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

[krazycanuck]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Do the Flames players under contract at the time get sent to other clubs via a dispersal draft while the club takes a 3-4 year hiatus for the arena to be built?

I was not quite clear enough, Vulcan nailed it.

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I took it he meant that the football stadium would be built where the Saddledome is. The new arena would already be built before the Dome was razed.

New arena ready in 2017, new stadium starts construction in early 2018 after Saddledome demolition, ready in time for the 2020 Stampede and Stampeders seasons. A $400 million stadium wouldn't make sense for a 10 game CFL season, but if you add 10 days of rodeo (or more if the Stampede grows in length), 4 or 5 stampede concerts, large convention capability, potential of a future Flames owned MLS team (in a stadium that could be curtained off, similar to BC place), the economics could work better. Particularly because when you're looking for government funding, the primary tenant isn't a for-profit pro sports team, it's an iconic non-profit community event.

[RougeUnderoos]

They are right now building a giant "Agriculture Center" or something like that on the Stampede Grounds. It's just northwest of the Grandstand. In the parking lot.

There isn't going to be room for a hockey rink and a football stadium in there, unless they tear everything else down and can somehow manage to hold the Stampede in July, and Flames games all winter, while they build a football stadium and a hockey rink on the current Stampede Grounds.

TIN FOIL HAT TIME:

For a few weeks now, Cirque De Soleil has set up all their nifty tents in the parking lot too.

If (and this is where the conspiracy comes in) the Flames had actually made the playoffs, where did they expect everyone to park? Did they know something we didn't? Did they know the Flames weren't going to make the playoffs?

I guess it's not really a conspiracy, since we were pretty sure they weren't going to make the playoffs anyway, but weirder things have happened. And then there would be nowhere to park.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Did they know something we didn't? Did they know the Flames weren't going to make the playoffs?

I think the Flames believed they were competing for a playoff spot right until the bitter end. That's why they held onto Iginla, Bouwmeester, and all of the other vets at the deadline instead of shopping them around in an effort to build for the future. Just another missed opportunity, smh.

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

I guess it's not really a conspiracy, since we were pretty sure they weren't going to make the playoffs anyway...

Oh right, nevermind.

[Freeway]

There would be just as much parking as there was during most of the regular season.

There were parking advisories sent out by the team for roughly half of their home dates.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by krazycanuck

If a new stadium is built in Calgary it will be done in conjunction with the Calgary Stampede. I predict where the Saddledome currently stands.

It's an option, but I don't think that happens.

[Tyler]

Why would the Flames want to partner with the Stampede? They already get bent over given them all their parking revenue.

If anything, the Flames owners would be wise to go at this on their own in order to keep 100% of the revenue that these new facilities will generate to themselves.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by psicodude

Anyone think it's plausible that they bulldoze the big 4 building and build both a stadium and arena in the area between the convention center and the grandstands?

Somewhere I heard one plan was to knock down the Big 4, and build new arena there, and have LRT station inside the arena. The Saddledome would be knocked down too.

I'm not sure MLS wants to come to a small market Canadian city. How many franchises do they need?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Why would the Flames want to partner with the Stampede? They already get bent over given them all their parking revenue.

If anything, the Flames owners would be wise to go at this on their own in order to keep 100% of the revenue that these new facilities will generate to themselves.

I could see partnering on a stadium, the Stamps aren't exactly pumping out cash and a stadium isn't cheap.

It's the same reason I don't see the Flames ownership spending their own money to build a new stadium for the Stamps, the returns simply aren't that big. People aren't going to shell out big dollars for the CFL, and I highly doubt that attendances would bump up by more than a few thousand per game, and that's only over the short term.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by troutman

Somewhere I heard one plan was to knock down the Big 4, and build new arena there, and have LRT station inside the arena. The Saddledome would be knocked down too.

I'm not sure MLS wants to come to a small market Canadian city. How many franchises do they need?

The MLS commisioner is on record as saying that 30 teams would be too many. They currently have 19 and are pushing hard to add a second team in NYC. Orlando, St. Louis, Miami, Sacramento, Minnesota, Atlanta and San Antonio have all been rumored to be candidates. Even if only a handful of those teams join you're already pressing towards the upper limits.

[lazypucker]

Originally Posted by troutman

Somewhere I heard one plan was to knock down the Big 4, and build new arena there, and have LRT station inside the arena. The Saddledome would be knocked down too.

I'm not sure MLS wants to come to a small market Canadian city. How many franchises do they need?

If the MLS is to retain its playoff format, I can see the league to grow to 32 teams (East/West conferences) eventually (in say 30 years?). Calgary may get a team in 15 years time if a new stadium is built.

The other thing about stadium/arena location puzzles me. I am not sure why people are stuck up on having a huge parking lot outside the stadium. Many NHL/NBA arenas are right in the middle of downtown with not much parking options (MSG, Verizon Center in DC for example). Baseball stadiums such as Fenway and Wrigley are in the middle of commercial/residential space as well.

If I have my say, I would have taken advantage with the new Herald Tower location on 7 Ave and build the new arena there. Have the first 10 floors of the building be the arena and restaurants/shopping mall, then have the office tower above. Build an underground parkade that goes like 10 levels deep. It will be the coolest thing.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

If the MLS is to retain its playoff format, I can see the league to grow to 32 teams (East/West conferences) eventually (in say 30 years?). Calgary may get a team in 15 years time if a new stadium is built.

The other thing about stadium/arena location puzzles me. I am not sure why people are stuck up on having a huge parking lot outside the stadium. Many NHL/NBA arenas are right in the middle of downtown with not much parking options (MSG, Verizon Center in DC for example). Baseball stadiums such as Fenway and Wrigley are in the middle of commercial/residential space as well.

If I have my say, I would have taken advantage with the new Herald Tower location on 7 Ave and build the new arena there. Have the first 10 floors of the building be the arena and restaurants/shopping mall, then have the office tower above. Build an underground parkade that goes like 10 levels deep. It will be the coolest thing.

I agree that it would be cool, I'm just not sure it fits Calgary. It's such a driving city, and while public transit has improved it still pales in comparison to those cities you listed.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by valo403

The MLS commisioner is on record as saying that 30 teams would be too many. They currently have 19 and are pushing hard to add a second team in NYC. Orlando, St. Louis, Miami, Sacramento, Minnesota, Atlanta and San Antonio have all been rumored to be candidates. Even if only a handful of those teams join you're already pressing towards the upper limits.

I believe it's already done. NYFC is a partnership between Manchester City and the New York Yankees. Starting in the 2015 season.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I believe it's already done. NYFC is a partnership between Manchester City and the New York Yankees. Starting in the 2015 season.

Ah, I thought it was still dependent upon the approval of the Flushing Stadium project but I just looked it up and saw that they're going ahead regardless of that, and may play in Yankee Stadium if needed. I guess I'll have to decide which team I support going forward.

Edit: Decided, way too much hands on Man City involvement there. Red Bulls it is.

[Ace]

For what it's worth I just got a call from the Stampeders because I'm on the Hot House list and they have a special promo on for Stamps Tickets...

We'll I already have tickets so instead I asked the guy "Are you guys building a new stadium or is that just a rumor" He said we are, it's something that has been in the works for some time.

If front office staff are saying this, that's got to be a good sign for a new football stadium right?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Ace

For what it's worth I just got a call from the Stampeders because I'm on the Hot House list and they have a special promo on for Stamps Tickets...

We'll I already have tickets so instead I asked the guy "Are you guys building a new stadium or is that just a rumor" He said we are, it's something that has been in the works for some time.

If front office staff are saying this, that's got to be a good sign for a new football stadium right?

I find it kind of hard to believe that Chet in ticket sales has information that nobody else has.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by valo403

I find it kind of hard to believe that Chet in ticket sales has information that nobody else has.

Why?You don't think they have a pretty direct line to rumors going on down there? Any time I have been in there you see the ticket people intermingling with Stamps exec's. Not much of a stretch to think they hear things at the water cooler like anyone else..

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Why?You don't think they have a pretty direct line to rumors going on down there? Any time I have been in there you see the ticket people intermingling with Stamps exec's. Not much of a stretch to think they hear things at the water cooler like anyone else..

Why? Because water cooler rumors of any substance would be in the media, especially regarding something as big as this. This isn't putting in some new benches in the locker room, it would be one of the biggest projects in Calgary in the last 20 years.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by valo403

Why? Because water cooler rumors of any substance would be in the media, especially regarding something as big as this. This isn't putting in some new benches in the locker room, it would be one of the biggest projects in Calgary in the last 20 years.

Right, because if it was official we wouldn't need this thread would we.

It can't possibly be true that the Stamps or Flames employees have an inside scoop to things going on around the team.

[lazypucker]

Originally Posted by Ace

For what it's worth I just got a call from the Stampeders because I'm on the Hot House list and they have a special promo on for Stamps Tickets...

We'll I already have tickets so instead I asked the guy "Are you guys building a new stadium or is that just a rumor" He said we are, it's something that has been in the works for some time.

If front office staff are saying this, that's got to be a good sign for a new football stadium right?

People can say "they are working on things," but they also don't have an ETA. So it doesn't mean anything at all. I will only believe it when I see it.

[Ozy_Flame]

Valo - are you really dead sure there won't be a new stadium? Do you have a source from anyone saying there won't be one due to the reasons you have mentioned earlier in this thread?

Not trying to be facetious, but I am curious because as far as I know, you don't have the same inside sources to the Calgary business community that some other CP'ers do. Or are you involved with some of the talks or have heard different rumors?