New Edmonton Arena Construction will begin in March 2014

[You Need a Thneed]

I should maybe correct myself a little bit, $120 million or so come from a ticket tax. So the amount coming from taxpayers is around $300 million, with another $120 million coming from users.

The guy standing to profit from the whole thing is still putting in about zero net dollars.

[dash_pinched]

EDMONTON - Edmonton’s downtown arena deal is about to be put on ice, but rightly so.

City taxpayers have already done plenty to push ahead the proposed $480-million downtown arena. It’s time for those who will benefit most from the new arena – especially out-of-town Oilers fans and concert goers, and Oilers owner Daryl Katz – to find the missing $55 million to finalize the deal.

...the doughnut reno is out. And the downtown arena deal will almost certainly get shelved at Wednesday’s council meeting as well, but that’s just as it should be when those who benefit most from the arena aren’t yet paying their fair share.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sport...266/story.html

[CaptainCrunch]

Bet Katz feels stupid for writing that check to Redford, I'm betting he thought that the province would step up and punch a bunch of money into the arena know questions asked like.

[albertGQ]

Good. That is only fair. I hope the Flames owners' are treated the same.

[MrMastodonFarm]

After all is said and done, after all the hoopla and talk from Edmonton, all the whining about nothing being done by the fans in Calgary.. I bet ours is done before theirs.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Good. That is only fair. I hope the Flames owners' are treated the same.

I hope the Flames owners are being a hell of a lot smarter than Katz and his cronies are.

[Enoch Root]

by the way, some comments from KK at a STH lunch last week...

the project has become very, very large - beyond anything this town has yet seen (I know, I know... don't shoot the messenger)

it will be a multi-purpose facility - but that does not mean a multi-purpose building. As he continued and clarified, the impression that I got (as others did as well) was that he meant it would be multiple different facilities in one location - much like Phoenix, I presume.

He was specifically asked about a football field and pretty much said yes, that would be included. And it was at this point that he said it would NOT be a multi-plex type facility - football fields and hockey rinks do not fit into the same building (paraphrasing of course)

Can't remember what he said about an announcement timeline... 6 - 8 months maybe?

[nik-]

They do their arena deals like they do their seasons.

A ton of hype and hoopla and ends with a fizzle instead of a bang.

[CedarMeter]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

by the way, some comments from KK at a STH lunch last week...

the project has become very, very large - beyond anything this town has yet seen (I know, I know... don't shoot the messenger)

it will be a multi-purpose facility - but that does not mean a multi-purpose building. As he continued and clarified, the impression that I got (as others did as well) was that he meant it would be multiple different facilities in one location - much like Phoenix, I presume.

He was specifically asked about a football field and pretty much said yes, that would be included. And it was at this point that he said it would NOT be a multi-plex type facility - football fields and hockey rinks do not fit into the same building (paraphrasing of course)

Can't remember what he said about an announcement timeline... 6 - 8 months maybe?

I went to the luncheon last year and he told us the same thing..6 to 8 months before an announcement would be made..It's getting old, man..Thanks for the update, Enoch!

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

I went to the luncheon last year and he told us the same thing..6 to 8 months before an announcement would be made..It's getting old, man..Thanks for the update, Enoch!

Oh I know. I have only been to one other one - maybe a year and a half ago? And he said an announcement was 4 months away at that time.

However, I would rather they wait and get it right, than go through the circus that we have seen up north.

[_Q_]

Man Ken King's song and dance about a new arena is getting so lame.

We'll be hearing about this announcement "only 6 months away" for the next decade. By that time, the story will be that the flames are building 5 arenas and 200,000 seat football stadium that hovers over downtown Calgary and is accessible only by helicopters.

Ken should just be quiet about this thing until the time comes for an announcement.

[Rhettzky]

Well, to be fair to KK, he has only given updates like this at STH events and is not making public announcements. I'm sure this ongoing project has seen numerous changes and such as its gone along.

[Robbob]

I also think that they thought edmonton would have had their ducks in a row. Only makes sense to see how it pays out for thembefore making an official announcement.

[metallicat]

At this point, I don't even want a new arena. I'm a season ticket holder, and am perfectly happy with Rexall.

[RM14]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

Well, to be fair to KK, he has only given updates like this at STH events and is not making public announcements. I'm sure this ongoing project has seen numerous changes and such as its gone along.

Exactly, The purchase of the stampeders changed everything. After seeing what Manitoba built, slapping Mcmahon with 100Million of upgrades seems wasteful.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

Well, to be fair to KK, he has only given updates like this at STH events and is not making public announcements. I'm sure this ongoing project has seen numerous changes and such as its gone along.

Agreed. When this was first talked about was about 2006 or so, at least internally about taking the next steps and the fact that the Saddledome did need to be replaced, and it was just an arena. Add in an economic slowdown in 2008 and things stall.

Then when you then buy the Stampeders and start exploring more possibilities, and the project becomes more ambitious and larger, affecting more stakeholders (let's assume suddenly there is a 30k stadium for football and soccer, an indoor fieldhouse say for indoor soccer and football practices, then obviously an entertainment area with bars restraunts and hotels) a lot of the plans and economics totally change on a project.
Who knows if that's all involved, but if it's more than a hockey rink, then there are a lot more moving parts.

As said,it's not like we've seen three or four different supposed finalized drawings, that were thrown out there by Katz almost as much to get people and more importantly politicians juiced up in the hope of opening the taxpayer purse strings. Every revision has scaled back the project and now appears on life support after a bunch of huffing and puffing about how great is was going to be the last 2 years or so.

When the Flames are ready, there won't be much,if any , bait and switch stuff.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

At this point, I don't even want a new arena. I'm a season ticket holder, and am perfectly happy with Rexall.

You won't be saying that once you're a season ticket holder in a new arena.

[browna]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

You won't be saying that once you're a season ticket holder in a new arena.

In some ways yes, some no.

A new building will mean, for fans, in addition to the improved concourses, food choices, sightlines, scoreboard, amenities, ingress and egress etc etc, they also mean more expensive seats, and making it much easier to find ways to part with you money.

Having season tickets for the last 11 years, you certainly get into a routine when you got to 25+ games per year and you're not usually into dropping $60+ a game on food and booze each game (partly because its a pain to get to a food outlet, mostly because you don't need to pay 2x or 3x what the ticket cost, every game, on food or booze), or are you paying for parking. You've got your way in and way out, both of the building in the car on the way home. You've got that place that you've found out that not everyone knows about to hang out and meet friends during intermissions. New building or not we'll still have a drink or two every game, maybe the odd time a couple more, those Tuesday and Wednesday nights in January, still probably not have anything. They won't make any more money, outside of additional seat prices, for most 2-3+ year season ticket holders, when they move.

I have no doubt, that, having the cheapest season tickets that you can have, we're a) going to get pushed into some corner (and have it called an upgrade) or further away than what we have and b) pay 30% more for all that. Also going to take longer to get in and out of our seats, and be nowhere near the hangout where we go for intermissions, where the 5 or 6 of us that have seats go every intermission.

Each of those things are going to be adjustments in routine, but overall lessen the experience from what we've been used to over the past decade. The added amenities and overall more modern feel of a state of the art building will be appreciated, and depending on your routine and location etc may work out better, but that extra premium pizza stand won't necessarily get used by season ticket holders suddenly dropping $7 on a slice, when you're going to be there that 4 or 5 times a month over 6 months and you're used to going without.

Ask those STH who went through the '95 renovation about the seat relocations. The negatives about being bumped as individuals outweighed the collective minor positives from that reno.

Bottom line, in many ways, the new building isn't for the current season ticket holders. They're the ones already willing to deal with the shortfalls of the current facilities to watch every game of hockey each season, and plunk down the money for the right to sit in that arena for 44 games a season for 5, 10, 20 years+. The new arena, from a fan aspect, is to keep the casual fan more engaged, with more modern amenities, and make it more efficient for them to spend money while they are there. Also more comfortable (or, "less bad" at worse) in general, that you'll be more willing to come back for that extra game or two every year, spending that money, and not have horror stories about washroom lineups or skunky beer to keep you away as some fans do and swear they won't go back because of.

[jar_e]

Originally Posted by browna

Bottom line, in many ways, the new building isn't for the current season ticket holders. They're the ones already willing to deal with the shortfalls of the current facilities to watch every game of hockey each season, and plunk down the money for the right to sit in that arena for 44 games a season for 5, 10, 20 years+. The new arena, from a fan aspect, is to keep the casual fan more engaged, with more modern amenities, and make it more efficient for them to spend money while they are there. Also more comfortable (or, "less bad" at worse) in general, that you'll be more willing to come back for that extra game or two every year, spending that money, and not have horror stories about washroom lineups or skunky beer to keep you away as some fans do and swear they won't go back because of.

I'd argue the new building it to capitalize corporate clients and revenue stream by increasing more boxes and suites. Considering the majority of new arenas are focusing on maximizing suites and corporate boxes, I'd say this is more a business decision than "to keep the casual fan more engaged." They're a business, and want to make money. And a new building will gladly get them more money.

Nevermind in Calgary, they can largely increase their building usage by having a proper roof to support big name concerts and such. I'd say season ticket holders (ie. not box/suite owners) are a small drop in the bucket in regards to revenue stream.

[browna]

Originally Posted by jar_e

I'd argue the new building it to capitalize corporate clients and revenue stream by increasing more boxes and suites. Considering the majority of new arenas are focusing on maximizing suites and corporate boxes, I'd say this is more a business decision than "to keep the casual fan more engaged." They're a business, and want to make money. And a new building will gladly get them more money.

Nevermind in Calgary, they can largely increase their building usage by having a proper roof to support big name concerts and such. I'd say season ticket holders (ie. not box/suite owners) are a small drop in the bucket in regards to revenue stream.

Absolutely. Season ticket holder pay the cheapest ticket prices, and likely spend much less on average per game then those that make it to 3 or 4 over the season and make more of a night out of it.

I know at least one company (and sure there are many more) that have taken themselves off the waiting list for a lower box. The wait list is too long, and, then you have to start at the old upper level boxes before moving down.

My post was in reference to saying that season ticket holders would forget all about the old building when the Flames make the move.