New Downtown Calgary Arena

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by Wooster

That's why Big Four is the ideal site. Stampede Park by its nature has a lot of parking. The building could tie directly into the LRT station as well. From a redevelopment standpoint it could be a catalyst for the revitalization of the East end of 17th Avenue and area.

I thought the Stampede and Flames had a "falling out" of sorts in recent years.

Also, once a new building is built and people rally to save the saddledome, what will happen to the Corral?

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I thought the Stampede and Flames had a "falling out" of sorts in recent years.

Also, once a new building is built and people rally to save the saddledome, what will happen to the Corral?

A falling out? Probably not, but the Flames would rather stop giving the Stampede the parking revenue so just outside the grounds makes the most sense for the Flames.

Also, the Stampede board is rather terrible at development. Recently, they added terrible exposition space to their existing terrible exposition space and built a casino and failed at running it. A CASINO! How do you suck at that?

They release major plans to improve the grounds that hinges on tearing down the Big Four and then signs a 100 year deal with the GPS that makes ripping down the Big Four impossible.

Flames can't wait for the Stampede to figure things out.

The Corral is in the Municipal Heritage inventory and I don't think much can be done with it. I would like all the crap built around it torn down when the Dome comes down and the Corral become a featured building on the grounds.

[Calgarian]

Was just something I thought I heard.

[Doug]

Stampede Park is such a waste of desirable inner city land. 355 days per year, it is a wasteland of parking. At the very least, the grandstand and entire riverfront should be redeveloped. Maybe it would make sense to move the midway and rodeo events somewhere like Fire Park and redevelop the entire parking area. The Big 4 site would be ideal for an arena with an extension of 17th Ave linking up to Olympic way/4 St.

[nick.flood]

delete

[mrcccondor]

Originally Posted by Doug

Stampede Park is such a waste of desirable inner city land. 355 days per year, it is a wasteland of parking. At the very least, the grandstand and entire riverfront should be redeveloped. Maybe it would make sense to move the midway and rodeo events somewhere like Fire Park and redevelop the entire parking area. The Big 4 site would be ideal for an arena with an extension of 17th Ave linking up to Olympic way/4 St.

When Victoria Park has no more surface parking, you can call Stampede Park a waste of desirable inner city land. There is way too much supply in the area to even consider changing Calgary's #1 tourist attraction.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by mrcccondor

When Victoria Park has no more surface parking, you can call Stampede Park a waste of desirable inner city land. There is way too much supply in the area to even consider changing Calgary's #1 tourist attraction.

Only in the short term.

[Wigs]

Thought you guys might be interested in seeing what the Buffalo Sabres are building adjacent to the First Niagara Center.
http://video.sabres.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=1373&id=215750
Harbor Center
$172M hockey themed mixed-use project
-twin rink ice arena (one with seating for 1,800)
-~200 room hotel
-parking garage
-New Era flagship store (New Era cap is HQ'd in Buffalo)
-Tim Hortons and possibly other restaurant and retail options

This project (along with a handful of new hotels coming down the pipeline in downtown Buffalo) should help Buffalo land World Juniors, NCAA Div I, maybe even NHL All Star game or World Hockey championship and many other hockey tournaments.
Thank you Billionaire Sabres owner, Terry Pegula!

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I was under the impression the Stampede nixed the Big 4 site because of contractual obligations of space for the bi-yearly Petroleum show.

I still think it would be the best location, just the ability to have an LRT station right in the building is the biggest reason in my mind.

I agree. The Big Four bldg location is IMHO the best location for a new arena. I can't remember the details, but I recall that the idea was nixed for some reason?

[lubicon]

Likely due to the Stampede not wanting to give up all that space right in the middle of the grounds. In particular, having a gigantic construction site with all the associated mess right smack in the middle of their showcase event.

[suburbia]

This is an April Fools joke, but a good one I think ...

Syncrude filling funding gap for Edmonton arena for naming rights:
Alberta Venture

[Joborule]

Update stolen from CP. Whole lotta nothing still on actual proposal/construction start, but bit more details on what the concept is.

the project has become very, very large - beyond anything this town has yet seen (I know, I know... don't shoot the messenger)

it will be a multi-purpose facility - but that does not mean a multi-purpose building. As he continued and clarified, the impression that I got (as others did as well) was that he meant it would be multiple different facilities in one location - much like Phoenix, I presume.

He was specifically asked about a football field and pretty much said yes, that would be included. And it was at this point that he said it would NOT be a multi-plex type facility - football fields and hockey rinks do not fit into the same building (paraphrasing of course)

So it seems like a whole complex-consisting of two sporting venues, along with dining, entertainment, hotel and office building in the area as well-is what Flames ownership is intending to build. Since it's been confirmed by Ken King for most part that it'll stay in city centre, that leaves only two possible spots for this. East Village/Victoria Park (by future SE LRT station) and West Village (LRT access via Sunalta).

[MalcolmTucker]

football fields and hockey rinks do not fit into the same building

I guess they`ve never heard of Edmonton`s old OMNIPLEX proposal!

source:http://thesummitproject.blogspot.ca/2010/10/it-is-election-day-in-edmonton.html

[Colin]

Wow that sounds amazing. I'm imagining a plan similar to Vancouver where BC Place and Rogers Arena are next door to one another.

The more I hear about it, the more I'm leaning towards the west village site. This would be a major catalyst for the area and get rid of the terrible car dealers along such prime real estate. It also has great LRT access with the new Sunalta station across bow trail and may spur a second entertainment district along the former Electric Avenue. Also, this could result in the preservation of the Saddledome, which is simply an icon in the city. The view while entering downtown would be ridiculous!

The only thing I'm worried about is the development of the west village may cannibalize the development of the east village. However, I'm not sure about the timeline of the new arena, so maybe the east village will be far along enough that the city can handle the redevelopment of two different districts.

P.S. Moving away from the Stampede grounds virtually eliminates any possibility of Stampitecture!

[Bigtime]

Just how much space would something like this take up in the west village though? Would there be any space left afterward for any level of development to not leave the place a ghost town on night where there are no events?

[speedog]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Just how much space would something like this take up in the west village though? Would there be any space left afterward for any level of development to not leave the place a ghost town on night where there are no events?

Isn't most of the west end kind of dead right now after hours?

Anyhow, one could probably squeeze a football stadium on the north side of Bow Trail just east of the Pumphouse Theatre and a hockey arena would easily fit between Bow Trail where Jack Carter current sits. LRT access, fairly good road access and within easy walking distance of downtown plus this would most likely kick start the re-vitalization of the west end of downtown east of Mewata Stadium.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by speedog

Isn't most of the west end kind of dead right now after hours?

Anyhow, one could probably squeeze a football stadium on the north side of Bow Trail just east of the Pumphouse Theatre and a hockey arena would easily fit between Bow Trail where Jack Carter current sits. LRT access, fairly good road access and within easy walking distance of downtown plus this would most likely kick start the re-vitalization of the west end of downtown east of Mewata Stadium.

Your answer illustrates my point exactly. If something like this was to go in the west village there would be little to no room for residential and other uses to build on the site, so you'd end up with the same dead zone on non-event nights.

I just don't see that as a real gain over what is there right now in that case.

[MichaelS]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Your answer illustrates my point exactly. If something like this was to go in the west village there would be little to no room for residential and other uses to build on the site, so you'd end up with the same dead zone on non-event nights.

I just don't see that as a real gain over what is there right now in that case.

Where else would you have room to fit this complex, AND residential? Maybe Firepark?

[Bigtime]

My point is I am not crazy on a arena and new field together if it costs us valuable space in the core that could be put to a much better use if we are only talking about fitting an arena in the space.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by MichaelS

Where else would you have room to fit this complex, AND residential? Maybe Firepark?

Firestone Park would involve a massive amount of infrastructure costs (sanitary sewer) to have anything built there.