[News] CalgaryNEXT Announcement. New arena details emerge.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Even details like calling the ticket levy a "ticket tax" was a huge mistake. They should have been trumpeting that user pay portion as much as possible, knowing full well that the public aren't keen on tax dollars being used. Semantics, sure, but why even mention the T-word on a portion that is 100% user pay?

It gave the inaccurate perception that even more of it was taxpayer funded, and the media fuelled this by misreporting it initially.

You say this like people have figured it out since.

[The Familia]

The whole project from the financing to the drawings is brutal. I used to be so excited about the possibility of a new arena and stadium. Now I actually hope it never sees the light of day. I'm prepared to accept McMahon and the Saddledome as is than move into a giant fancy YMCA and regret it every time I walk through the doors.

[Scary Eloranta]

Originally Posted by PostandIn

It's completely unhelpful and contradictory when KK says, before the Calgary NEXT announcement, "if everyone could just see the models and plans sitting on my desk they'd be as blown away as I am!" and then rolls out vague, concept drawings and says "well, really we haven't really tacked down many of the details". As much as we all agree Edmonton is no good, when the deal was finally announced, it did not take long for the Katz Group to get some really cool renderings of the actual building on the street.

Yeah it definitely wasn't the best sales pitch was it, lol.

[CroFlames]

Canada "officially" interested in hosting the men's Fifa World Cup:

VANCOUVER -- After successfully hosting two major women's soccer tournaments over the last couple of years, the Canadian Soccer Association is now giving serious consideration to bidding for the next FIFA World Cup.
"I think our next project as a country, and as a soccer country, would be the men's World Cup," Victor Montagliani, the CSA's president, told a news conference Thursday.

Although this isn't really news, this is the first time CSA president has expressed intention to look into hosting.

Soccer haters can say what they want, but this is the biggest sporting event in the world. Soccer has such a global reach. Literally millions of people who haven't heard of Calgary before will be exposed to the name. I for one would be beyond excited if Canada hosted.

My gut tells me the USA would host again before Canada does, but nevertheless this is a step in the right direction. As little as a few years ago, Canadian SA had no interest in bidding on the 2018 or 2022 editions.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

To take it a step further, its not even a levy or a user pay fee. It's not like the Flames would lower ticket prices if there were no "ticket tax". Ticket prices would remain the same. All a "ticket tax" is is the Flames slicing off and securitizing a portion of future revenues. It's effectively a tax levied against the owners.

You are right though...I have no idea why the term ticket tax is used around so many arena financings. Such a dumb and inflammatory term.

Because then it isn't calculated in general revenues and thus subject to "sharing" with the players pursuant to the CBA.

[The Yen Man]

Yah, I'd like to believe Ken King and his staff aren't stupid people, but this whole presentation has been a disaster that I would like to think most people could have foreseen a mile away. I'm not sure what reaction King was hoping to get with such a poorly thought out presentation. No substance, no renderings, and only a promise with a huge price tag. Of course people are going to be upset.

[JBR]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Canada "officially" interested in hosting the men's Fifa World Cup:



Although this isn't really news, this is the first time CSA president has expressed intention to look into hosting.

Soccer haters can say what they want, but this is the biggest sporting event in the world. Soccer has such a global reach. Literally millions of people who haven't heard of Calgary before will be exposed to the name. I for one would be beyond excited if Canada hosted.

My gut tells me the USA would host again before Canada does, but nevertheless this is a step in the right direction. As little as a few years ago, Canadian SA had no interest in bidding on the 2018 or 2022 editions.

Without grass fields in the major stadiums, the World Cup will never come here. Canada is a long shot as it is. Things have to be perfect for us to be considered.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by JBR

Without grass fields in the major stadiums, the World Cup will never come here. Canada is a long shot as it is. Things have to be perfect for us to be considered.

Spend a few hundred million to put in grass fields, make a billion.

No brainer.

[Flamenspiel]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

To take it a step further, its not even a levy or a user pay fee. It's not like the Flames would lower ticket prices if there were no "ticket tax". Ticket prices would remain the same. All a "ticket tax" is is the Flames slicing off and securitizing a portion of future revenues. It's effectively a tax levied against the owners.

You are right though...I have no idea why the term ticket tax is used around so many arena financings. Such a dumb and inflammatory term.

I am sure the Flames will increase ticket prices to fund the arena, but the ``ticket tax`` is above and beyond that and would apply to all events in the Dome and at McMahon stadium.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Yah, I'd like to believe Ken King and his staff aren't stupid people, but this whole presentation has been a disaster that I would like to think most people could have foreseen a mile away. I'm not sure what reaction King was hoping to get with such a poorly thought out presentation. No substance, no renderings, and only a promise with a huge price tag. Of course people are going to be upset.

Not sure what you are talking about here as the reaction has been fairly positive as a whole. This poll alone shows a fair bit of support and I haven't heard a lot of people around the city overly negative about it. I'm sure King and the Flames knew fully well there was a percentage of Calgarians that would never be on board with this regardless of what they presented or where it was to be located so no they aren't stupid at all as they are going through with their vision knowing it will never be everything to everyone.

[Chingas]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Spend a few hundred million to put in grass fields, make a billion.

No brainer.

I need to dig into it further but I am pretty sure that the only one who makes money off of the world cup is FIFA.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Flamenspiel

I am sure the Flames will increase ticket prices to fund the arena, but the ``ticket tax`` is above and beyond that and would apply to all events in the Dome and at McMahon stadium.

What he's saying is that the Flames will charge as much as they can for their seats regardless of a ticket tax or any other events being held. They will charge the max they believe people are willing to pay for each seat. So it's not like the a seat is going to be $135 + $20 ticket tax. The seats will cost $155, regardless of a ticket tax. It's just the flames taking a percentage of each ticket and paying it towards the financing of the arena.

The prices will be higher, but not because of a ticket tax. If the owners were paying for the whole arena up-front on their own, the tickets would still cost the same.

It's really the owners promising to tax themselves a certain percentage of future revenue to pay for that part of it.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Spend a few hundred million to put in grass fields, make a billion.

No brainer.

We'd be a lot more likely to lose money on hosting an event like the World Cup, as opposed to collect a no-brainer billion out of it.

What's even more likely would be going to the expense of building a "World Cup ready" facility in Calgary, and then never hosting a single World Cup game.

We need a hockey rink and a CFL stadium. I really hope the World Cup isn't part of the considerations.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

We'd be a lot more likely to lose money on hosting an event like the World Cup, as opposed to collect a no-brainer billion out of it.

What's even more likely would be going to the expense of building a "World Cup ready" facility in Calgary, and then never hosting a single World Cup game.

We need a hockey rink and a CFL stadium. I really hope the World Cup isn't part of the considerations.

I find it funny sometimes there is so much "small town" thinking in Calgary.

Why can't Canada, one of the richest per capita G8 nations, host the premier sporting event in the world? Why can't the largest city in Alberta, the richest per capita province in Canada host World Cup matches?

Blows my mind sometimes how people think so small.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Chingas

I need to dig into it further but I am pretty sure that the only one who makes money off of the world cup is FIFA.

Yup. There's a reason only dictatorships are interested in hosting it (and the olympics) these days.

Winter Olympic bid is infinitely more plausible to tie to this project to. Although the sensible model these days does seem to be to try and get multiple major events out of these insane spends (Sochi now has an F1 race and will be a part of world cup; Rio for World Cup and Olympics, Beijing for both Olympics)

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

We'd be a lot more likely to lose money on hosting an event like the World Cup, as opposed to collect a no-brainer billion out of it.

What's even more likely would be going to the expense of building a "World Cup ready" facility in Calgary, and then never hosting a single World Cup game.

We need a hockey rink and a CFL stadium. I really hope the World Cup isn't part of the considerations.

We have a CFL stadium. I love the CFL, but it is a borderline semi-pro league, and there is a reason why the Flames can't pay for it themselves, because it's a huge money loser.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I find it funny sometimes there is so much "small town" thinking in Calgary.

Why can't Canada, one of the richest per capita G8 nations, host the premier sporting event in the world? Why can't the largest city in Alberta, the richest per capita province in Canada host World Cup matches?

Blows my mind sometimes how people think so small.

It's not so much "thinking small" as it is "thinking realistically". There is a difference!

I don't know where you live, but I live in Calgary, and I'm not particularly interested in helping pay for a soccer stadium we don't need on the remote chance that it could be used to host a couple World Cup games at some point in the distant future.

On the other hand, I don't really follow the game. Maybe FIFA is interested in bringing their biggest show to Canada for some mysterious reason. I don't know. I know the home team gets a bye into the tourney, so I guess a World Cup in 2026 would be a wonderful way to welcome our national team back into the tournament after an absence of 40 years.

[Gaudfather]

Originally Posted by Chingas

I need to dig into it further but I am pretty sure that the only one who makes money off of the world cup is FIFA.

And Sepp Blatter!

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Why can't Canada, one of the richest per capita G8 nations, host the premier sporting event in the world?

As powderjunkie points out, that question contains its own answer. Countries don't get to join the G8 club by wasting billions to host an event that is notoriously riddled with graft and corruption. The World Cup has pretty much become a gigantic trough, filled with money by third-world kleptocrats so their cronies can stick their snouts in and feed. Qatar is the clincher.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

As powderjunkie points out, that question contains its own answer. Countries don't get to join the G8 club by wasting billions to host an event that is notoriously riddled with graft and corruption. The World Cup has pretty much become a gigantic trough, filled with money by third-world kleptocrats so their cronies can stick their snouts in and feed. Qatar is the clincher.

All the G8 nations have hosted the World Cup, except Canada & Russia, but Russia is hosting the next one.