New Downtown Calgary Arena

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by 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.

Condo towers on each corner of the field to support the lights! Also, it might be a suitable use of space for 30 years as development catches up to the amount of needed land.

[kw5150]

Well, we do need somewhere for the homeless people to go after hours.

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.

[s211]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

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

Dang, but Edmonton dreamed large in the 60s and 70s.

[Spring2008]

If they're going to build a new stadium, better have a retractable roof. I'd like to see a MLS team here among other possibilities the roof would create.

[Calgarian]

So if they do build a new football stadium, what would happen to McMahon?

I think the West Village is a perfect place for an entertainment district. If they put something there for amenities that are open on non event nights, there will be enough people in the surrounding areas to keep the tumbleweeds away.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by 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.

I think that an arena + stadium (retractable roof) would be much more than two sporting facilities, as they would allow for certain types of conferences to occur, and then between those events and the sporting events, would allow for enough critical mass for other service industry developments in and around the site. Whether East Village or West Village, the key for it to be a conference facility would be to not only closely integrate with an LRT location, but also have that LRT station be part of the central free-fare zone. If not, it could still work, as long as the city has the mechanism for extending such privileges to conference attendees. The latter solution is much less preferable though.

[nick.flood]

delete

[Black Star]

Originally Posted by s211

Dang, but Edmonton dreamed large in the 60s and 70s.

We still dream large.....but at a snail's pace.

I think this will change in the comming years.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by suburbia

I think that an arena + stadium (retractable roof) would be much more than two sporting facilities, as they would allow for certain types of conferences to occur, and then between those events and the sporting events, would allow for enough critical mass for other service industry developments in and around the site. Whether East Village or West Village, the key for it to be a conference facility would be to not only closely integrate with an LRT location, but also have that LRT station be part of the central free-fare zone. If not, it could still work, as long as the city has the mechanism for extending such privileges to conference attendees. The latter solution is much less preferable though.

I have attended a number if conferences at the BMO Centre that allowed you to travel on transit for free with your badge.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Barnes

I have attended a number if conferences at the BMO Centre that allowed you to travel on transit for free with your badge.

I've been involved with several larger events that skip the BMO centre / Calgary completely because of the site and facility's limitations. The 'free with your badge' thing is a much lower interest solution, as I stated in my prior note. Firstly, you don't get a badge till you get to the event. Second, it isn't actually free, the conference has to pay for it. That's okay, but the proof is in the pudding with the largest events don't make a stop. You might ask why would we need to provide this anyway? Because there are not enough hotel room within two blocks of the facility. Plus, BMO centre capacity is a real issue, given lack of exit doors from the larger hall and minuscule foyer space that can't even manage registration requirements for an event with, say 10K people. The comic show doesn't qualify for the types of events I'm talking about.

[kora]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I think the West Village is a perfect place for an entertainment district. If they put something there for amenities that are open on non event nights, there will be enough people in the surrounding areas to keep the tumbleweeds away.

I think one problem with West Village is that they didn't build the Sunalta station platforms wide enough to handle such major traffic coming on and off the trains. The platforms are narrow. It's built more as a community station, rather than a metropolitan one. Compare with Westbrook station which has wider platforms. Would they need to upgrade Sunalta station?

[Riise]

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?

I'm with Bigtime. It takes a lot of quality design work to ensure that large scale developments like a single arena/stadium fit seamlessly into urban areas. Trying to fit two would be a major endevaour and while were growing in our design capabilities as a city, it might be biting off more than we can chew.

[Riise]

Originally Posted by kora

I think one problem with West Village is that they didn't build the Sunalta station platforms wide enough to handle such major traffic coming on and off the trains. The platforms are narrow. It's built more as a community station, rather than a metropolitan one. Compare with Westbrook station which has wider platforms. Would they need to upgrade Sunalta station?

With the size of station in general you could most likely set up a queuing system to manage the crowds and ensure platform safety.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by kora

I think one problem with West Village is that they didn't build the Sunalta station platforms wide enough to handle such major traffic coming on and off the trains. The platforms are narrow. It's built more as a community station, rather than a metropolitan one. Compare with Westbrook station which has wider platforms. Would they need to upgrade Sunalta station?

I never considered that, might have to wander over to Sunalta station this weekend and take a look.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by suburbia

I've been involved with several larger events that skip the BMO centre / Calgary completely because of the site and facility's limitations. The 'free with your badge' thing is a much lower interest solution, as I stated in my prior note. Firstly, you don't get a badge till you get to the event. Second, it isn't actually free, the conference has to pay for it. That's okay, but the proof is in the pudding with the largest events don't make a stop. You might ask why would we need to provide this anyway? Because there are not enough hotel room within two blocks of the facility. Plus, BMO centre capacity is a real issue, given lack of exit doors from the larger hall and minuscule foyer space that can't even manage registration requirements for an event with, say 10K peopel. The comic show doesn't qualify for the types of events I'm talking about.

I don't think I was insisting that the BMO Centre was a good convention centre simply, that event organizers can and have in the past offered attendees transit for the duration of the conference with a badge. Expanding the free fare zone for everyone also represents an opportunity cost for Calgary Transit. Do they expand the free fare zone for that small number of people? When I am away at a conference, it's cabs, rental cars and shuttles anyways.

If new conference space is being planned, I am sure that whether or not these apparently destitute attendees are able to save 3 bucks is pretty low on the project plan.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Barnes

I don't think I was insisting that the BMO Centre was a good convention centre simply, that event organizers can and have in the past offered attendees transit for the duration of the conference with a badge. Expanding the free fare zone for everyone also represents an opportunity cost for Calgary Transit. Do they expand the free fare zone for that small number of people? When I am away at a conference, it's cabs, rental cars and shuttles anyways.

Most large conferences, and I'm talking 4K and up, require a lot of hotel event space in addition to the primary conference facility. I've spoken about the Canadian Cardiovascular Conference in the past, which dropped Calgary from the circuit years ago for lack of appropriate facilities / support facilities. Even when it is hosted at the huge Metro Toronto Convention Centre, it still requires the near-by hotels for symposia / satellite symposia / meetings of affiliated entities, etc. It is not just getting there in the morning and leaving at night.

I get your point about costs of adding another station to the free-fare zone, especially if it is seen as a subsidy to for-profit sporting outfits (the other / primary half of the equation). Need to mull it more ...

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I never considered that, might have to wander over to Sunalta station this weekend and take a look.

If something major like this were to be added off of Sunalta, could it be possible to have a platform on both sides of the tracks? I haven't poked around there enough / didn't pay attention, but that would be a huge plus and could more than mitigate the issue.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by suburbia

Most large conferences, and I'm talking 4K and up, require a lot of hotel event space in addition to the primary conference facility. I've spoken about the Canadian Cardiovascular Conference in the past, which dropped Calgary from the circuit years ago for lack of appropriate facilities / support facilities. Even when it is hosted at the huge Metro Toronto Convention Centre, it still requires the near-by hotels for symposia / satellite symposia / meetings of affiliated entities, etc. It is not just getting there in the morning and leaving at night.

I get your point about costs of adding another station to the free-fare zone, especially if it is seen as a subsidy to for-profit sporting outfits (the other / primary half of the equation). Need to mull it more ...

I agree, Calgary severely lacks space for these types of conferences where smaller rooms are required for talks/presentations. In terms of exhibition space, Stampede is just ok. The GO Expo in June has 20,000 attendees and the Global petroleum Show is 63,000 but the conference side of both shows is really small in comparison.

Aside from what has been posted here in terms of hotel development, there are plenty of plans for even more.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Barnes

I agree, Calgary severely lacks space for these types of conferences where smaller rooms are required for talks/presentations. In terms of exhibition space, Stampede is just ok. The GO Expo in June has 20,000 attendees and the Global petroleum Show is 63,000 but the conference side of both shows is really small in comparison.

Aside from what has been posted here in terms of hotel development, there are plenty of plans for even more.

Just to clarify the Go Expo, Global petroleum Show and Comic show type numbers. Those are entries cumulatively totaled over the length of the event. It does not mean 63,000 people would be in the BMO centre for the global Petroleum Show. The space cannot hold those type of numbers - not even close.

I've been to an event, for example, with 35,000 attendees, but over the course of about 5 days, they would have been counted as ~300,000. Big difference between how the numbers are presented and the real number of people.

Anyway, next time I see Ken I'll asking him about the full breadth of what is being contemplated.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by suburbia

Just to clarify the Go Expo, Global petroleum Show and Comic show type numbers. Those are entries cumulatively totaled over the length of the event. It does not mean 63,000 people would be in the BMO centre for the global Petroleum Show. The space cannot hold those type of numbers - not even close.

I've been to an event, for example, with 35,000 attendees, but over the course of about 5 days, they would have been counted as ~300,000. Big difference between how the numbers are presented and the real number of people.

Anyway, next time I see Ken I'll asking him about the full breadth of what is being contemplated.

LOL, ok.