New Downtown Calgary Arena

[SloMo]

They always throw in a "Hotel" when they make grandiose plans like these, as though the hotel is a minor expenditure or afterthought. Any hotelier wanting to build here better do their homework.

[YYCguys]

Did KK and his cronies just plunk down the complex into the land, assuming that the City would just leave Bow Trail as it currently exists? That's what it seems to me! I like the idea proposed by another forumer to bury the westbound section of Bow Trail and perhaps connect it to parking underneath the complex. Another idea would be to elevate /bury westbound BT over/under eastbound BT so that it is kept away from the riverfront.

[PPAR]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I look at one of the problems with the residential portion on the west side. It's going to end up fairly isolated between the river, Crowchild, the complex, 14th st, CPR, LRT, Bow Trail...lots of barriers.

Totally agree with this: The area to the west of the arena becomes an isolated island surrounded by freeway on three sides and the wall of a stadium/ Fieldhouse. Renfrew Crysler will be the back lot for the facility.

[YYCguys]

In terms of repurposing the Dome, I think it's been mentioned on this forum before that it would make a great water park/mini golf/indoor Zen garden/entertainment centre, and I totally agree! Maybe some restaurants and maybe even some hotel rooms overlooking the water park?

[PPAR]

Conceptually this project is a good fit. The location makes sense with both decent road and transit access. It is also walkable from the city core. However access will need to be refined, I cannot see 50 000 fans exiting that site smoothly without significant road and rail improvements. However we should remember that the alternative would be Greenfield development on the outskirts.
I am also a big fan of the concentration of activities. One of the big problems with sports venues is the huge amount of space they require for what is ultimately pretty sporadic activity. This design will result in four season usage with day and evening activity. The plan should be refined to further encourage activities such as cardiac rehab programs and community services to locate there.
The design MUST be aesthetically outstanding. It will be an important face of Calgary, visible from downtown, and along the precious Bow River. Cost cutting pressures will be strong, but could ultimately doom the project's success.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by H.E.Pennypacker

http://calgarynext.com/

The website is up

I will say there is a ton of potential here to make this something awesome and transform the core of the City

The video on the website is just terrible. "Are we ready to leave a legacy, be visionary, be world class....???" It guilts the viewer into wanting to give their money to this group of billionaires or be backwards and unimaginative hicks. "C'mon guys... All the other big cities are doing it."

Insulting.

[McMurph]

I expected a lot more from Ken King and the ownership group. This is a pretty pathetic opening to what will be years of back and forth with the city and province. We waited years for a conceptual plan and massing diagram that someone on this forum could have knocked off in an afternoon.

I like the basic idea. I think 30000 for the football / soccer(!) stadium is exactly right, if expandable to 50000 for special events. I like the location. But the lack of any real design or attention to either neighbourhood structure or river / roadway design is galling. Seriously, hire a professional before you make an announcement like that, Ken. And maybe hire someone other than Ken to do the talking.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by CalgaryArchitecture

calgarynext.com


Inside Arena

Am I seeing this correctly or is there basically only a lower bowl for regular seats and the rest is corporate boxes? If so that is a massive downgrade for normal fans which basically only enriches the team owners. No thank you!

[The Fisher Account]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Am I seeing this correctly or is there basically only a lower bowl for regular seats and the rest is corporate boxes? If so that is a massive downgrade for normal fans which basically only enriches the team owners. No thank you!

I don't think final designs for the stadium or arena are complete. These are just placeholder concepts (I believe)

[The Fisher Account]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

In terms of repurposing the Dome, I think it's been mentioned on this forum before that it would make a great water park/mini golf/indoor Zen garden/entertainment centre, and I totally agree! Maybe some restaurants and maybe even some hotel rooms overlooking the water park?

I like the idea of a water park. Having that would really give you no excuse to drive to Edmonton

[CorporateWhore]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

I don't think final designs for the stadium or arena are complete. These are just placeholder concepts (I believe)

While I don't think anyone was expecting final designs, you'd think they at least be able to show something that doesn't look like it was done in Sketchup.

Despite the hyperbole beforehand, this project overall shows a lack of ambition to me. They talk about it being transformative, yet everything they've shown is rather lacklustre and somewhat poorly thought out. Quite a contrast to the East Village conceptual videos and renderings...those didn't have final details either, but they stirred the blood!

[ByeByeBaby]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

In terms of repurposing the Dome, I think it's been mentioned on this forum before that it would make a great water park/mini golf/indoor Zen garden/entertainment centre, and I totally agree! Maybe some restaurants and maybe even some hotel rooms overlooking the water park?

The primary use to repurpose the Saddledome to me would be to roughly cut it in half to create a large concert / performance venue; obviously you could improve the sightlines, acoustics, structure etc. to support a dedicated concert/performance use. Right now, we have the Mac Hall ballroom and Jack Singer at 1800 each, then the Jube around 2500, then basically nothing until you hit hockey arena sized, with the possible exception of the Corral around 6000 - which is a total dump only really serviceable for concerts where acoustics aren't important, like Megadeth or the Wiggles. We have a huge gap in the ~5000 seat range that a half-Dome could be used for.

[PPAR]

The renderings seem to suggest that there will be boxes with viewing into both the arena and the stadium. Those will go in annual subscription to the Corporate big boys for amounts that ownership could only dream of previously.
That alone is probably worth half their $200 million investment.

[craner]

I too am underwhelmed and was expecting a design that was at least a little further developed.
Having said that, at least it's a starting point and I think the concept does have potential.
Depending on who is fronting the CRL and Ticket Tax costs, I was expecting more of the financial pie to be shouldered by Flames ownership.
Guess I'll settle in for about the next 3 years to see how everything shakes out.

[RyLucky]

How to make me like this project:

1) Increase hockey stadium capacity to 25000.

2) Have the city contribute nothing but the land, tax breaks, road&utilities realignment, pedestrian upgrades, parkspace, ctrain, reclamation, and things of that like. This will amount to hundreds of millions. The owners can pay for the rest, whether a fee is added on tickets or not.

3) Better connect future residents. Cross the River at 19th St. Cross the CPR at 17th St. Realign Bow Trail so it only divides the community once instead of twice. Leave no block without at least some residential units to make a continuous neighbourhood.

4) Emphasize improvements to the river park systems and mixed use paths.

[H.E.Pennypacker]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

How to make me like this project:

1) Increase hockey stadium capacity to 25000.

2) Have the city contribute nothing but the land, tax breaks, road&utilities realignment, pedestrian upgrades, parkspace, ctrain, reclamation, and things of that like. This will amount to hundreds of millions. The owners can pay for the rest, whether a fee is added on tickets or not.

3) Better connect future residents. Cross the River at 19th St. Cross the CPR at 17th St. Realign Bow Trail so it only divides the community once instead of twice. Leave no block without at least some residential units to make a continuous neighbourhood.

4) Emphasize improvements to the river park systems and mixed use paths.

This is a big concern of mine - the plan as they have laid out really cuts off the West Village development from the rest of downtown.. I don't see much of a fluid connection, and the new arena/fieldhouse is a roadblock between the two

[The Fisher Account]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

How to make me like this project:

1) Increase hockey stadium capacity to 25000.

Ridiculous. Show me one economic model that makes sense to justify having the largest hockey arena in the world.

[WaitWhat?]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Ridiculous. Show me one economic model that makes sense to justify having the largest hockey arena in the world.

Agreed. Construction costs increase exponentially as you get bigger and all you're adding are $15 nosebleed seats. 19,000 capacity is about right for Calgary.

[B-side]

In his presentation, Ken King mentioned that the river shadowing bylaws were designed for human enjoyment/impact rather than to protect fish habitat. Can anyone confirm this? I was under the impression it was to protect the fish habitat.

[O-tacular]

I still can't get over how tone deaf the Flames ownership is. It's been said loud and clear that the public is not interested in funding their arena and the city has no tax dollars to spend. Throwing in a field house and disguising public money in the form of levies isn't fooling anyone. In a way I almost feel bad for KK as I feel he is being pushed by the likes of Murray Edwards and the rest to 'get creative' and try to sell the city and the public on funding this thing. They saw their billionaire buddy Darryl Katz get away with it so they want the same thing.