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Originally Posted by Textcritic
Nice work, Barnes.
This is really key to me, and I have to wonder if CSEG never did form with the purchase of the Stampeders whether the Flames would now be playing in a new arena.
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The Flames missed their window in the late 2000s. I know a bit about the inner workings at that time; they had the desire to move and had done a fair bit of legwork in they initial 2006 time frame. The Dome couldn’t be renovated any longer, seating or ice plant or concessions, and they were losing out big time on $200k boxes which they didn’t have enough of, to sell.. They also wanted out from under the Stampede board and had various land holdings, including but not limited to the West end of downtown, to evaluate for the location. From what I understand, they had blueprints started etc back then.
But,they waited a bit too long to make the final decisions, and then the economic downturn in 08/09 put it on hold when in hindsight they should’ve pushed. Then I am sure, as you mentioned, the talk of the Stamps and forming a biggger group, gave way to a larger scale plan and CalgaryNext was born.
Then, toss in a flood and the owners paying a large chunk of funds to get the rink ready in time for October (doesn’t get mentioned here much, certainly when slagging the owners) and governmental changes, and sure, social media uprising, and the Flames lost their window to be in control of the project they way they likely would’ve been in 2007.