Quote:
Originally Posted by Cappy
The city can do that. They have done so with the East Village and have plans for the WV once the east village is up and running. I forgot how much business has grown around the saddledome and mcmahon over the yrs.
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So the City should be responsible for driving the development of the area, and foot the cleanup themselves, but not participate in a venture where they essentially underwrite the project at minimal cost and get the cleanup paid for in short order? If the City drives this, they see that land sit there for another 30 years while bureaucrats argue over the various plans to make it happen, as has been going on for 30 years. Here that have a large economic driver coming in that will force that redevelopment to take place in short order. I guarantee that with the NEXT project that area will be built out in 10 years. Without it, it will be another 30 years of squabbling.
Please don't compare EV and WV. Completely different scenarios with different zoning challenges and constraints because of the Stampede grounds. WV has a much better chance of success because it is already zoned for the use theNEXT project has on the drawing board. The politics on this could be minimal and the City of Calgary would have another jewel in the downtown core to be proud of. The only thing holding this back is small town thinking. The same thing doomed the Phoenix market when Mesa didn't think long term and the benefits of such developments. I hope Calgary doesn't make the same mistake.