Is a new facility contingent on public money? I don't think it is. Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto arenas were all privately financed. The strategy for the Calgary tax payer is to just stare the Flames down. I don't think people understand who has the upper hand in negotiations here. The Flames need Calgary a lot more than Calgary needs the Flames. So if you understand that you just sit and wait and sweat the owners out until they come with reasonable offers. Choosing not to waste money on a new arena is a political winner. Wasting hundreds of millions so Estrada can watch a game in a brand new cathedral is a political loser.
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