Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Oilkountry

The Sens aren't gonna leave over 2-3 years of "sort of poor" attendance. They are still making money at 15K a night and I can guarantee you their is 10+ ownership groups that would gladly take over if Melnyk wanted to sell. The sens are a meh team on the ice with a meh Arena and they have Nothing to sell tickets like other Canadian Markets (Mcdavid,Mathews,Laine,Gaudreau) but the situation in Ottawa is hardly Dire at the moment...Just Meh.

We certainly don't have a Mathews or McDavid, but we have Thomas Chabot who's picked up Karlsson's mantra as an all star offensive defenceman with 29 points in 26 games this season. This year's 4th overall pick Brady Tkachuk is also doing quite well, much better than anyone expected with 16 points in 15 games. A lot of Ottawa fans were disappointed we didn't pick up Zadina, but Detroit deemed him not ready for the NHL.

Matt Duchene is also making up lost time after last year's mediocre performance with 33 points in 26 games, ranking 7th in the NHL.

Ottawa currently has defensive struggle, but our offence is on fire. We're #1 goals against (107), but #4 in goals for (92).

Back to the discussion, the Canadian Tire Centre, the building itself, is fine. If they end up staying put, best case scenario would for the City to extend the O-Train to Kanata ASAP and Melnyk (or successor) to redevelop the parking lots around the arena to create a downtown atmosphere.

Keeping my figures crossed however, that the LeBreton Flats project somehow gets saved somehow.

[FutureSmith]

What is the average capacity of the lower bowl in an NHL arena? First Ontario Centre's lower bowl is supposed to be 9,000. Would this be typical?

[Coldrsx]

https://twitter.com/kmoorephotos/sta...54496402096128
@kmoorephotos

[J.OT13]

Looking Good Edmonton!

[Acajack]

Has anyone shared that singer Tom Cochrane will be one of the investors in the new Atlantic Schooners franchise?

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Has anyone shared that singer Tom Cochrane will be one of the investors in the new Atlantic Schooners franchise?

Did he invest $200M?

[MonctonRad]

For Immediate Release: December 5, 2018

AVENIR CENTRE NOMINATED AS BEST NEW CONCERT VENUE BY POLLSTAR

Despite being open for only a few short months, Avenir Centre is already being recognized by industry leaders in the entertainment world. Early this week, Los Angeles-based concert trade publication Pollstar announced that Moncton’s new sports and entertainment centre has been nominated for their 2018 “Best New Concert Venue” award.

After opening the venue on September 12th with Keith Urban’s sold-out Graffiti U tour, the schedule of events has been full. Thus far Chicago, Aqua, John Mellencamp, Jerry Seinfeld, Paw Patrol, Jack White, and Cirque Musica have all taken the Avenir Centre stage. On the sporting side, in addition to the Moncton Wildcats and Moncton Magic, UFC Fight Night and The Thank You Canada Tour were also held this fall.

“Since opening the doors we’ve had had a lot of success and garnered a lot of attention in a few short months,” said Nick DeLuco, SMG Canada’s General Manager of the Avenir Centre. “Quite simply, this nomination shows that Avenir Centre is already on the radar amongst industry professionals and that Moncton, and Atlantic Canada, is being recognized as an important market for the touring industry.”

Avenir Centre joins a distinguished group of nominees for Best New Concert Venue along with The Sylvee (Madison, WI), FiServ Forum (Milwaukee, WI) Pier 17 At South Street Seaport (New York, NY) Metropolitan Opera House (Philadelphia, PA) The Armory (Minneapolis, MN), Elsewhere (Brooklyn, NY).

Pollstar is a music industry trade publication covering the worldwide concert industry. Each year the publication hosts the Concert Industry Awards. The nominating committee is comprised of over 2,000 industry leaders in all facets of the entertainment business including venue managers, artists, tour managers, agents and promoters from across the country and abroad. Winners will be announced at the Pollstar Live! conference on February 13th at the Beverly Hilton in California.

Heading into 2019, Monctonians will have the chance to catch Canadian music icon Bryan Adams, Broadway musical Rock of Ages, Corey Hart, Old Dominion, Professional Bull Riding and - for the first time ever in Moncton - Cirque du Soleil will be bringing its touring show Crystal. For further information on upcoming Avenir Centre events be sure to visit www.avenircentre.com or follow on social media.

[zahav]

That Edmonton Arena looks amazing, from this angle especially

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Has anyone shared that singer Tom Cochrane will be one of the investors in the new Atlantic Schooners franchise?

I saw that this morning and thought it was kind of funny. He's basically their Jay-Z.

[Stainless]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

The biggest reason Saskatoon wants to build a new arena is because of it's location, 10km away from CBD is considered too far from downtown businesses such as restaurants & pubs/bars/clubs meaning lost revenue.

I have an "old man" question. Does anybody REALLY care about the bars and restaurants in close proximity to a stadium or arena? Or, is it something that the cities want fans to want because of the bump in business and tax revenue?

I don't go to a huge number of live events anymore, but when I did in my teens and 20s, the people I knew usually just wanted to get the hell out of the stadium area immediately after for cheap beer and pizza or whatever in somebody's crappy basement or apartment. There didn't appear to be any desire to sit in an overpriced restaurant and quietly discuss Wittgenstein.

I'm sure that bars and restaurants around arenas are packed after games, but is it because they're... there... and people are easily led? Or, is this something that fans have come to demand these days?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Stainless

I have an "old man" question. Does anybody REALLY care about the bars and restaurants in close proximity to a stadium or arena? Or, is it something that the cities want fans to want because of the bump in business and tax revenue?

I don't go to a huge number of live events anymore, but when I did in my teens and 20s, the people I knew usually just wanted to get the hell out of the stadium area immediately after for cheap beer and pizza or whatever in somebody's crappy basement or apartment. There didn't appear to be any desire to sit in an overpriced restaurant and quietly discuss Wittgenstein.

I'm sure that bars and restaurants around arenas are packed after games, but is it because they're... there... and people are easily led? Or, is this something that fans have come to demand these days?

I would say yes, it is something patrons want nowadays. Having the arena or stadium near bars and entertainment makes your night more complete. It also spreads out the traffic a few hours before and after the event, making the drive (or transit ride) more manageable.

This is one aspect (amongst others) that makes the Ottawa RedBlacks much more successful than other CFL franchises we had over the last 25 years.

The lack of entertainment options around the CTC is one of the reasons (again, amongst many others) why attendance is suffering.

Originally Posted by Acajack

Has anyone shared that singer Tom Cochrane will be one of the investors in the new Atlantic Schooners franchise?

Is that the official name now?

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Stainless

I have an "old man" question. Does anybody REALLY care about the bars and restaurants in close proximity to a stadium or arena? Or, is it something that the cities want fans to want because of the bump in business and tax revenue?

I don't go to a huge number of live events anymore, but when I did in my teens and 20s, the people I knew usually just wanted to get the hell out of the stadium area immediately after for cheap beer and pizza or whatever in somebody's crappy basement or apartment. There didn't appear to be any desire to sit in an overpriced restaurant and quietly discuss Wittgenstein.

I'm sure that bars and restaurants around arenas are packed after games, but is it because they're... there... and people are easily led? Or, is this something that fans have come to demand these days?

I've been to loads of sports events over the years and I can probably count on my fingers and toes the number of times I've gone out after a game. Usually I just want to go home afterward. I'm hard pressed to think of any of my friends who like to go out after events, but maybe that's just us.

I tend to appreciate the bars and restos near venues more for pre-game meals or drinks as opposed to post-game.

[esquire]

Local media are saying that an official announcement regarding the relocation of the Kootenay Ice of the WHL to Winnipeg is coming on Monday. It is expected that this will also involve details regarding the construction of a new 4,500 to 6,000 seat arena in the Rural Municipality of Macdonald, on a site just outside Winnipeg city limits in the southwest corner of the city.

In the meantime, the team is expected to play two seasons at the University of Manitoba's Wayne Fleming Arena.

It will be interesting to see how this venture goes. Winnipeg is a big hockey market but at the moment it's fair to say that it is fixated on the Jets given that they're doing so well. Getting the attention of local fans will be tough, especially when the new team will be stuck playing in such a sub-par venue for the first two years.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Stainless

I have an "old man" question. Does anybody REALLY care about the bars and restaurants in close proximity to a stadium or arena? Or, is it something that the cities want fans to want because of the bump in business and tax revenue?

It's both. A lot of people I know want more bars and restaurant options near the event venue for pre-game or post-game activities.

I recently read something that listed NBA arenas by favourability amongst users and the overwhelming patterns amongst the top facilities was that the district around those arenas was active for nightlife, restaurants, and just general things to do, regardless of what the arena was like on the inside. I think both Indiana and Memphis had high ratings for this reason...

The days of building an events centre just for people in cars is long gone. Ottawa is a perfect example.

Originally Posted by esquire

It will be interesting to see how this venture goes. Winnipeg is a big hockey market but at the moment it's fair to say that it is fixated on the Jets given that they're doing so well. Getting the attention of local fans will be tough, especially when the new team will be stuck playing in such a sub-par venue for the first two years.

I'm surprised they're willing to relocate from Kootenay to a market that looks a bit busy for hockey teams right now. Is the Kootenay region doing that poorly or is it an arena issue?

[esquire]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I'm surprised they're willing to relocate from Kootenay to a market that looks a bit busy for hockey teams right now. Is the Kootenay region doing that poorly or is it an arena issue?

I understand that Kootenay is a small market even by WHL standards, and the team wasn't doing particularly well at the gate. And then community support plummeted once the Winnipeg ownership group bought the team.

The Winnipeg hockey market is an interesting one. I would say there is room for a second team in the Jets' shadow. What isn't clear is whether the Ice owners are on good terms with TNSE (there are some past ties between the groups which would suggest they might be friendly to some extent) or not and to what degree their efforts might be coordinated. The Moose have been drawing fairly poorly this season - only about 4,100 a game, and that is boosted by a couple of theme nights that have drawn big crowds. There are some games where it looks like there aren't much more than 1,000 people in the stands. This speaks to TNSE possibly not putting much of an effort into sales and marketing. So could TNSE be planning to move the Moose in time for next season?

I suspect the WHL's chances in Winnipeg are better partly because the WHL product is more appealing to many fans than the AHL, and the WHL team can probably get by on less money which means tickets can be a bit cheaper. Moose tickets are obviously a lot less expensive than Jets tickets, but they still aren't that cheap... the cheapest regular priced seat is $29, and the Moose are doing terribly with many of their recognizable stars from last season now on the Jets roster. Considering that it isn't hard to get a cheap seat on the secondary market for a Jets game starting at around $65, I think a lot people will just pony up the extra cash for the Jets instead of watching the Moose play a forgettable game against Bakersfield or whomever.

There is also the factor of playing out of a smaller arena in the suburbs... free parking has mammoth appeal in Winnipeg, so the idea of a short drive from the south suburbs into a big parking lot instead of having to head downtown will be a selling point.

What would be really interesting from a fan standpoint is if TNSE and the Ice end up competing against each other. But even then I can't see a scenario where all 3 hockey teams end up staying here for the long haul, as much as I would like for that to be the case. Within 5 years either the AHL or the WHL will be gone from Winnipeg.

[megadude]

That's too bad. I have no connection to Kootenay but I like to see CHL teams in small markets. Just like how I have a greater appreciation for college ball teams in the US in non-pro markets.

I went to the 2011 Memorial Cup and watched Kootenay play the home town team, Mississauga. I had no idea what Kootenay was and had to look it up. Cool name for a cool looking region.

The family in front of me were from the region and travelled to watch the team. I talked to them about the Jays, because they had just rushed over from watching a game at the Dome, and then talked about their beloved Ice.

I feel sorry for the true fans of these junior teams who lose their beloved club. Just like when someone I know from Belleville lost the Bulls. She was a STH and sometimes travelled to watch the team (I watched a game with her playing at Guelph). The Bulls were replaced by the Sens' AHL team, but it wasn't the same and she couldn't care less.

Ya it's gonna be tough to keep all three hockey teams in Winnipeg.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Stainless

I have an "old man" question. Does anybody REALLY care about the bars and restaurants in close proximity to a stadium or arena? Or, is it something that the cities want fans to want because of the bump in business and tax revenue?

I don't go to a huge number of live events anymore, but when I did in my teens and 20s, the people I knew usually just wanted to get the hell out of the stadium area immediately after for cheap beer and pizza or whatever in somebody's crappy basement or apartment. There didn't appear to be any desire to sit in an overpriced restaurant and quietly discuss Wittgenstein.

I'm sure that bars and restaurants around arenas are packed after games, but is it because they're... there... and people are easily led? Or, is this something that fans have come to demand these days?

It is related to the desire to see areas with arenas and stadiums become the nucleii of nightlife and entertainment districts. That can be busy even when no major event is on.

On a modest scale you can see this at Lansdowne in Ottawa, but of course one of the more obvious prototypes is LA Live.

[SaskScraper]

^^ I think that's what City of Saskatoon is going for, having the synergy of Saskatoon's recent renaissance of downtown clubs & nightlife added to the possibility of a new sports coliseum and entertainment/convention centre venue will add to even more people lingering downtown for entertainment not only on weekends but week day evenings as well.

Saskatoon's culture of downtown entertainment has really exploded over the last few years, some bars and theatre that use to be in the outskirts have moved downtown to tremendous success. Persephone Theatre and Crazy Cactus night club are two examples that come to mind of establishments that saw several fold increase in business since relocating & making the move downtown.

The Remai Modern and The Banks & Riverlanding developments in the last couple years solidifies downtown Saskatoon as the epicentre for an even larger burgeoning plan to make the city centre a 24/7 destination (or at least before last call at the clubs each night).

Originally Posted by Stainless
I have an "old man" question. Does anybody REALLY care about the bars and restaurants in close proximity to a stadium or arena? Or, is it something that the cities want fans to want because of the bump in business and tax revenue?

Saskatoon having one of the youngest median age demographics with large college population is definitely being eyed by the city administrators as a source of business tax revenue, concentrating the focus in Saskatoon's CBD.

Originally Posted by JHikka
I'm surprised they're willing to relocate from Kootenay to a market that looks a bit busy for hockey teams right now. Is the Kootenay region doing that poorly or is it an arena issue?

Winnipeg is by far the largest city in North America's NorthWest to not have a WHL hockey team (with the exception of maybe Boise, Idaho).
There is probably a lot of interest in Winnipeg to watching hockey that has players and teams from that part of the continent.

I do find it interesting that they are taking the risk & have possible plans to build a new arena in Winnipeg though.
Interestingly enough, the Kootenay Ice had been relocated from Edmonton where they played in what is now Edmonton's 5,000 seat Expo Centre Hall D, before the ice plant got removed.



https://globalnews.ca/news/4713788/e...all-d-council/

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

Winnipeg is by far the largest city in North America's NorthWest to not have a WHL hockey team (with the exception of maybe Boise, Idaho).

Is....this an actual region? Stretching from Manitoba to the Pacific?

There are a number of cities in the US that could host WHL teams (Boise, Grand Forks, etc.) but none seem totally likely at this point.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Is....this an actual region? Stretching from Manitoba to the Pacific?

There are a number of cities in the US that could host WHL teams (Boise, Grand Forks, etc.) but none seem totally likely at this point.

I respectfully submit that the Pacific Northwest ends at Saskatchewan at the furthest. Sorry Manitoba.