The North Calgary Mall?

[Cheese]

Is this penis envy? Does cowtown need it?

It's being called the biggest project in Alberta outside of the oilsands. It's a billion-dollar horse racing track, casino, veterinary college, hotel, and destination shopping centre on Calgary's northern outskirts, and it's raising environmental concerns and questions about its labour impact in a province that no longer even pretends to keep pace with the "Help Wanted" signs.


$1B Megamall

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Definitely doesn't need it. Heck, Edmonton doesn't need THEIR mall.

I'd much rather that money goes toward a new arena for the Flames, but that's just me.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Cheese

Does cowtown need it?

The bigger the city, the more entertrainment that can be supported I suppose. The mall is definitely needed, as the decent malls here are often horribly crowded. A veterinary school is a nice touch too.

[Bobblehead]

My first instinct is no, but you go down to Chinook, it has frequently been packed ever since it was renovated. Although Deerfoot mall is never very busy.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

My first instinct is no, but you go down to Chinook, it has frequently been packed ever since it was renovated. Although Deerfoot mall is never very busy.

I should clarify my statement... Calgary could probably use another mall (if it can find the tradesmen to build it and the workers to staff it once opened) but I don't think it needs to be a supermall. Build two Chinook Centre-type malls in fact but a huge mall is not necessary.

It's too bad the climate is so cold in Alberta because I really enjoy the outdoor malls in California. If it wasn't for the winter here, that'd be awesome to have. Think Stephen Ave on a much grander, much nicer scale.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Sounds like the mall component is but one part of the development. At 1.1 million sq. ft of retail space, it's the same size as Chinook Center.

WEM is 3.8 million sq. ft. of retail by contrast.

The racetracks, casino, hotel and whatnot add to the size.

[Resolute 14]

Interesting location though, East side of Balzac. The horse track and vet clinic make perfect sense there, but a Chinook sized mall, casino and hotel right in between Calgary and Airdrie? Almost cutting off the 600,000 people in the southern half of the city for the 70,000 people in Airdrie and Rockyview.

[browna]

Well, honestly, this is all driven by the new race track.

After years of the Stampede calling the shots, the Horseman's Association and racing community decided to build their own track.

Come next year (I think) there will be no thoroughbred racing or harness racing at Stampede Park.

Obviously, in the middle of nowhere, there has to be another reason for people to drive to Balzac, then just the horse racing, which I suspect will initally reduce the people actually going to the races...being so central before, and the general look of many of the patrons, not a lot currently going to Stampede Park are going to find thier way anywhere a distance away from a Ctrain/bus line.

So, make it a destination that people can spend a whole or half day trip, or even overnight trip. Go to the races Friday night, the a nice dinner, then to the Casino. Stay in the hotel that night, then the next morning some shopping etc.

Makes sense to immediatley build up the area while land is cheapest.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

Definitely doesn't need it. Heck, Edmonton doesn't need THEIR mall.

I'd much rather that money goes toward a new arena for the Flames, but that's just me.

Why not??? Edmonton makes millions on their mall and draws tourists. Can you imagine how many tourists, that don't go to Edmonton but come to Calgary and Banff, would come to this mall/entertainment complex.

Can't understand some people....

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Sounds like the mall component is but one part of the development. At 1.1 million sq. ft of retail space, it's the same size as Chinook Center.

WEM is 3.8 million sq. ft. of retail by contrast.

The racetracks, casino, hotel and whatnot add to the size.

That's not so bad. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of something West Ed sized in terms of retail. North Calgary needs a decent mall anyway since Market Mall is really all they have.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by browna

Well, honestly, this is all driven by the new race track.

After years of the Stampede calling the shots, the Horseman's Association and racing community decided to build their own track.

Come next year (I think) there will be no thoroughbred racing or harness racing at Stampede Park.

Obviously, in the middle of nowhere, there has to be another reason for people to drive to Balzac, then just the horse racing, which I suspect will initally reduce the people actually going to the races...being so central before, and the general look of many of the patrons, not a lot currently going to Stampede Park are going to find thier way anywhere a distance away from a Ctrain/bus line.

So, make it a destination that people can spend a whole or half day trip, or even overnight trip. Go to the races Friday night, the a nice dinner, then to the Casino. Stay in the hotel that night, then the next morning some shopping etc.

Makes sense to immediatley build up the area while land is cheapest.

Its almost like the development in Glendale, where the Coyotes put their arena. There is nothing there now, but both Calgary and Airdrie are racing to Balzac right now. The Stoney Trail bridge is going up next year, while Airdrie is likely going to require a fourth exit in a couple years. It's all going to be one continuous developed area within ten years.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

That's not so bad. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of something West Ed sized in terms of retail. North Calgary needs a decent mall anyway since Market Mall is really all they have.

What's wrong with WEM?? It is pretty prestegious to be able to claim the largest mall in the world. They should have made the complex even bigger with condo's attached to them, esentially a small city with all the facilities. Reduces traffic, pollution and keeps costs down.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Why not??? Edmonton makes millions on their mall and draws tourists. Can you imagine how many tourists, that don't go to Edmonton but come to Calgary and Banff, would come to this mall/entertainment complex.

Can't understand some people....

Certainly the mall makes money, but it really sucked the life out of the downtown core for almost 20 years. Only now is it just starting to recover.

The question is, do tourists visit JUST to go to the mall or is it simply a destination once they get there? People who go to Calgary/Banff would spend their money somehow whether the mall was there or not.

That said, I was mistaken and it's not a supermall which I think is good for the area.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

What's wrong with WEM?? It is pretty prestegious to be able to claim the largest mall in the world. They should have made the complex even bigger with condo's attached to them, esentially a small city with all the facilities. Reduces traffic, pollution and keeps costs down.

I don't think it's prestigious... not a lot of people in other parts of the world know that it's the biggest mall in all honesty. The closer you get to Minneapolis more people claim it's the Mall of America (even though they're wrong). If you ask someone in Southern Ontario they might say it's Vaughan Mills.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

What's wrong with WEM?? It is pretty prestegious to be able to claim the largest mall in the world. They should have made the complex even bigger with condo's attached to them, esentially a small city with all the facilities. Reduces traffic, pollution and keeps costs down.

It is prestigeous, too bad it isnt true anymore. Didnt that mall in Dubai pass it some time ago?

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

I don't think it's prestigious... not a lot of people in other parts of the world know that it's the biggest mall in all honesty. The closer you get to Minneapolis more people claim it's the Mall of America (even though they're wrong). If you ask someone in Southern Ontario they might say it's Vaughan Mills.

You may be right...but the largest mall is still in Edmonton. I don't have the numbers but from the out of towners that I know, a lot have driven to Edmonton for the day just to go to WEM.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

It is prestigeous, too bad it isnt true anymore. Didnt that mall in Dubai pass it some time ago?

That's true, actually... I believe the rankings are something like this:

(1) Dubai
(2) Beijing
(3) Kuala Lumpur
(4) Philippines
(5) Edmonton

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

It is prestigeous, too bad it isnt true anymore. Didnt that mall in Dubai pass it some time ago?

Well the website claims it is the largest entertainment and shopping centre and Alberta's number one tourist attraction. Not sure if that is really correct but I am sure it is still the Largest Mall in North America.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Well the website claims it is the largest entertainment and shopping centre and Alberta's number one tourist attraction. Not sure if that is really correct but I am sure it is still the Largest Mall in North America.

Perhaps if you included the square footage of the hotel and waterpark maybe? I just looked up info on the one in Dubai and it's 10 million square feet...

[Jake]

If the veterinary school is seperate from the new U of C one in 2008 I don't see much of a need for it.