[News] CalgaryNEXT Announcement. New arena details emerge.

[zztim81]

As far as the NDP government, I certainly hope there is a new cancer treatment facility in Calgary before a single dollar of infrastructure money is put into Calgary next.

[N-E-B]

How come the more I think about this project the less I like it?

I don't know why but the concept of a fieldhouse seems so cheap and cheesy to me. I have no doubts whatever rink they build will be awesome, it's the stadium part that doesn't do it for me.

[hockey.modern]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

Can someone summarize what was said?

- Should hear about creosote clean up around December

- Working away with architects and designers

- Still looking to find who will be responsible for clean up

- Wants more awareness that the funding model is not tax payer money

- Sent letter to Premier Notley to keep an open mind about project

- Liking the progress being created so far.

Overall nothing new.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Locke

Does anyone else get the impression that the Flames are kind of letting this plan slowly die?

Nope. Not at all. The team wants new facilities and there's no other plan. This is it and the wheels are turning. Slow but it's moving.

[browna]

Yup, the Flames want a new rink, first and foremost. The field house is an add-in and sweetner to the deal, no matter what the Flames say.

The purchase of the Stamps turned the arena project which started in 2006 into an opportunity to build a second structure, one that can be used for football and public use sure, but its just as important, the purpose of it is to garner public goodwill to help in getting the rink built.

The field house is without a doubt the weak link, certainly for CFL football. Looks to have all the atmosphere of a warehouse with temp seats.

But again, a necessary evil because of the public field house use, which the Flames hope will woo the government and tax payers into support for the entire project.

Who knows, more I think about it, maybe sooner than later, the field house as a concept stays as is, but drops the CFL/MLS hosting abilities, making the structure smaller and cheaper, and maybe allows room for a second building for something else can be built?

Of course, leaves McMahon as the football venue. Not ideal, but for 10-11 CFL games, perfectly adequate.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by hockey.modern

- Wants more awareness that the funding model is not tax payer money

Haven't heard the quote directly, but is the $240M CRL and $200M from the city not tax payer money?

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Nope. Not at all. The team wants new facilities and there's no other plan. This is it and the wheels are turning. Slow but it's moving.

Flames ownership or even KK didn't get where they are today by being stupid stubborn.

No businessman with a brain would admit it until plan A is shot to hell but you can bet your ass there's a plan B and probably even a C.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by browna

Yup, the Flames want a new rink, first and foremost. The field house is an add-in and sweetner to the deal, no matter what the Flames say.

The purchase of the Stamps turned the arena project which started in 2006 into an opportunity to build a second structure, one that can be used for football and public use sure, but its just as important, the purpose of it is to garner public goodwill to help in getting the rink built.

The field house is without a doubt the weak link, certainly for CFL football. Looks to have all the atmosphere of a warehouse with temp seats.

But again, a necessary evil because of the public field house use, which the Flames hope will woo the government and tax payers into support for the entire project.

Who knows, more I think about it, maybe sooner than later, the field house as a concept stays as is, but drops the CFL/MLS hosting abilities, making the structure smaller and cheaper, and maybe allows room for a second building for something else can be built?

Of course, leaves McMahon as the football venue. Not ideal, but for 10-11 CFL games, perfectly adequate.

How much would it take to transform McMahon into a decent stadium? New seats, concourse, bathrooms etc.

As others have mentioned the whole field house idea is cheap sounding, Calgary would probably still have the worst home for the CFL and it wouldn't be big enough for anything else. (still dreaming of Canadian NFL expansion in the future)

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by browna

The field house is without a doubt the weak link, certainly for CFL football. Looks to have all the atmosphere of a warehouse with temp seats.

retracting seats didn't hurt the atmosphere at Viking games in old the Metrodome

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by T@T

How much would it take to transform McMahon into a decent stadium? New seats, concourse, bathrooms etc.

As others have mentioned the whole field house idea is cheap sounding, Calgary would probably still have the worst home for the CFL and it wouldn't be big enough for anything else. (still dreaming of Canadian NFL expansion in the future)

If it is called anything but a "field house", that $200M they're after is a non-starter. I'll wait until we see some actual plans to pass judgement, but I can't imagine that it will be a giant warehouse with benches and turf. I expect that it will be a fairly decent indoor stadium with configuration options, with other amenities (gyms, etc.) attached in the same overall complex.

As for NFL in Calgary: "Dare to dream, Arnold." (Remember those Kokanee ads during the '04 cup run?) I'm not an NFL fan, but the scale of that league is just too massive for a market like Calgary. If the NFL has an expansion radar, Calgary isn't even a blip on it. No point over-building a stadium for something that will never happen.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by browna

Yup, the Flames want a new rink, first and foremost. The field house is an add-in and sweetner to the deal, no matter what the Flames say.

The purchase of the Stamps turned the arena project which started in 2006 into an opportunity to build a second structure, one that can be used for football and public use sure, but its just as important, the purpose of it is to garner public goodwill to help in getting the rink built.

The field house is without a doubt the weak link, certainly for CFL football. Looks to have all the atmosphere of a warehouse with temp seats.

But again, a necessary evil because of the public field house use, which the Flames hope will woo the government and tax payers into support for the entire project.

Who knows, more I think about it, maybe sooner than later, the field house as a concept stays as is, but drops the CFL/MLS hosting abilities, making the structure smaller and cheaper, and maybe allows room for a second building for something else can be built?

Of course, leaves McMahon as the football venue. Not ideal, but for 10-11 CFL games, perfectly adequate.

I think you are totally wrong here. The Flames purchased the Stampeders with a new stadium in mind from the start. The Flames ownership group is not willing to let the Stampeders be saddled with the worst facilities in the CFL. The fieldhouse is integral to this project and IMO as a Calgarian it benefits the city far more than the arena as piggybacking with the Flames/Stamps means it's going to be a much nicer facility than if it was built on it's own.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by T@T

Flames ownership or even KK didn't get where they are today by being stupid stubborn.

No businessman with a brain would admit it until plan A is shot to hell but you can bet your ass there's a plan B and probably even a C.

There were other ideas and concepts but this is the only one they have committed to. They don't have a Balzac facility plan all ready to go if that's what you think. Businessmen with a plan B are not very good businessmen because that means they knew plan A was flawed. Having three plans is the equivalent of throwing darts at a board. Give these guys a little more credit than that.

[harmony]

a complete farce that any tax money should go into this, so these greedy owners can get even richer.

[Jordan!]

How many people would really care if the CFL ceased to exist? Just build a hockey arena and be done with it.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by harmony

a complete farce that any tax money should go into this, so these greedy owners can get even richer.

It literally happens all the time so don't act so shocked.

Yes other NHL teams have built their own rinks. But only a handful.

However, this project is more than just a rink. And a CFL team couldn't hope to build itself a brand new stadium on it's own.

You should accept the fact that taxes will go to this.

Were you this up in arms about the gross waste of taxpayer money by Redford et al in Edmonton or the feds in Ottawa? Heck, city hall isn't the best at spending money either.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

How many people would really care if the CFL ceased to exist?

Twice as many than would care if the Coyotes ceased to exist?

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

How many people would really care if the CFL ceased to exist? Just build a hockey arena and be done with it.

The CFL has it's place. Just because it's not the NFL doesn't mean Canada can't have it's own pro football league as well.

[calgaryrocks]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

How many people would really care if the CFL ceased to exist? Just build a hockey arena and be done with it.

are you serious? half a million people in Canada watch each game every week....when are the Coyotes going to move?

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

retracting seats didn't hurt the atmosphere at Viking games in old the Metrodome

You're right, because the atmosphere was already god awful due to being an indoor stadium.

The retractable seats were the icing on the cake.

Plus with bits of track sticking out from different parts of the stands, and the all around temporary feeling, the field house will bring a whole new level of bad atmosphere.

[CroFlames]

Anything "temporary" around a stadium is just no good.