Quote:
Originally Posted by Djeffery
I don't know what the arena portion of that billion is, but maybe they should look at a renovation of SaskTel for the big events and building a proper WHL size arena downtown as part of this project? Probably do that for a lot less than the cost of an NHL scale arena downtown, depending of course on how crazy they want to go on each project. Or do the NHL size arena downtown, I don't really care, not my money lol.
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I think a big unstated part of why many in Saskatoon want a fancy, new downtown arena is to keep up with Regina and their world class football stadium for the Riders, even though the Brandt Centre, home of the WHL's Regina Pats, is a dump compared to the SaskTel Centre.
Having the bigger, better hockey arena has long been something Saskatoon has had over Regina, and if they play their cards right, Saskatoon could end up having
two bigger and better arenas than Regina's Brandt Centre (aka the Agridome).
I just think it would be a terrible waste to see an arena as nice as the SaskTel Centre demolished in a city as hockey crazy as Saskatoon. Gordie Howe's ashes are buried outside the SaskTel Centre and Saskatoon was his hometown, and maybe the arena could be renamed one final time in honour of Gordie Howe.
I think it's a completely reasonable suggestion to build a 10-12k capacity downtown arena and also renovate the SaskTel Centre.
The
Ralph Engelstad Arena at the University of North Dakota (pictured above, capacity 11,640) has been described by many as one of the finest hockey arenas in the world, and the not so great one himself even went as far to describe it as, "one of the most beautiful buildings we have in North America."
I guess it was built at a cost of around $100 million in 2001, and utilized some very high end finishes not typically seen in even NHL arenas... so maybe Saskatoon could build something with a comparable design with less high end finishes and still have a budget leftover for renovating and maintaining the Sasktel Centre. I could see the SaskTel Centre remaining as profitable venue for larger concerts, hockey tournaments, basketball, lacrosse, or the return of SJHL hockey to Saskatoon, which is one the best junior hockey leagues in the world outside of the CHL.
The hometown of Gordie Howe deserves a modern, world class arena downtown, I just really hope they don't demolish the SaskTel Centre in the process.
A full house watched the Regina Pats face the Saskatoon Blades at SaskTel Centre on March 19, 2023. (Steve Hiscock/Saskatoon Blades)
The interior of SaskTel Centre prior to a Saskatchewan Rush game.