Blue Jackets arena in a state of disrepair? No, that's dramatic. Just needs some work

[Passe La Puck]

Originally Posted by SportsJunky

I took in a game there this past season and was quite impressed with the facility. Of course, when comparing to calgary's building everything else feels like the Taj Mahal.

I mean the Saddledome is like 350 years newer than that old junker!

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Passe La Puck

I mean the Saddledome is like 350 years newer than that old junker!

Sure, but the Taj Mahal was only built to seat two people, and it doesn't even have an ice machine. That cuts wear and tear way down.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

Meanwhile, Minnesota's arena remains one of the best in the NHL. Opened same year.

Ball Arena (Pepsi Center) in Denver is one of my favorites.

[Finger Cookin]

I feel like within 10-15 years of the Saddledome opening there was a construction wave across the NHL where most franchises had newer, better arenas even before the Dome limped along for another 25 years. I hope the new arena feels new and state of the art for longer than 10-15 years. Seems like a lot of the league will be poised for another wave of new/updated arenas shortly after the Flames' new one is finished.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon Surfer

Sports arenas are such a scam. We take hunders of millions of tax payers money, gift it to billionaires to subsidize their toys, and get practically nothing in return.

They are promoted based on the idea that they will bring economic benefits to the region. When actually measured we repeatedly see that those economic benefits never materialize and are a tiny fraction of what was promised. But corrupt politicians ignore the economic realities, ignore all the real data, promote fantasies and lies about the project's economics so that they can funnel money to their friends while ignoring the hard problems they should actually be working on.

Yes, but without it we wouldn’t be able to cheer for laundry.

Think of the cultural ramifications.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon Surfer

Sports arenas are such a scam. We take hunders of millions of tax payers money, gift it to billionaires to subsidize their toys, and get practically nothing in return.

They are promoted based on the idea that they will bring economic benefits to the region. When actually measured we repeatedly see that those economic benefits never materialize and are a tiny fraction of what was promised. But corrupt politicians ignore the economic realities, ignore all the real data, promote fantasies and lies about the project's economics so that they can funnel money to their friends while ignoring the hard problems they should actually be working on.

This gets so old. Same recycled argument every time a new facility is brought up anywhere. Do you want professional sports or not? If you don’t like the scam then stop watching and supporting. It’s really simple. You don’t get a professional sports team without a facility and owners and cities both know what they are getting into with these marriages. I get that some taxpayers don’t like it but don’t be hypocritical and keep watching and supporting if it bothers you so much. As a sports fans I’m tired of hearing the whining in sports threads by the hypocrites. Go whine on Reddit or something.

[SutterBrother]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

I feel like within 10-15 years of the Saddledome opening there was a construction wave across the NHL where most franchises had newer, better arenas even before the Dome limped along for another 25 years. I hope the new arena feels new and state of the art for longer than 10-15 years. Seems like a lot of the league will be poised for another wave of new/updated arenas shortly after the Flames' new one is finished.

This is very true. Even in the early 2000’s the Dome was described as “the last of the old school rinks” to be built. It was a lot of concrete and seating for hockey, and that was it. In the 90’s they started building them to be more like malls and entertainment districts.

Then it went another entire generation 2000-2024 just being a relic. Now it’s reached embarassment status. Like an active reason NOT to come here as a player.

In another 20 years if it didn’t cave in, it might even reach “historical” status.

But let’s be honest.

It would totally cave in before then.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

You don’t get a professional sports team without a facility and owners and cities both know what they are getting into with these marriages.

I guess it's just luck or a miracle that places T-Mobile Arena and Bell Centre exist then? What a weird thing to say.

Just like with the Olympics, you only need enough places to start saying no for change to happen.

[SutterBrother]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

This gets so old. Same recycled argument every time a new facility is brought up anywhere. Do you want professional sports or not? If you don’t like the scam then stop watching and supporting. It’s really simple. You don’t get a professional sports team without a facility and owners and cities both know what they are getting into with these marriages. I get that some taxpayers don’t like it but don’t be hypocritical and keep watching and supporting if it bothers you so much. As a sports fans I’m tired of hearing the whining in sports threads by the hypocrites. Go whine on Reddit or something.

I don’t disagree it’s a total scam lining the pockets of the ultra wealthy, at the expense of the taxpayer.

But the government does that all the time for a ton of different industries. It’s just less public facing, so people don’t get bent out of shape on it.

Given more money, politicans will always waste it. Usually on million dollar art installations and fancy walking bridges, rather than something useful (roads, schools, paying teachers, libraries, tax reductions). At least with a rink as a hockey fan I get SOMETHING out of it.

[SutterBrother]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

I guess it's just luck or a miracle that places T-Mobile Arena and Bell Centre exist then? What a weird thing to say.

Just like with the Olympics, you only need enough places to start saying no for change to happen.

Good to hear the IOC has changed!

I don’t believe it for a second.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by SutterBrother

Good to hear the IOC has changed!

I don’t believe it for a second.

It's not hard to find this info. Look at what Vancouver was required to build for the IOC in 2010 versus what Milano will need to built in 2026. Look at the massive criticism they got for the costs and wasted infrastructure of Sochi and Rio. It's a massive difference to how the bid process goes today. Way less catering to the IOC's whims and excesses. Way less building for the sake of building.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by SutterBrother

I don’t disagree it’s a total scam lining the pockets of the ultra wealthy, at the expense of the taxpayer.

But the government does that all the time for a ton of different industries. It’s just less public facing, so people don’t get bent out of shape on it.

Given more money, politicans will always waste it. Usually on million dollar art installations and fancy walking bridges, rather than something useful (roads, schools, paying teachers, libraries, tax reductions). At least with a rink as a hockey fan I get SOMETHING out of it.

Exactly. How many people getting out of a shiny new Ford pickup truck remembers the billions in government bailouts handed out to automakers that can’t run their businesses competently. The argument is old and we have heard it hundreds of times here yet posters come back because they follow the Flames or whatever sport and can’t come to grips with the business model that comes with the territory and will never change. Without the taxpayer money we wouldn’t have the Calgary Flames just like you wouldn’t have your shiny new domestic pickup truck without taxpayer money keeping the automakers afloat. Humans have become such whiners. Go enjoy life and quit worrying about things you have no control over.

[cam_calderon]

Edwards can afford to build his own rink, though. He doesn't need the public money. Do you disagree with that?

We just spent $800 million here building a new rugby/soccer stadium in Sydney. I am a way above average consumer of sport and I do not like the fact my taxes went towards it.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

I guess it's just luck or a miracle that places T-Mobile Arena and Bell Centre exist then? What a weird thing to say.

T-Mobile was built in one of the biggest entertainment and tourist centres on earth. Calgary isn't that.

The Bell Centre was built in a metropolitan area of 4 million people. Calgary isn't that either.

There is no economic case for building an arena to NHL standards in a city like Calgary with private money. Either the public sector puts up money or it doesn't get built.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

Edwards can afford to build his own rink, though. He doesn't need the public money. Do you disagree with that?

You weren't asking me, but I absolutely disagree with that.

Murray Edwards doesn't have a billion dollars in cash sitting in his back pocket. The only way he could raise that kind of money is to sell his CNRL stock, and as an insider he would have to file for permission to do that. The moment word gets out that the CEO of a large company is dumping his stock, people assume the stock is not worth owning and the price craters.

And no, he can't borrow that kind of money against his stock either, because stock is risky collateral and the banks know it. They might consider lending him a third or a quarter of the value of his stock, but not for a money-losing scheme like building an arena in a town too small to make it profitable.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

I feel like within 10-15 years of the Saddledome opening there was a construction wave across the NHL where most franchises had newer, better arenas even before the Dome limped along for another 25 years. I hope the new arena feels new and state of the art for longer than 10-15 years. Seems like a lot of the league will be poised for another wave of new/updated arenas shortly after the Flames' new one is finished.

When the Saddledome opened in 1983, only 4 of the 20 other arenas in the NHL were less than 10 years old, and only 2 were less than 5.

Edmonton opened in 1974, Hartford in 1975, Detroit in 1979, and New Jersey in 1981. Washington (1973) and the Islanders (1972) were the only other teams playing in buildings from the 70s.

At the time the Saddledome opened, 6 teams were playing in arenas that were more than 40 years old and 5 were in buildings that were at least 50.


The Saddledome was the newest NHL arena for a full decade. The next new arenas opened in 1993 -- San Jose and Anaheim. Also in 1993, Tampa moved into "The Thunderdome" (now Tropicana Field) and the Panthers started play at the Miami Arena. Neither were new buildings, but both were newer than the Saddledome.


The arena in Glendale, Arizona opened in late 2003. In the decade from 1993 to 2003, 23 new NHL arenas opened. The 9 expansion teams from the '90s were all in new arenas. The 4 teams that relocated in the '90s had all moved into new buildings after playing some seasons in temporary locations (Arizona being the last in 2003).

Of the remaining 16 teams that existed when the Saddledome opened in 1983, only New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Edmonton, the Islanders, and the Rangers did not open new buildings during the 1993-2003 building boom. Except for the Rangers, they have all opened new buildings since (and MSG was massively renovated from 2011-2013 to the point where it was essentially a new arena inside an old shell).

When the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg, they went from a building that opened in 1999 to one that opened in 2004.


The Delta Center (1991) is now the 3rd oldest building in the league, behind MSG and the Saddledome, but the Smiths are promising significant renovations to bring it up to modern NHL standards.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Edmonton’s arena will be an ancient by the time our new one opens.

I wonder if we will have a concert to open it up.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Nationwide seemed fine when I went there last year.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Edmonton’s arena will be an ancient by the time our new one opens.

I wonder if we will have a concert to open it up.

I for one cannot wait to see which lame country act we select for the opening of the arena.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Nationwide seemed fine when I went there last year.

When you look at the list of things they say need to be fixed, there aren't many that the average fan attending a game would notice. The things you would notice, you'd really only notice the improvement after they were done, like the scoreboard or concessions.