[News] CalgaryNEXT Announcement. New arena details emerge.

[GioforPM]

Council has seen the proposal and apparently signed confidentiality agreements. I wuoldn't take one "no spending at all" councillor's statement to mean that the City won't support this. In fact, I doubt the Flames would be going ahead with a conference if they didn't have pretty good confidence that the City will be onside.

[Freeway]

Precedent says that the city would be fine letting the Flames run the arena/fieldhouse. They functionally do that now.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Lets take a page from the Oil Industry - how about the entire development as a Joint Venture between Calgary Sport and Entertainment and the City of Calgary. Positioning the City to receive a share of future benefits turns any "contributions made" into an investment, not corporate charity. CSE stays as the "JV Operator". Could make it a more palatable pill to sell to John Q Taaaaaxpayer...

[surferguy]

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...na-speculation

“It has great potential for tourism. From our sports tourism strategies, it would be a major asset for that,” said Cindy Ady, chief executive officer at Tourism Calgary.

What do you think this statement means? People traveling to attending games, staying at onsite hotels? Or something bigger? Incorporated bus station/future HSR station?

[Resolute 14]

Probably just standard tourism board optimism.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Very excited about the arena/field house news. Not very excited about the soccer speculation. Great to have another tenant, but MLS does not sound very realistic. Relatively small, Canadian market with a history of soccer failures? I don't see it.

[RM14]

Originally Posted by surferguy

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...na-speculation



What do you think this statement means? People traveling to attending games, staying at onsite hotels? Or something bigger? Incorporated bus station/future HSR station?

I think it means the ability to host prominent sporting events. From the Calgary Fieldhouse website (http://www.calgaryfieldhouse.ca/what-is-a-fieldhouse/), they list the following events as potential for Calgary to host. With that, brings tourism.

With the construction of a fieldhouse, Calgary could bid to host numerous provincial, national and world championships in a number of sports and events, including:

Alberta Provincial Track and Field Championships
Canada West and Canadian Interuniversity Track and Field Championships
World Masters Track and Field Championships
IAAF Indoor Championships
World Federation Cup of Tennis
International and Canadian University Sporting Events
National and World Ultimate Frisbee Championships
Volleyball and Basketball Camps
Soccer Tournaments
Rugby Tournaments
Special Olympics and Indoor Championships
Trade Shows and Conventions

[bob-loblaw]

Originally Posted by surferguy

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...na-speculation



What do you think this statement means? People traveling to attending games, staying at onsite hotels? Or something bigger? Incorporated bus station/future HSR station?

I like the idea of a HSR station/link close or at the project. But I say screw creating one to Edmonton - plow it straight to Banff instead. Surely it would be more environmentally friendly (less footprint, fewer cars, more park visitors) and the effects on Calgary and Alberta tourism would be way greater.

[Erick Estrada]

Fieldhouse seems to be a broad stroke as in the US it can be an arena, stadium or just building with seats. I assume this is essentially going to be an indoor football/soccer stadium? If so $200 million sounds pretty low cost for an indoor stadium when you look at the cost of the Winnipeg and Regina facilities.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by troutman

Mexico has a popular domestic soccer league, but I would not rule out MLS looking at some of the big markets there too.

FIFA frowns upon shared domestic leagues and Mexican clubs in the MLS would not be entitled to the MLS Champions League spots.

Originally Posted by Thunderball

Calgary Foothills is on record saying the way to MLS is through USL-Pro (and have refrained from even mentioning NASL), which will be even tougher... its one thing to get a thousand die hards out to watch PDL U-23s, but I don't think the average Calgarian will fill a 10-20k stadium, or even a 5k one to watch Calgary's "pro" team play Vancouver, Seattle or Portland's reserves.

While the PDL definitely won’t attract massive crowds, it helps build the base of support and local talent pool. Having a strong base and youth setup helped with the transition for the Impact and Whitecaps, it would be essential for a club in Calgary.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

They haven't even asked the city for money yet and the councillors are bitching. #### me, it's like some people just have a position on something without actually objectively reviewing it.

Pretty much what all politicians do.

[The Goon]

This one better be shaped like a cowboy hat or I don't want any of my tax dollars going to it.

[hockey.modern]

Originally Posted by The Goon

This one better be shaped like a state of the art, top end facility or I don't want any of my tax dollars going to it.

Fixed your post.

[HotHotHeat]

Originally Posted by surferguy

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...na-speculation

Our elected officials believe we're 'rushing things'

While he said he hasn’t seen any plans for the new arena concept, Coun. Joe Magliocca questioned why a new facility is needed.

“I still think the Saddledome’s in great shape, I think the Saddledome’s working. Why do we have to rush things right now?” he said.

[The Yen Man]

Sounds exactly like my grandpa when we told him his Chrysler K-car was on its last legs.

[johnnybegaudreau]

Originally Posted by Addick

The PDL has worked here while the NASL/A-League has failed every single time. It seems like every time the sport gets some momentum in this city it is rushed to the next level where it falls flat on its face.

actually it hasn't... I was on the Storm youth dev team.
PDL and NASL-A has never worked here because sheisty owners with personal motives were running the teams. Look at who was one of the coaches for the Storm one mr T. Wheeldon Sr. (now i can't confirm or deny that wheeldon sr was in on the take with the whole Storm shenanigans but if he wasn't i'd be very surprised by that) guess whose running the Foothills program? one T. Wheeldon Jr. hmm... yah. I'm sorry but good luck to Foothills and TWJ but they won't have my support. Son is cut from the same cloth as his father.

I think a number of factors effect soccer in Calgary. Weather is a big one. A proper indoor stadium rather than what's available at foothills Atheltic park right now would be a huge bonus. I would goto MLS games inside here and become a huge MLS fan if we had a mls team. I do think Calgary has the market to support it and I think at 10-15$ a ticket it's affordable for Calgarians. Even at 300-400 for seasons tickets that's decent. The roughnecks do really well. No reason a Calgary MLS team with the right ownership couldn't survive here.

[johnnybegaudreau]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Fieldhouse seems to be a broad stroke as in the US it can be an arena, stadium or just building with seats. I assume this is essentially going to be an indoor football/soccer stadium? If so $200 million sounds pretty low cost for an indoor stadium when you look at the cost of the Winnipeg and Regina facilities.

http://www.ceiarchitecture.com/proje...stadium-study/
116m without a roof. 136 with a roof projections for 2010's economy.

I was quite surprised by these figures myself.

[JohnnyO]

I just got an invite from the Stampeders (as a season ticket holder) to the CalgaryNext event on August 19th.

[CroFlames]

I sure hope the stadium is bigger than 28k.

[hockey.modern]

They said space was limited for the invite but they are hosting it at the saddledome.. Hmm. Unless they're just having seating where the rink is