Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattman
I think an overlooked area of this whole deal is the Stampedes cut in all this.
I think that they benefit the most from this project with just the new land that they receive. When you throw in a new BMO building and expanded land just to the east of it, that is going to be a huge opportunity to grow.
It almost expands the Stampede ground by 1/3. Maybe more because the new event center will certainly be used for concerts etc. as the Dome is used now.
I know I may not agree with some of the hot takes in this thread, but I think we can celebrate opportunity to grow that area of Calgary into something more grand.
It's gotta be the right cost for everyone involved, but it is vital to the growth of this city.
|
The previous deal was a relatively even land swap - roughly 7 acres for 7ish acres (not sure on Saddledome plot). The Saddledome land is inherently much less valuable than the new arena site, as it is essentially an enclave. It's probably not a huge downgrade for Stampede, but it's definitely a downgrade from the status quo.
Current deal looks more like 10 acres for ~5 acres, with the exclusion of the Saddledome Parkade. So I'm sure Stampede is getting more $$ to balance the scales.
There are certainly pros/cons to all of this for Stampede; they are going through substantial changes with the BMO Centre and 17 Ave extension, so there will be big operational changes no matter what.