Calgary Event Centre | 36.85m | 11s | CSEC | HOK

Do you support the proposal for the new arena?

  • Yes

    Votes: 88 64.7%
  • No

    Votes: 39 28.7%
  • Maybe

    Votes: 9 6.6%

  • Total voters
    136
if only we had a spare $75mm laying around somewhere

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we have an airport tunnel to nowhere but we cant have this.

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guess i dont know how progressive purple works
 
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why not now spend the $300 million we were going by to spend on some 6 storey mixed use buildings along Olympic Way.
Well it doesn’t help that $200 million of that is direct revenue to the city from the building itself. So the net funds available isn’t anywhere close to $300 million. Likely even less than $109 million.

And why would the city compete against developers to build mixed use buildings?
 
I would put the remaining funds into renovating the Saddledome seeing as it going to be open much longer than anticipated. Roof repairs, concession improvements, and an exterior expansion with escalators up to the upper suite level would be nice.
We never had the alternative report like Edmonton did, but I’d imagine the incremental benefit versus incremental costs would be atrocious due to how the Saddledome’s design saved money - reducing the internal volume to the extreme and then using tension to hold everything together.
 
Let’s spend the money on an E-Sports arena/concert venue like the one being proposed in Toronto (but obviously cheaper). The building will be smaller (and won’t include an unnecessary parking structure), so they can actually create a vibrant public space outside and we can actually book decent acts in Calgary. Let the Flames ride it out in their weathered saddle!
 
All the best entertainment districts in the world don't have an arena around them. We'll be fine without this arena. We just need a bolder plan. Maybe something like Shibuya district. It's not all doom and gloom. Look at the bright side, maybe East Village will finally build out its residential lots.
 
And why would the city compete against developers to build mixed use buildings?
For the same reasons we seem to have to compete against other private enterainment venues, such as movie theatres?..... If we made the residential affordable housing, would that help justify it? Plus it is not like the City wouldn't get revenue from that type of development as well. So to claim we lose out on $200 million of revenue is a bit disingenuous.
 
When they do come back to the table to 110% finalize the deal - hopefully in the next few months (they're practically stretching out at the finish line), they can go with this design instead. 😁

Who cares if it'll be more money. Ain't taking money to the grave!
Via the magic of Photoshop, I tried wrapping the metal ribbon around those boxes,

What do you think?

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All the best entertainment districts in the world don't have an arena around them. We'll be fine without this arena. We just need a bolder plan. Maybe something like Shibuya district. It's not all doom and gloom. Look at the bright side, maybe East Village will finally build out its residential lots.
This! I remain convinced that the arena - particularly the turd of a design that was proposed - would probably do more harm than good in sparking the development of an entertainment district. Again, I ask: are there any vibrant entertainment districts in the world that are centred on a block with a sports arena, a convention centre, and a casino? It's literally the trifecta of terrible, clueless corporate boardroom-dominated urban planning. The neighbourhood was shaping up to be endless blocks of blank walls, loading docks, and parking garage entrances.
 
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All the best entertainment districts in the world don't have an arena around them. We'll be fine without this arena. We just need a bolder plan. Maybe something like Shibuya district. It's not all doom and gloom. Look at the bright side, maybe East Village will finally build out its residential lots.
Agreed. We already have the arena, and no entertainment district.
 
My favorite part of this whole sham is John Bean acting surprised at the conditions placed on the permits. It's as though he didn't know well in advance that it was part and parcel of the permitting process in this day and age. So either he is an idiot, he is peddling bullshit, or both. If they feel so hard done by as to suffer in the Dome with it's overflowing sewers and broken down elevators for a few more years then that's their call. The old boy's club and their lackeys can fuck right off as far as I'm concerned.
 
When a big company that hasn’t done a $600 million project in the city before is surprised there are more requirements than building at an oil sands site. Sigh.

Also with carbon pricing I’d imagine going to net zero will save money not cost it. And the Flames realize 100% of the operational cost savings.
 

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