McMahon/Foothills redevelopment proposal

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by Locke

Why is everyone so obsessed with the Real Estate stylings of the Philippine Basketball Association?

I am not so sure their proposal could have been that much worse than this one...

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

I am not so sure their proposal could have been that much worse than this one...

"Needs more Nets..."

[Resolute 14]

Man. The more I look at this, the worse it gets.

Demolished and not replaced: Foothills Athletic Park, the minor baseball field, Volleydome, beach volleyball courts, Absolute Baseball Academy, all parking.

Undetermined: if that second "rink" is an outdoor facility or indoor. If the former, removes a useful sheet of ice for the NWCAA.

Replaced with: 19 private apartment and hotel (?) towers.

Property developers and (most likely) the Manning Foundation have their hands so far up Bill Smith's ass that they can likely tickle his lungs.

[wireframe]

We really dodged a bullet last mayoral election. This bozo was almost our mayor.

[Lubicon]

Losing FDB and Norma Bush for however long construction takes is a huge hit. Not just for NWCAA but all of Minor Hockey. And figure skating, ringette, and most of all UCalgary Dinos mens and womens teams who call FDB home. Even if they do replace with two new rinks there is still that loss of ice (at least one and probably two seasons) which is a big blow.

Plus baseball, track and field etc.

And the WHL would need to find a new home for their head offices.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by wireframe

We really dodged a bullet last mayoral election. This bozo was almost our mayor.

Like he ever had a chance. No matter how loud Rick Bell and Ken King was.

[Joborule]

When the McMahon area does get redeveloped, with a renovated or new football stadium and fieldhouse, it will be a proficient plan brought forth by both the university and the city.

There definitely should be residential development is the area. There's potential to make it inclusive with the Banff Trial TOD, but this isn't the way to go about it.

[Tyler]

Is the U of C broke? It's a big university. Surely they can help offset some of the costs of an upgrade or a new facility?

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Is the U of C broke? It's a big university. Surely they can help offset some of the costs of an upgrade or a new facility?

They most certainly do not have the kind of cash laying around that something like this would require. Maybe if they went on a major multi year fund raising campaign but not with finances they way they are now.

[topfiverecords]

Is CSEC somehow secretly behind this in an attempt to get the field house money for a new football stadium in the same way they tried for CalgaryNext?

- Large area of underdeveloped land: check
- Weak presentation with amateur graphics: check
- Ignores adjacent major road reconstruction: check
- Brought to council at the last minute: check
- Headed by an incompetent old guy with experience in an unrelated field: check

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Is the U of C broke? It's a big university. Surely they can help offset some of the costs of an upgrade or a new facility?

Well they're certainly not flush with cash.

Most of their funding comes from the Provincial Government (broke) and then Private investments and donations which, in Calgary specifically are likely drying up along with our economy or are specifically earmarked for certain things.

[Erick Estrada]

I believe the area could use a revitalization but not at the expense of the existing tennis, baseball, etc facilities. The city barely has any indoor tennis facilities as it is.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Is the U of C broke? It's a big university. Surely they can help offset some of the costs of an upgrade or a new facility?

Broke or not, I don't see why the U of C would put anything into this plan. It seems to me the current facilities are all they need.

If U of C is going to put money into athletic facilities it will be the Oval, which brings in out of country teams to train.

[Resolute 14]

Well, there is value to the U of C in ensuring things like the CFL stays there, as they would lose a ton of parking revenue if a new stadium was built elsewhere.

[RM14]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Well, there is value to the U of C in ensuring things like the CFL stays there, as they would lose a ton of parking revenue if a new stadium was built elsewhere.

I doubt they care about parking revenue for 10 games a year.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by RM14

I doubt they care about parking revenue for 10 games a year.

Agreed. They would make way more by selling/leasing land for those housing units shown on the east side, and by parking charges for the field house, pool, and arenas for the 340+- days/year they would be used.

If money is an issue for the university they might be fully on board with something like this.

[Muta]

People should take this 'rendering' with nothing more than a grain of salt. This looks like a preliminary sketch; something that was leaked from the office unintentionally. This is a high level conceptual plan, and nothing more than that.

Please do not judge this project on this image alone... these projects typically have so much more going on behind the scenes than people know.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Muta

People should take this 'rendering' with nothing more than a grain of salt. This looks like a preliminary sketch; something that was leaked from the office unintentionally.

Would the Sun credit the image to PBA if it was leaked unintentionally?

[FireGilbert]

Gross. This reminds me of a lot of the developments currently going on in Sydney.

You have an area that is 100% owned and accessible to the public being turned into an area that will be 80% apartments, hotels, casinos, etc. with 20% remaining for public use. The developers and governments then tell us how lucky we are to have this great new public space.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by SebC

Would the Sun credit the image to PBA if it was leaked unintentionally?

Of course; doubt PBA wants that version of that image out there though. If they do, however, it's still just a very, very preliminary / high-level concept and should only be looked at as such.