New Downtown Calgary Arena - Page 49

monocle · #**961** Posted **Nov 2, 2012, 11:34 PM**

Surely, Encana or the like would enjoy having their name associated with the best city in Canada's new stadium.

Looks to me there is lots of room on the current site to build a new one, while playing out of McMahon. Or, am off base/side?

Innersoul1 · #**962** Posted **Nov 3, 2012, 11:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

I have sat in the super nose bleeds in the Bell Centre. Sure, you are high up, but I had no complaints.

The 500 level seats at the Bell Centre are amazing!

Luk_o · #**963** Posted **Nov 4, 2012, 5:27 AM**

For fucksakes. Why are they sinking more money into McMahon?! Put it into a long term plan to build a new one! As a long time season ticket holder I would be happy to up with 8 more years of this shit stadium if it meant Calgary was getting the new facility it deserves.

MalcolmTucker · #**964** Posted **Nov 4, 2012, 6:27 AM**

It doesn't work like that with how outsized construction costs are today to the value of the finished good. And that is speaking as someone whose legs are too long to sit in any McMahon seat reasonably comfortably (except for the big party box).

Joborule · #**965** Posted **Nov 4, 2012, 7:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

It doesn't work like that with how outsized construction costs are today to the value of the finished good. And that is speaking as someone whose legs are too long to sit in any McMahon seat reasonably comfortably (except for the big party box).

Any major renovation done to McMahon requires those rows to be extended so average size people can fit their legs.

The layout foundation of McMahon is fine. Just strip away all the seats, and replace them with backrest seats and cup holders, while reworking the rows spacin. Add luxury suites on both sidelines, and new seating on both endzones. Improve and enclose the concourse as well. Oh, and better scoreboard.

McMahon can be turned into a state of the art stadium for it's size. But it will take more than $100M to do it.

Coldrsx · #**966** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 6:33 PM**

Edmonton has an update - Katz Group before Council as we speak. They mentioned Calgary's potential new arena. They also say no Provincial funding.

http://oilers.nhl.com/club/gallery.h...n=/photos&pg=1

freeweed · #**967** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 7:07 PM**

I wonder what's going to happen with our respective arena situations in light of the lockout. In 94, people still cared. In 2004, people still cared. Today? I really get the sense that government funding in any form will be more harshly viewed than at any time in the past.

After watching owners and players basically throwing their money out the window for the past few months, and US municipalities bankrupting themselves trying to pay for their mistakes... I really don't see a lot of hope for new buildings anytime soon.

Bigtime · #**968** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 8:22 PM**

Couldn't agree with you more Freeweed, this is the worst possible time for any team to try and pitch for public funding.

In my opinion they can get fucked. Plain and simple.

The Fisher Account · #**969** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 9:02 PM**

This is interesting...

Gord Gillies ‏@Gord_Gillies
hmm.Oilers guy Pat Laforge talking about rink plans for #yeg, mentions something about #yyc getting a HUGE new venue. stay tuned! #flames

Gord Gillies ‏@Gord_Gillies
Laforge says the 'size & scope' of the #yyc venue will impact #yeg when it comes to concerts, etc. That'll be a switch! #hello-A-listbands!

freeweed · #**970** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 9:20 PM**

Good luck getting public funds to pay for a bunch of over-paid hockey players to perform concerts.

You Need A Thneed · #**971** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 9:23 PM**

There's no way to justify public money going into a dome replacement. Whenever Nenshi talks about it, he sounds pretty against it too, but says "I'd need to be convinced."

Spring2008 · #**972** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 9:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

This is interesting...

Gord Gillies ‏@Gord_Gillies
hmm.Oilers guy Pat Laforge talking about rink plans for #yeg, mentions something about #yyc getting a HUGE new venue. stay tuned! #flames

Gord Gillies ‏@Gord_Gillies
Laforge says the 'size & scope' of the #yyc venue will impact #yeg when it comes to concerts, etc. That'll be a switch! #hello-A-listbands!

Oh boy. Wouldn't that be funny if after 6-7 years of delays while constantly hearing the same old story of how desperately Edmonton needs this downtown arena to attract investment into the core etc, and with the arena project in Calgary totally being on the back-burner, that Calgary be the city that actually goes ahead and builds a new one.

I know it has been mentioned before, but I'd much rather see a grand, signature downtown Convention Centre mixed in with new hotels, retail, urban park; ideally it would be situated close to the tracks just south of EAP. This quickly growing, global business hub needs something like this much more than a new arena. And while we're at it, build an lrt extension from the NE line connecting the airport to downtown!!!

kw5150 · #**973** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 9:45 PM**

I think the NHL forgot that the rinks would have to be replaced eventually. Then they started paying players WAYYYYYYY too much.......and now are like "DOH!"

Im so pissed of at this whole player / association shitshow. Where is the loyalty to the fans? The hockey players are just turning out to be rich brats.

Maybe this is the end of the world........I enjoyed hockey when I played, what happended to these doofs? If I could have even made 80,000 to be a hockey player that would make me happy.

People expect wayyyyy too much today.

The player need to realize that they have to give some money back in order to make the industry sustainable.

Calgarian · #**974** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 10:52 PM**

Yeah I don't support $.01 of city money going to a new arena when we should be focusing on the next phase of the LRT!

DizzyEdge · #**975** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 10:55 PM**

In fact, if the city does discuss funding an arena, they should frame the discussion as how many years doing so will delay LRT expansion and see what public opinion follows.

Stephen Ave · #**976** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 10:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Yeah I don't support $.01 of city money going to a new arena when we should be focusing on the next phase of the LRT!

I don't have a problem with the city funding a portion of a new arena, if it means a better overall master plan. Of course there would have to be something in it for the city, some sort of revenue besides taxes.

s211 · #**977** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 11:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spring2008

Oh boy. Wouldn't that be funny if after 6-7 years of delays while constantly hearing the same old story of how desperately Edmonton needs this downtown arena to attract investment into the core etc, and with the arena project in Calgary totally being on the back-burner, that Calgary be the city that actually goes ahead and builds a new one.

Calgary's certainly got far more can-do than other Western Canadian cities.

Stephen Ave · #**978** Posted **Dec 12, 2012, 11:03 PM**

Once Calgary gets a new arena you'll see most of the artists choosing Calgary over Edmonton. In most cases they'll go to both cities, but if choosing only one city, it will mostly be Calgary.

I'm not sure why they're using the Calgary arena as an argument, regardless of what Edmonton does for an new arena it won't change that outcome.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Gord Gillies ‏@Gord_Gillies
Laforge says the 'size & scope' of the #yyc venue will impact #yeg when it comes to concerts, etc. That'll be a switch! #hello-A-listbands!

freeweed · #**979** Posted **Dec 13, 2012, 3:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

In fact, if the city does discuss funding an arena, they should frame the discussion as how many years doing so will delay LRT expansion and see what public opinion follows.

Sure, as long as you frame every other public expenditure this way. New library? It will delay the LRT. New convention centre? Public art on transportation projects? New drop-in centre? Affordable housing? Yup, they'll all be delaying the LRT, folks!

If anything, the city should be reminding the public that the NHL only uses the Saddledome for ~44 nights a year (the Flames keep missing the playoffs). Our junior kids play a lot of hockey there, we have concerts, the Stampede uses it, and a bunch of other stuff that I'm probably not even aware of.

freeweed · #**980** Posted **Dec 13, 2012, 3:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Ave

I'm not sure why they're using the Calgary arena as an argument, regardless of what Edmonton does for an new arena it won't change that outcome.

I think the point came up wherein council is being made to realize that concert revenues are not going to be as high as was first thought, because Calgary will end up pulling away so many.

I'm not entirely sure why - perhaps this was the Katz group trying to justify more city spend because they (Katz), as arena operators, wouldn't be seeing quite as much revenue as originally forecast.