I voted yes but I respect the result and understand the many reasons why people voted no. Time to move on.
Having said that I think the prospects for a new arena for the Flames took a serious hit tonight. I think what will happen is what King has said all along, the team will play out the string in the Saddledome for as long as they can, likely two or three more years until a more attractive financial model presents itself in another city and the owners will relocate the team or sell to a single buyer or group elsewhere (such as Houston where the owner of the basketball team has the resources and has stated he wants an NHL franchise).
Bigger picture, I was born here and spent my entire working life here. Retirement is probably five to ten years away max. And this is the first time I am truly worried for the economic future of Calgary and Alberta. We are in big trouble here and there is much blame to go round. Our federal government doesn’t give a crap about this province or our energy industry, the backbone of Alberta. You can talk about attempts to diversify but it could take decades for new economic foundations to be in place.
I don’t have kids. But I can say that if I did, and it pains me because Calgary has been home, and I have made a decent living here, there is no way I would let them make their careers here. I really think unless something drastic happens our best days are behind us.
Last edited by Manhattanboy; 11-13-2018 at 11:56 PM.
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I'm really interested in seeing the developments between the City and CSEC going forward. Wonder if this result forms a catalyst for something to happen reasonably quickly.
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Last edited by TheScorpion; 11-13-2018 at 11:56 PM.
Speaking of divisiveness, Bidco had already been accusing and threatening City Council ahead of the vote as part of their presentation. Nevermind the lie and the awkward dance afterwards.
The difference was that CalgaryNext was a starting point of a negotiation. Calgary 2026 was the final product.
That’s not true. Calgary 2026 had plenty of time to work out many other details before the actual bid was due, and like all other Olympic Games, even the bid itself would not like have respresented the true scope of infrastructure.
Calgary 2026 was less a final product than CalgaryNext. You’ve got them backwards.
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I voted yes but I respect the result and understand the many reasons why people voted no. Time to move on.
Having said that I think the prospects for a new arena for the Flames took a serious hit tonight. I think what will happen is what King has said all along, the team will play out the string in the Saddledome for as long as they can, likely two or three more years until a more attractive financial model presents itself in another city and the owners will relocate the team or sell to a single buyer or group elsewhere (such as Houston where the owner of the basketball team has the resources and has stated he wants an NHL franchise).
Bigger picture, I was born here and spent my entire working life here. Retirement is probably five to ten years away max. And this is the first time I am truly worried for the economic future of Calgary and Alberta. We are in big trouble here and there is much blame to go round. Our federal government doesn’t give a crap about this province or our energy industry, the backbone of Alberta. You can talk about attempts to diversify but it could take decades for new economic foundations to be in place.
I don’t have kids. But I can say that if I did, and it pains me because Calgary has been home, and I have made a decent living here, there is no way I would let them make their careers here. I really think unless something drastic happens our best days are behind us.
Good post. I don't see a bright future for this city either. Pretty sad day....
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I voted no in the CP poll, but didn't firmly make up my mind until the voting booth. What firmed up my "no" is the sheer frivolity and hipocrisy of the modern Olympic movement. Everything must be shiny and pure on the surface! Meanwhile, the sewage treatment plant is being overwhelmed by visitors and it's dumping raw sewage into the river... or other similar "shoot, shovel, and shut up" type ugliness.
And to pay for that shine, the IOC puts up beautiful pastel-colored, advertising-free banners everywhere with the Olympic rings... While maintaining an absolute stranglehold on advertising and broadcast rights to their own benefit.
Party's over... Everyone goes home and the host has to clean up.
In 1988, we were transformed. Exposure was harder to come by back then. We built 3+ massive new facilities (Saddledome, COP bob & jumps, Oval). And we transformed from forgotten oil town into a can-do city through a common experience.
Doing that again won't have the same effect. We'll renovate a few thing, spend most of the next 8 years arguing over budgets, and end up the same as we would otherwise.
I'm not saying do nothing. I'm saying let's choose for ourselves how we're going to be an impactful city in this world, rather than just raising our hands every time a group says they want a place to do their thing (Amazon, IOC).
I don’t have kids. But I can say that if I did, and it pains me because Calgary has been home, and I have made a decent living here, there is no way I would let them make their careers here. I really think unless something drastic happens our best days are behind us.
My wife and I are thinking about coming back to Calgary next year (born and raised there), but being away in another city the last couple of years has been somewhat of an eye-opener of the type of city Calgary is and is going to be going forward. Low job prospects, upcoming tax disasters, upward trending crime - and no end in sight to any of these problems. These are just a few (Olympics is another tick for me).
It's a hard choice to make going forward - and I really don't want it to be.
Speaking of divisiveness, Bidco had already been accusing and threatening City Council ahead of the vote as part of their presentation. Nevermind the lie and the awkward dance afterwards.
My wife and I are thinking about coming back to Calgary next year (born and raised there), but being away in another city the last couple of years has been somewhat of an eye-opener of the type of city Calgary is and is going to be going forward. Low job prospects, upcoming tax disasters, upward trending crime - and no end in sight to any of these problems. These are just a few (Olympics is another tick for me).
It's a hard choice to make going forward - and I really don't want it to be.
Honestly, I would not move back here. The only thing it has going for it now
Is that the houses cost significantly less than Toronto or Vancouver, but does that really matter when you can’t get a job anyways?
My wife and I are thinking about coming back to Calgary next year (born and raised there), but being away in another city the last couple of years has been somewhat of an eye-opener of the type of city Calgary is and is going to be going forward. Low job prospects, upcoming tax disasters, upward trending crime - and no end in sight to any of these problems. These are just a few (Olympics is another tick for me).
It's a hard choice to make going forward - and I really don't want it to be.
I mean this is the Winter Olympics we’re talking about.
I wouldn’t be shocked if they cease to exist by 2026.
Honestly, I would not move back here. The only thing it has going for it now
Is that the houses cost significantly less than Toronto or Vancouver, but does that really matter when you can’t get a job anyways?
My career can be performed remotely, but it would be nice to get contracts in town. Looking around, local opportunities have died down considerably. I would use it as a base to work with out-of-town clients though. Would have been nice to do some work for the infrastructure development that could have happened in Calgary too. Oh well.
Yeah, I love Calgary and I really don't want to see it careen down the tunnel of Detroit and the like. I just don't think that spending a ton of money on the Olympics is the right way to boost the economy. Maybe it worked in '88 but that was ages ago, and we're in a different world. I just don't know what the solution to the downturn is, what industries the city can hope to attract -- but I think we need to invest in more long-term reform.
It all seems very sad at the moment, for certain. Idk what to think
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