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

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I don't think the City of Calgary (owners) and the Stampede would want to demolish the Saddledome. Sure the land is valuable and could be very useful for further Stampede expansion but losing a venue like that for concerts would be terrible for the Stampede.

It is my understanding from someone well-connected to the Stampede that the 'Dome will certainly be demolished. Just think of all the space that will open up for them.

[Tyler]

Stampede board can't afford to maintain the Dome, not to mention compete with the new arena for events.

The bulldozer is inevitable.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by polak

No one is going to play the Saddledome over the new arena. The Saddledome is absolutely awful for concerts anyways.

I'm sure the Stampede would do anything possible to keep concerts at the Dome/on the grounds vs losing them and the attendees to a new arena which may be on the west end of downtown.

[tete]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Not specifically just for 10 days of concerts but surely the dome could be useful for other sporting events that the city might want to attract (ie. curling, minor hockey, World Junior type events, etc.)

The new arena won't be any bigger than the Saddledome, and already hosts these types of events. The city can't support two 20 000 seat arenas.

[4oh3]

Would be awesome if the company I work for got the electrical work for the new arena!

[SebC]

I still think the Saddledome deserves historic protection.

[4oh3]

Always have to do better than edmonton.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Bulldozers will be sad, but inevitable. Other iconic arenas have been demolished and the 'Dome won't serve a useful purpose. In addition, I don't think we can count out a stampede ground/Victoria park location (unless I missed something). Finally, I am not so sure it would include a football stadium. A billion is a lot of dough, but if the project includes a hotel/entertainment or transportation infrastructure, they will blow through that in no time.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by SebC

I still think the Saddledome deserves historic protection.

I think they should build two houses on the land. Not mansions, just regular, old suburban houses with HUGE yards.

That would be fantastic.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Qwerty

Small Update (Unsure what the latest in this thread is): Nothing ground breaking

I was at last night flames game (through the Top Shelf Experience) and we got to talk with Ken King a little during dinner. The new arena was brought up and Ken King talked a little about it. Some interesting tidbits he was able to share:

- They have the location decided. He could not disclose the location or state whether the Stampede will be involved.
- The project is going to be a billion dollar project.
- The new 'plan' is to release the information in the next 2 months (hoped before the new year).
- It is 'more then an area'. He is confident no one will be disappointed with it.
- You can expect the process to take 1 year for permits, 3 year construction. So as we already know it will be 5 years to completion.
- He stated there is no opposition to what is going to happen to the old arena as it will be 40+ yrs old come completion. We took this to mean it will be demolished which makes the most sense.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

Bulldozers will be sad, but inevitable. Other iconic arenas have been demolished and the 'Dome won't serve a useful purpose. In addition, I don't think we can count out a stampede ground/Victoria park location (unless I missed something). Finally, I am not so sure it would include a football stadium. A billion is a lot of dough, but if the project includes a hotel/entertainment or transportation infrastructure, they will blow through that in no time.

I think one of the main goals has been to provide the Flames and Stamps with new modern facilities and to house them in one central location.

I was in support of a west end location for a number of reason but a Calgary Sports & Entertainment complex/facility would be an ideal cornerstone for the future of Stampede Park and their plan to be a year round destination.

[Senator Clay Davis]

So "announce in two months" is obviously code for "announce in two years....maybe". Seriously I doubt anyone on here will believe anything until we get the actual announcement. This thread is of course now almost 21 months old so yeah...

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

So "announce in two months" is obviously code for "announce in two years....maybe". Seriously I doubt anyone on here will believe anything until we get the actual announcement. This thread is of course now almost 21 months old so yeah...

Despite being starved for information and being teased like a starving animal, I've been pretty pleased with the process thus far.

"We'll tell you whats going to happen when the deal is done, not fill your head with drivel about what we had hoped to do."

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

In with the obligatory

- I thought he said we'd have an update in 2 months 2 years ago, express un-reasonable anger about this.........

- I sure hope they don't make the new arena look western (whatever that means), if we do people in Toronto might call us hicks and that makes me feel insecure..........

posts.

Seriously, thanks to the poster for the update, always interesting to get some news.

[1stLand]

New Arena is getting built in Balzac.
Team is getting re-named to The Alberta Flames.

The Flames are giving the new logo a test run in Adirondack (Flaming A).

I heard this from a very unreliable source

[DJones]

God I would love if it got built in Balzac. They'd have to run a train all the way out there though.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by 1stLand

New Arena is getting built in Balzac.
Team is getting re-named to The Alberta Flames.

The Flames are giving the new logo a test run in Adirondack (Flaming A).

I heard this from a very unreliable source

Originally Posted by DJones

God I would love if it got built in Balzac. They'd have to run a train all the way out there though.

Only if the facility also comes with a race track!

[powderjunkie]

Not to open an Olympic sized can of worms, and with it seemingly too late to bid for 2022, but would it make any sense to keep the Dome around as an additional venue if we did get Olympics...for 2026 it's probably 6 years of cobwebs though...

[Frequitude]

I would like to know if the plans call for more than one sheet of ice.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Not to open an Olympic sized can of worms, and with it seemingly too late to bid for 2022, but would it make any sense to keep the Dome around as an additional venue if we did get Olympics...for 2026 it's probably 6 years of cobwebs though...

#### the IOC, greedy pigs that they are.