Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by Echoes

Saskatoon Downtown Event and Entertainment District - Conceptual Design Report



















https://pub-saskatoon.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=204697

Saskatoon City Council has approved a $1.2B funding strategy for the Downtown Event and Entertainment District. While this does not greenlight detailed design and construction, it empowers City Hall to pursue funding sources and to get the project "shelf ready."

https://www.saskatoon.ca/news-releases/c...-entertainment-district-funding-strategy

[GreatTallNorth2]

London's Budweiser Gardens is undergoing renovation right now with a new large scoreboard, refreshed concourses, restaurants, etc.

Also published in the London Free Press today is that Canada Life will be taking over the name and calling it Canada Life Place.

[Djeffery]

Surprised Labatts is letting that sponsorship go. The story says they at least keep the pouring rights there. Can't wait to see the radio station morning show whining that it "will always be Bud Gardens to me" lol.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

London's Budweiser Gardens is undergoing renovation right now with a new large scoreboard, refreshed concourses, restaurants, etc.

Also published in the London Free Press today is that Canada Life will be taking over the name and calling it Canada Life Place.

That'll be two for them. Preparing to battle with Rogers, Bell and Scotiabank for the most arenas with their name plastered on it I see.

[J.OT13]

While we wait for news on the LeBreton Ottawa Senators Arena, there was a "consultation" on the new Lansdowne Park arena, about 60% the size of the current Civic Centre designed by Raymond Moriyama in the 1960s.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Surprised Labatts is letting that sponsorship go. The story says they at least keep the pouring rights there. Can't wait to see the radio station morning show whining that it "will always be Bud Gardens to me" lol.

How many pine for "John Labatt Centre"? I think I recall some backlash when the name was changed to reflect a beer label of American origin.

[ScreamingViking]

I love the bridges between the exterior of the arena and the grandstands. I imagine they'll be popular places to hang out while watching games.

Originally Posted by J.OT13

While we wait for news on the LeBreton Ottawa Senators Arena, there was a "consultation" on the new Lansdowne Park arena, about 60% the size of the current Civic Centre designed by Raymond Moriyama in the 1960s.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by ericmacm

I think this got overshadowed by the Flames’ Scotia Place deal, but earlier in August, OVG approached Saskatoon and wants to contribute $20M to the construction of Saskatoon’s new arena, in addition to $150M in revenue sharing agreements over the following 25 years following construction. The deal would also see them taking over operations of the new arena and TCU Place for the duration of the agreement.

Obviously this is still far and away still very early in the process, and $20M isn’t that much in the grand scheme of the upfront construction costs, but it’s a good sign that OVG would like to get involved here. Meanwhile, the city has also approved a $1.2B plan to pursue getting the arena funded and intend to cover 30% of the cost of the arena itself. However, they are counting on the province and the feds to fund the rest of the arena, which is wishful thinking to say the least.

I remember reading the $20 million is not upfront at all. It's on delivery of the new stadium. OVA seeing a city could buy into their monorail deal is a good sign of what?

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

How many pine for "John Labatt Centre"? I think I recall some backlash when the name was changed to reflect a beer label of American origin.

Surprisingly a lot, based on the radio station FB pages. Many do seem to think that was a name put on the place by the city as a memorial for John Labatt, rather than it actually being the name Labatt Breweries paid to put on the building. It was a good name, and the shortened JLC rolled off the tongue nicely. Of course, now the question is what are we going to call it as a shortform? The Clip (CLP), CanLife? Just spell out CLP as we did JLC?

Will be curious to see what the fee is, as I know Labatts paid $6.4 million for the second 10 year cycle where they renamed it Budweiser Gardens. Wonder if Labatts was still in on this and were outbid by Canada Life or if they didn't make a competitive bid to retain the rights.

I think part of the problem people have with this is that while both companies have long histories in London, dating back 150 or more years, Labatts is still called Labatts here (and even when the arena was renamed Budweiser Gardens, people could accept that Bud was the main beer brewed in town), even with it's foreign ownership. London Life was taken over by Great West Life and now known as Canada Life, and that name doesn't really resonate with people here who don't work there (and even many who do work there still call it London Life).

For me, I don't care. I never get uptight when a building changes from one corporate name to the next. Especially a building like this that has always had a naming sponsor. We aren't talking about historic buildings like Montreal Forum or Maple Leaf Gardens all of a sudden selling their naming rights to Lululemon or something lol. I mean, it could have been cool if 7-11 came along and sponsored it as the Slurpee Center, so we could get a real rivalry going with Kingston in the Slush Puppie Place lol.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

I love the bridges between the exterior of the arena and the grandstands. I imagine they'll be popular places to hang out while watching games.

That is one of the only cool/unique features of this design. It's not a bad plan overall, but we were never presented any other options, like renovating the existing complex. And with the City (or at least the Mayor) complaining about being broke, begging for more money from the Feds and Province and refusing to raise taxes anywhere near inflation, this project (while cutting transit and threatening massive fare increases) is hard to justify.

[SteelTown]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Some pics from a Spec story today (and confirmation that the "Hamilton arena" will sport a new corporate name). Also notes some design details, like how the private box situation is planned to change, and that things are still on-time for a late-2025 completion and still meeting the $280M budget.


A first glimpse at the inside of the downtown arena renos
By Scott Radley
The Hamilton Spectator
Sept. 16, 2024

https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-re...f2c89e9-186e-5390-8090-5bd2161a7c9b.html









Video:
https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews...f34-cead307dfe4f/66e88c2bdf8fb.video.mp4


The seats are all out. The private boxes are gone. The stairs you’d use to exit from the concourse onto York Boulevard are no more. The scoreboard is wrapped in plastic. And finishings have been removed from every corner of the place.

Four months after renovations began at the building formerly known as FirstOntario Centre (we’ll get to what that means in a second), the place looks like you’ve never seen it before.

“For people who see the outside facade and think nothing’s happening,” says Oak View Group vice-president of communications Teri Washington, “it is.”

...

Had you ever taken the escalator near the box office to the lower level, you’d be aware of the huge open space that typically was used for not very much. It’s now going to be the main concession area for those in the lower bowl.

“This all used to be storage,” Young says. “This will all be a new concourse.”

There will be a number of clubs down there as well. Plus 10 unique private boxes running the length of the arena (this means the arena’s unique retractable seats that allowed the floor to be expanded for certain events will be no more) to go along with 10 suites higher up on the old concourse that’ll be on the other side.

The stage will remain at the east end where it’s always been. But it’ll now be cut into the stands which will set it back and allow for more seats during a concert. Roughly 15,000 for a typical show. During a sports event, those will be filled with new retractable seats that’ll complete the bowl.

One other major change comes with the modernization of a 40-year-old arena that was built for life in the 1980s.

“One of the things we do now that, quite frankly, didn’t even exist then was the technology infrastructure,” Young says. “This building basically had none.”

In order to have good WiFi, solid cell service, tap-and-go pay systems, modern HVAC and smoke systems, and other things, a ton of adjustments and additions are required.

Does all the endless concrete make that a challenge?

“It does,” Young says. “Concrete and cell service doesn’t go together.”

...

What’s most striking is how open the building feels with the suites around the concourse gone. There’s so much more light inside as a result. We’ll see if that remains once everything is done. But even beyond all the other stuff, it’s made the Hamilton Arena feel so different.

Yes, the Hamilton Arena. Throughout the tour, those involved continually called it that. We’ve heard that name used here and there for a while now rather than the name we’ve known it as for a decade. It’s on the construction helmets and the OVG website and other official items.

Is that significant?

“We are actively talking to several sponsors,” says Oak View Group Canada president Tom Pistore, who says an announcement should be coming by March.

Does that mean the place will soon have a new name?

“Yes.”

Just when you finally got used to calling it FirstOntario Centre instead of Copps …

Source: ScreamingViking @ https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=10284406

[MonctonRad]

Senators and the NCC are holding a joint news conference RIGHT NOW regarding a new arena for downtown Ottawa.

[Acajack]

Current trending joke: THE SENATORS ARE RELOCATING... TO OTTAWA!

[J.OT13]

It's official!

What we know so far:

• Sens will get 10 acres, up from the original 6 acres that was offered (Calgary Flames new arena will be on 10 acres, Chase Centre in San Fran + two office towers in on 11 acres);
• Sens will buy the land, as opposed to NCC's preferred long term leases;
• Sens will not ask for tax payer money, but may ask for the Sensplex model (community rinks built and financed by the Sens, but with loan guarantees from City, development charge tax breaks and ice time for City);
• No design work has been done so far, no timeline;
• No plans for the CTC, but they want to do something "special";
• Will continue to invest in improving the CTC, but that investment will tapper down once shovels are in the ground for the new arena.

Sens/NCC press conference:

• Video Link

On Saturday, Andlauer celebrated his first year a owner at the Slush Puppie Arena in Gatineau, where the team held a scrimmage match between the players. He offered more detail;

• Hoping to get the arena open within 5 years;
• This is about the team, the arena and the fans, not a real estate deal;
• It's important for him to get closer to the Gatineau and francophone fanbase;
• He'll "rip off" the best aspects of existing arenas; huge fan of Centre Videotron;
• Reiterated that he won't ask for a direct financial contribution from taxpayers;
• Working with the City of Gatineau to build a new Sensplex.

Full media availability;

• Video Link

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

[*]No plans for the CTC, but they want to do something "special";

Yeah, I remember when Little Caesars Arena was under construction in Detroit and the Pistons decided to move in there. I watched the press conference where the owner was asked about their current arena at the time, the Palace of Auburn Hills. I recall him saying "We don't know yet what we will do, but I can tell you it will be treated with the respect it deserves". Demolished within 3 years of the Pistons leaving lol. This is what will happen to CTC I believe, unless my prior prediction comes true that the Sens move their AHL team there once the new LeBreton arena opens. I don't know that it would be a viable alternate concert site to the new arena though and the expense of an arena that large for an AHL team that unless Kanata really grabbed on to as "our team" and drew large crowds, would probably be prohibitive to keep operating. Not that Belleville is that far either but if the numbers make enough sense for a building already paid for, then I think the CTC is a much better place for that team than in the old barn in Belleville. Otherwise, the place is toast (which I think is the much stronger possibility)

[EpicPonyTime]

I don’t really see a market for the CTC once the Sens move out. I suppose Ottawa could use another larger arena since the new Lansdowne arena is only going to be 5K or so, but in that location?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Yeah, I remember when Little Caesars Arena was under construction in Detroit and the Pistons decided to move in there. I watched the press conference where the owner was asked about their current arena at the time, the Palace of Auburn Hills. I recall him saying "We don't know yet what we will do, but I can tell you it will be treated with the respect it deserves". Demolished within 3 years of the Pistons leaving lol. This is what will happen to CTC I believe, unless my prior prediction comes true that the Sens move their AHL team there once the new LeBreton arena opens. I don't know that it would be a viable alternate concert site to the new arena though and the expense of an arena that large for an AHL team that unless Kanata really grabbed on to as "our team" and drew large crowds, would probably be prohibitive to keep operating. Not that Belleville is that far either but if the numbers make enough sense for a building already paid for, then I think the CTC is a much better place for that team than in the old barn in Belleville. Otherwise, the place is toast (which I think is the much stronger possibility)

Maybe demolition IS the respect it "deserved".

I don't think the Sens will want to keep the Palladium as a secondary venue and compete with the new building. If anything, the Palladium would have trouble competing. If the move the baby Sens, I imagine it would make more sense to have them at LeBreton or even Lansdowne.

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

I don’t really see a market for the CTC once the Sens move out. I suppose Ottawa could use another larger arena since the new Lansdowne arena is only going to be 5K or so, but in that location?

Yeah, I'm disappointed to see the replacement for the Civic Centre being so small, but two NHL sized venues might be too much. And yeah, location.

Hoping to see something cool like an indoor waterpark with hotel rooms on the periphery, an amusement park, multi level sports complex or entertainment venue. The building has been well taken care of, so it would be sad to see it leveled.

[harls]

CTC will host a few monster truck rallies, RV liquidations.. possibly the world's largest Spirit Halloween store. Then it gets demolished.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Maybe demolition IS the respect it "deserved".

I went to a game there in 2015 and it was in excellent shape. They had just put hundreds of millions of dollars into it in the few years prior and it was a totally up to date building as far as tecnhology and seating goes. But location was terrible, like CTC is. The Pistons really sucked that year and the opposition was Memphis, who I believe also sucked (got to see Vince Carter though) and if there were 15000 people there, a third of them wore clothes that looked like empty seats. I think they thought they could keep it going as a concert venue, but between LCA and Ford Field, as well as Pine Knob in the summer, I don't think the anticipated market was there to pay for it. Not sure if they ever managed to sell the site yet, Google Earth still shows an empty lot. Unlike a couple miles away where the old Pontiac Silverdome site now has 2 Amazon warehouses on site.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

I went to a game there in 2015 and it was in excellent shape. They had just put hundreds of millions of dollars into it in the few years prior and it was a totally up to date building as far as tecnhology and seating goes. But location was terrible, like CTC is. The Pistons really sucked that year and the opposition was Memphis, who I believe also sucked (got to see Vince Carter though) and if there were 15000 people there, a third of them wore clothes that looked like empty seats. I think they thought they could keep it going as a concert venue, but between LCA and Ford Field, as well as Pine Knob in the summer, I don't think the anticipated market was there to pay for it. Not sure if they ever managed to sell the site yet, Google Earth still shows an empty lot. Unlike a couple miles away where the old Pontiac Silverdome site now has 2 Amazon warehouses on site.

That's too bad. Kind of a waste.

The Palladium and the Palace were sort of sister arenas. Designed by the same architect (Rosetti). Very similar design.

What I would say is that the Palladium is not quite as poorly located as the Palace, 26 km in a fairly compact region (in North American standards) vs 50 km in a sprawling mess.