Quote:
Originally Posted by OffsideSpecialist
Does a sports stadium really make a city "world class"? I've been to several "world class" cities and I don't know a thing about any of their sports stadiums. On a list of things that make a city "world class", I would protest that a sports stadium doesn't register much higher than what underwear the mayor wears.
I have also noticed at least one opponent to the Peace Bridge mention that this arena is needed to make Calgary "world class". In my opinion, the Peace Bridge does more to make Calgary "world class" than an arena at only a fraction of the cost.
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I have stayed pretty quite on the topic. But I want to address this.
One of the points of a new arena/stadium is for them to be more than just a sports venue. They want the arena to decrease in size to increase the number of concerts they can do, plus with moving away from McMahon to an open air stadium with natural grass would open the door to the possibility of MLS and international soccer matches, it would also open up the possibility to outdoor concerts/events. The new arena/stadium combo would also be a major draw in bringing the Olympics back to Calgary.
These additional events may not make the city "world class" but it certainly puts them on the path to be one. I also think things like the peace bridge also help Calgary become a step closer to that goal. And let's be honest a 2nd Olympics would put Calgary in very exclusive company and I think in the minds of many would solidify Calgary as a world class city.