Quote:
Originally Posted by tkflames
Victoria Park
Drawback
2. Limited traffic at the arena/event center outside of events (much like the saddle dome). Outside of a few extra concerts per year, I don't think there will be regular traffic at this facility. I suspect this will affect the viability of the stampede trail businesses.
Calgary Next:
Benefits
2. Consistent traffic through the facility will also improve the viability of a surrounding entertainment district and central gathering place.
Does this more or less capture it for most, or are there key positives and drawbacks that I am missing on both projects? Am I misleading in my analysis?
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The boxed-in nature of the West Village (moreso than Victoria Park), poorer transit access, and the size of the footprint of the facility on the land to be developed means there isn't much to develop beyond the facility. Hardly a great place to gather. Tracks to the south, 14th to the East, and Bow Trail create a lot less flow than Victoria Park which has better access across the tracks (not great, but better) but has much better access to and from the Beltline via 11th and 12th Ave and is still very walkable from 17th. A lot more room for flow to build up a district around it that builds off surrounding neighborhoods.
The Fieldhouse won't provide much additional traffic, certainly not the kind that would be beneficial for an entertainment district, so I don't know what makes CalgaryNEXT more condusive to an entertainment district than the Victoria Park location that has the vested interest of the CMLC and Stampede along with the Flames. The biggest hinderance to any development of that area has been the Stampede and the dinosaurs who run it, which is where the CMLC comes in. Much better chance of things being done than if CSEC go at it alone.