Flames to announce plans to announce arena plans in the... future...

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Well you can be sure that if this great state of the art facility King has been talking about costs near a billion dollars that it's a lot more than an arena and a casino. It's kind of a no-brainer that they would also build the football stadium next to the arena to consolidate their two biggest franchises.

Right, that's what I would assume they want, but that doesn't change the footprint of the land.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Disappointed with the location, UNLESS it means a stadium capable of hosting soccer/concerts because of the extra space.

The whole Stampede Trail development/Stampede grounds start to look like they face a grim future if the Flames move out of the area. I would have loved a building North of the current dome, with an integrated underground SE LRT station. That could have turned into a great entertainment district, and would have the East village on it's doorstep and 17th ave as well.

The Stampede grounds and East Vic park will feel like a desolate wasteland with no arena in the neighborhood (assuming the dome gets levelled).

Getting rid of the dome on Stampede grounds would open up more space for the Stampede to put in more year round attractions.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Getting rid of the dome on Stampede grounds would open up more space for the Stampede to put in more year round attractions.

That would be great, but what? An indoor aquarium?

I see Calgary being years away from being any winter tourist hotspot.

I think developments that have sporradic use should be grouped together, then hotels, restaurants and bars can thrive in the area.

Stampede grounds, BMO, Big 4, arena, stadium, that is a great combination to have year round traffic in the area. I'm really curious what the Stampede could do to bring people down there in the winter, but hopefully they have some giant awesome plan up their sleeves.

I also queston the LRT station capacity on the West of downtown. Nothing seems capable of handling post game crowds, especially if a stadium is in the mix. An underground SE LRT station would be so ideal it's not even funny. Plus for the whole "tourist corridor" idea, an arena and stadium fit in great for that. Lots of people come in for the weekend for Flames games or concerts, if there are hotels and restaurants to keep people in that area for the weekend, perfect. More traffic for the Science Centre, Zoo, whatever the Stampede has planned.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by fotze

Might have to look as seasons tickets if that close to home. Nice! Fata Bridgleand and Inglewood right in the face.

It would actually make taking the train to the dome way easier. The walk gets a little far though.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

That would be great, but what? An indoor aquarium?

A planetarium with one of those giant domed projection rooms.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

If that is indeed the site, I could see the province /city helping pay for contamination cleanup, and for infrastructure upgrades to Bow, Crowchild, and 14th. Also, minor upgrades to the Sunalta LRT station (upgraded pedestrian ramp over the CP tracks and Bow Trail).

With an arena/stadium as the centrepiece of a CRL, I think there could be some money available that way too. I don't think all of that comes anywhere close to $500 million, though.

That would depend upon the level up upgrading that goes into Crowchild. That Crowchild bridge has been one of the sillier concepts that our city has implemented throughout the transit system and that is a big statement considering how many bad ideas have been implemented here.

The city could spend a lot of money just trying to fix/upgrade that bridge. $500M could disappear pretty fast depending on how far they are looking to upgrade infrastructure.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Wolven

That Crowchild bridge has been one of the sillier concepts that our city has implemented throughout the transit system and that is a big statement considering how many bad ideas have been implemented here.

What's wrong with the bridge? It's the traffic lights on the north side of the bridge that are the bottleneck.

[Muffins]

Originally Posted by SebC

What's wrong with the bridge? It's the traffic lights on the north side of the bridge that are the bottleneck.

People going from westbound Bow to Crowchild north to Memorial is a clusterfata that certainly doesn't help the flow of traffic either.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by SebC

What's wrong with the bridge? It's the traffic lights on the north side of the bridge that are the bottleneck.

It's also Crowchild going from four lanes down to two lanes over Bow trail then the Bow River.

[Resolute 14]

That, and there is only one thru lane all the way up. Virtually everyone has to shift lanes to get through the area, which is always lots of fun in rush hour. The entire spot from the bridge up to the exit to 16th are pretty much designed to interfere with traffic flow.

[Jay Random]

And the fact that the ramps between Bow Trail and Crowchild to and from the south are only one lane, yet most of the traffic on Crowchild S in rush hour is headed to or from downtown.

And there's the whole monstrosity where 10 Ave. ties in, with traffic lights smack in the bottom level of the interchange.

And the fact that there are no ramps at all going in certain directions, giving the entire interchange a bad case of 'you can't get there from here'.

It was a botched design to begin with — and now it's over 40 years old, and hugely overloaded, because the city is three times the size it was then. It badly needs replacing — but I don't see the present crew at Silly Hall doing that. They think if they only make the traffic bad enough, they can force everyone onto transit.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by SebC

What's wrong with the bridge? It's the traffic lights on the north side of the bridge that are the bottleneck.

If you are driving on Crowchild from the South to the North, there is only ONE lane that goes all the way through.

In rushour this means thousands of cars having to change lanes to get through that pinch. It's terrible.

The dangerous part is when the left lane is flowing, and the middle lane is stopped. Anyone going to Memorial via Crowchild from Bow Trail or 10th Avenue needs to basically stop traffic, squeeze into the stopped middle lane, and then get back into a generally fast moving lane in order to access Memorial drive. I've seen so many close calls there I couldn't even count them.

[Resolute 14]

Apropos, last year's study on the corridor ended up with two major themes from the public consultations:
1. Everybody says they need to fix traffic flows over the bridge
2. Area NIMBYs are making demands that makes point 1 impossible.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by SebC

What's wrong with the bridge? It's the traffic lights on the north side of the bridge that are the bottleneck.

Needless to say, a lot of people understand the list of problems with that bridge.


On top of all the normal problems with that road, I would be interested to hear if the recent strength of the Bow River is adding any extra problems (erosion) to the support structure at the base of the bridge (along the same lines as that train bridge where the derailment was last week).

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Apropos, last year's study on the corridor ended up with two major themes from the public consultations:
1. Everybody says they need to fix traffic flows over the bridge
2. Area NIMBYs are making demands that makes point 1 impossible.

I've always hated that corridor. Driving to the university from marda loop was a nightmare. 3 lanes of freeway going northbound and then horrible ideas take place all the way from Bow Trail to the stadium but then it becomes an awesome 3 lane freeway again.

I am not sure I have ever seen another road with so many merging and splitting lanes on opposite sides of the road.

It is pretty stunning to think that bridge sees over 106K cars per day. That number can only get worse as more people move to the city.

[fotiou22]

Slightly tangential to this discussion, but the Atlantic's got a pretty damning story about how NFL owners like to fund stadiums.

[Fusebox]

I think the best place for the new arena for all parties concerned is the current site of the Big Four building. This is certainly where the Flames have been pushing to build it.

I'd say the new arena is at least six years away from opening up to the public. Just look at the funding issues involved in getting a new arena in Edmonton. The Flames will be looking for a sweetheart deal from the City and the Stampede, and those issues will take years to iron out before a single shovel is put into the ground.

[Fusebox]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

That would be great, but what? An indoor aquarium?

I see Calgary being years away from being any winter tourist hotspot.

I think developments that have sporradic use should be grouped together, then hotels, restaurants and bars can thrive in the area.

Stampede grounds, BMO, Big 4, arena, stadium, that is a great combination to have year round traffic in the area. I'm really curious what the Stampede could do to bring people down there in the winter, but hopefully they have some giant awesome plan up their sleeves.

I also queston the LRT station capacity on the West of downtown. Nothing seems capable of handling post game crowds, especially if a stadium is in the mix. An underground SE LRT station would be so ideal it's not even funny. Plus for the whole "tourist corridor" idea, an arena and stadium fit in great for that. Lots of people come in for the weekend for Flames games or concerts, if there are hotels and restaurants to keep people in that area for the weekend, perfect. More traffic for the Science Centre, Zoo, whatever the Stampede has planned.

They do. The SAM building is going in right across from Victoria Hall, a stone's throw from the river. Huge cowboy museum/gathering place for young musicians. Will hopefully be open sometime in 2018/19

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

They do. The SAM building is going in right across from Victoria Hall, a stone's throw from the river. Huge cowboy museum/gathering place for young musicians. Will hopefully be open sometime in 2018/19

As well as Stampede Trail entertainment district development and pushing 17th Avenue east into the grounds.

Other things too. Stay tuned.

[Lil Pedro]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

I think the best place for the new arena for all parties concerned is the current site of the Big Four building. This is certainly where the Flames have been pushing to build it.

I'd say the new arena is at least six years away from opening up to the public. Just look at the funding issues involved in getting a new arena in Edmonton. The Flames will be looking for a sweetheart deal from the City and the Stampede, and those issues will take years to iron out before a single shovel is put into the ground.

My understanding is that they would want to be off Stampede grounds so they could take advantage of the parking revenue? Or am I way out to left field?

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by Lil Pedro

My understanding is that they would want to be off Stampede grounds so they could take advantage of the parking revenue? Or am I way out to left field?

No you're correct. It's not going to be on the Stampede grounds.