[The Familia]

Those new "renderings" make the project look even worse. Still can't believe how badly they are botching this. Looks like a very depressing and sterile facility devoid of any exciting public spaces, plazas, and gathering spaces. The river is cut off from the stadium and the C-Train overpass will ensure the street level remains bare. Funny how they have not shown a single rendering of what the arena part will look like. That is a huge mistake as the driving force behind this whole concept is a new arena.

In my opinion, this "field house/stadium" idea will become a huge regret if they go with it. Poor renderings aside, I am of the belief that the facility will be a little of everything but a lot of nothing. It won't excel as a football/soccer stadium and it won't excel as a field house. I'm envisioning a giant gymnasium with high school roll out bleachers that will suck the life out of Stampeder's games. It's been proven time and time again that these "multi-sport" facilities and stadiums do not work. Look at all the stadiums and facilities in the states that have been imploded in favor of sport specific facilities. I can't think of any facility in the world that has successfully done what the Flames propose. I know they are not the final drawings, but what they have shown leaves me with little faith they can execute this properly.

I would rather they take extra time (God knows they already have), and do each facility separate and properly. I'd build the arena first along the lines of Edmonton's new arena. Spend what needs to be spent. The owners should be able to pay for the arena on their own and with the ticket tax. Once the arena is complete and the economy has rebounded, I'd proceed on a new football stadium. Something along the lines of Winnipeg or Saskatchewan. A mini retractable roof stadium would be nice, but that is a pipe dream. This building would have to be publicly funded most likely. I'd leave the field house for last. Scale it down and build a moderate facility for a 1/4 of the proposed price. Just my 2 cents.