New Downtown Calgary Arena

[bt04ku]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Apparently Gary Bettman was in town today and met with Nenshi...

Bearing the faded and tattered logos of the Nordiques and old Jets no doubt.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Apparently Gary Bettman was in town today and met with Nenshi...

Yeah - I didn't run into Nenshi, but when I met Bettman and Prentice, it was all about arena from mr. business and bottom-line.

[H.E.Pennypacker]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Apparently Gary Bettman was in town today and met with Nenshi...

Article about it in the Herald today

http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hockey/t...ced-bettman-on-the-antiquated-saddledome

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by suburbia

Yeah - I didn't run into Nenshi, but when I met Bettman and Prentice, it was all about arena from mr. business and bottom-line.

Prentice? I can't see that. When and where was this?

[Spring2008]

The broadcasters yest. kinda unofficially confirmed this is being built as part of the west village redevelopment.

I'm thinking CMLC will be involved, maybe even CP with their new development partnership.

On one hand, there's already so much going on in the inner-city, does the city really want to add another big brownfield site to the mix, might have to shift growth closer to 75% in existing communities.

On the other, the downturn might be a good time to put the infrastructure etc in place with lower construction costs, similar to what CMLC did with EV.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Prentice? I can't see that. When and where was this?

The Jewish community was recognizing a couple of their own, IE Al Libin and Gary Bettman. These were strategic choices for recognition this year, as it got the politicians invited in a room comprising a powerful business block including Flames owners and exec, banking leaders and investment firms, and major law firms, and where Bettman could speak to this group and politicians from the stage about how the owners have done amazing things for the city and its people. Prentice was seated between Al (one of the owners) and Bettman, with King and Edwards at the same table. The value of the arena to this group, directly connected via ownership, upper management (King, etc.) and other businesses (EG broader entertainment industries, from Feldman entertainment managers to Freeman av production, as but two examples), is massive. Heck, Flames entertainment likely do $100M in just entertainment events outside of sports themselves. It was a show de force, with every seat, 700 of them, decked out with a Flames logo. In addition to owner Libin and commish Bettman speaking, also at the mic were Ken King, and kingpin Edwards. All other owners were there. Nenshi and city council always attend these dinners, but none of them were there. He probably saw through the forest, and avoided like the plague. The Nenshi meeting, therefore, happened behind closed doors separately.

It is not just diamonds my friends!

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by suburbia

The Jewish community was recognizing a couple of their own, IE Al Libin and Gary Bettman. These were strategic choices for recognition this year, as it got the politicians invited in a room comprising a powerful business block including Flames owners and exec, banking leaders and investment firms, and major law firms, and where Bettman could speak to this group and politicians from the stage about how the owners have done amazing things for the city and its people. Prentice was seated between Al (one of the owners) and Bettman, with King and Edwards at the same table. The value of the arena to this group, directly connected via ownership, upper management (King, etc.) and other businesses (EG broader entertainment industries, from Feldman entertainment managers to Freeman av production, as but two examples), is massive. It was a show de force, with every seat, 700 of them, decked out with a Flames logo. In addition to owner Libin and commish Bettman speaking, also at the mic were Ken King, and kingpin Edwards. All other owners were there. Nenshi and city council always attend these dinners, but none of them were there. He probably saw through the forest, and avoided like the plague. The Nenshi meeting, therefore, happened behind closed doors separately.

It is not just diamonds my friends!

I would think the recent political and economic climate in Alberta would make public dollars for a stadium - already highly doubtful at the municipal level - next to impossible to procure. Are the billionaires going to have to pay their own way?

I could see the city meeting them on certain land-use changes, general infrastructure like transit upgrades etc. but I would be very surprised if it amounts to any significant amount of public dollars. Too much political blow-back is possible right now, with cuts to everything else in the provincial budget looming.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by MasterG

I would think the recent political and economic climate in Alberta would make public dollars for a stadium - already highly doubtful at the municipal level - next to impossible to procure. Are the billionaires going to have to pay their own way?

I could see the city meeting them on certain land-use changes, general infrastructure like transit upgrades etc. but I would be very surprised if it amounts to any significant amount of public dollars. Too much political blow-back is possible right now, with cuts to everything else in the provincial budget looming.

Fully agree. I think the strategic move of bringing Bettman in and highlighting the contributions of Flames ownership within the context of a whose who of Calgary business and with politicians captive and cornered, was initiated some time ago. The issues with resources and the dollar were subsequent.

One has to understand that the power of these types of business blocks, be it construction / development related such as with housing here or sidewalks in Montreal, faith-based or not, it does connect back to political financing and votes. Nenshi is so above all that (relying on votes from the masses and not connected to projects/dollars ; scratching backs), however, and it does frustrate these blocks when they can't get what they want.

[Fuzz]

Maybe Prentice was their to beg some of these billionaires for some money for a new Cancer Centre?

[joe498]

Out of all the things this city and province need in a time of a low dollar, low oil prices in the midst of a possible recession with talk of higher taxes and job losses this is crazy, especially the fact that the Flames organization is expecting the city to subsidize this.

I like sports and all but if the owners of a sports team can't afford to build the infrastructure needed to support such a business talk like this makes me want to say sell the team.

[MalcolmTucker]

It would be interesting to see the value of our current subsidy. Then could make a rational case either way.

[joe498]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

It would be interesting to see the value of our current subsidy. Then could make a rational case either way.

If we had a sales tax I could buy the argument that it helps our economy but without a such a method it's a much weaker argument, mostly trickling into the pockets of the owners and performers.

Most people in this city outside of oil and gas can't regularly afford to attend events at the Saddledome. Pretty silly to expect those that don't even like sports or concerts or have lower incomes to subsidize this. If you have to, raise ticket prices. The people that want a new arena can pay for it and probably still will go.

I am not sure how subsidizing an arena is feasible given:

- the oil patch is issuing layoffs
- we are in discussions of wage rollbacks
- in discussions of higher taxes and service cuts
- in need of 50 new schools right away $2B
- people want a $1.6b Cancer Center
- $5B ring road is potentially delayed further and when we miss the time frame for it to be built as per contract terms pay an even higher price
- needed savings to fund a $5B Green line LRT long term and likely pricier when it happens
- day to day infrastructure that is already behind is lacking money
- other cities sports team owners pay the price themselves
- low Canadian Dollar

[Policy Wonk]

I'm not in favour of subsidies, but if the city wants to influence this in a constructive way they're going to have to bring something to the table other than interference of whatever transpires independently and pithy twitter comments.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Apparently Gary Bettman was in town today and met with Nenshi...

Are you sure it was Bettman and not the Penguin?

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Maybe Prentice was their to beg some of these billionaires for some money for a new Cancer Centre?

Can you imagine these headlines?

"New Cancer Centre Delayed by oil royalties shortfall of $ Billions in Edmonton and Ottawa"
"New Flames Arena to be built with partial funding from new provincial sales tax"

.... ain't gonna happen in an election year (federal nor provincial).

We'll have to wait until it's normal to sip champagne and nibble caviar from a strippers' belly-button again.

[Socguy]

At the end of the day, Bettman works for the owners not vice-versa. This means that if Bettman is talking to Nenshi about a new arena it's because the Flames want him to. This tells us the the Flames are still pushing for a new arena, which I think comes as a shock to absolutely no one.

Too bad for Bettman and the Flames that this has got to be one of the worst times they could possibly pick to try and get city help for a new arena.

The Flames keep trotting out the 'old building' routine but that's going to be a hard sell when people actually see the numbers. According to Forbes, the Flames are 11th in the league when it comes to revenue, despite the age of their building. Granted, they could be making even more with a new building but I don't see that as a city concern.

http://www.forbes.com/nhl-valuations/list/#page:1_sort:2_directionesc_search:

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Socguy

At the end of the day, Bettman works for the owners not vice-versa. This means that if Bettman is talking to Nenshi about a new arena it's because the Flames want him to. This tells us the the Flames are still pushing for a new arena, which I think comes as a shock to absolutely no one.

Too bad for Bettman and the Flames that this has got to be one of the worst times they could possibly pick to try and get city help for a new arena.

The Flames keep trotting out the 'old building' routine but that's going to be a hard sell when people actually see the numbers. According to Forbes, the Flames are 11th in the league when it comes to revenue, despite the age of their building. Granted, they could be making even more with a new building but I don't see that as a city concern.

http://www.forbes.com/nhl-valuations/list/#page:1_sort:2_directionesc_search:

It is actually particularly unfortunate for them that Nenshi will not bend over for anyone. He is no hypocrite. Not righteous in public and undermining under cover. Instead, he is the real deal.

I'm not saying something might not be possible, but it would need to be on true merit and of value to Calgary.

[The Fisher Account]

Rumblings on calgarypuck about a possible announcement as early as this week from a reliable insider...

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpost.php?p=5169480&postcount=3264

[craner]

^
I can't take anymore teases. I really hope they go for it with the whole SHED development. At the very least a new home for both Flames & Stamps.

[WaitWhat?]

"Weeks away", apparently.

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/flames-poised-to-reveal-plans-for-downtown-arena