a multi sport feildhouse Stadium. The project is proposed to be located in the West Village on City of Calgary land. The current land has serious remediation issues that may cost 30-100 million. If approved the project would be atleast 3 years and the price tag is $890 million. The financing plan is to split the cost with Calgary spots entertainment $200million, the city $440 (taxpayers) and a ticket tax for $250 million. The city will own the complex and it will be operated by Calgary sports entertainment corp. (The city of Calgary is pegging the cost closet to $1.6 billion with infrastructure and remediation).

Do you think taxpayers should pay half this project? Do you think it will happen? Maybe they will have a plebiscite like secondary suites because council can't seem to make tough decisions.

I can easily see the costs of this project being a lot higher especially with the remediation which isn't captured in the above cost breakdown, I think the city is closer with $1.6 billion. I was initially against the new development for just the Flames but I think pairing it with the field house is an excellent idea and could bring lots of new events to Calgary. I also like the area of town, it is close to transit and that area could really use some re-development. Having a billion dollar complex will sure change the area.

I am curious to what everyone else thinks. http://calgarynext.com

 

[Thomas Beyer]

Not a high priority item although it would spur investment into a now blighted area west of downtown. Would this development not happen without it, though ? Do they have to clone / compete with Edmonton ? Is the current arena, close to LRT and new development very nearby not good enough ? Is this "investment" better than one into universities, green energy, hospitals, new LRT lines or a downtown tunnel for the blighted 8th Ave corridor ?

Why not build over the river ?

 

[Matt Crowley]

This isn't a serious proposal...yet.

Ice District in Edmonton started in 2008 and became grounded in 2011 when the first parcels of downtown land were purchased by the Katz Group. Anticipating arena completion in 2016. (Source: http://icedistrictproperties.com/up...a9dc5dc07a5/ice-district-media-kit-150713.pdf)

Remediation makes the timelines for a project very speculative and can stall the development for years. In Edmonton:
- Charles Camsell Old Hospital Site (site been sitting vacant since hospital closed in 1996. Three contractors quit on the asbestos remediation.)
- ESSO Brownfield Site on Whyte Avenue now Raymond Block (10455 82 avenue. Lot been sitting vacant since gas station closed in 1998. I went to the site yesterday and they have some ground testing still underway.)
- Corner I Towers (fears of an abandoned coal mine have stopped construction until environmental concerns can be answered. Open hole in the ground from foundations digging at Jasper and 95 street)

These are just some renderings to test the waters. Long way out. Very speculative.