[News] Calgary Herald: Flames stay mum on timeline, location for new arena - Page 5 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Lil Pedro · 08-13-2012, 06:56 PM

I really like the idea of the arena and stadium being in one central location. Just makes sense logistically and draws people towards that "centre" of the city. Really hope there is some truth to this speculation, think it would be great for the city. I wonder what would happen with McMahon stadium. I am sure it would be demolished and replaced with something, possibly something affiliated with the U of C?

Southside · 08-13-2012, 07:44 PM

Tie the new arena and stadium in to a Winter Olympics bid. Get some $ that way. The Saddledome and new arena both used for the Olympics after which you retire the Saddledome. I recall reading somewhere that our other facilities, the Oval, COP etc. Could be brought up to current standards without too much trouble, but that won't be the case in another 20 years.

Joborule · 08-13-2012, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil Pedro

I really like the idea of the arena and stadium being in one central location. Just makes sense logistically and draws people towards that "centre" of the city. Really hope there is some truth to this speculation, think it would be great for the city. I wonder what would happen with McMahon stadium. I am sure it would be demolished and replaced with something, possibly something affiliated with the U of C?

If I were to guess it would be demolished and replaced with a much smaller stadium for the university. Probably something like 10,000 capacity at most. They're also going to be renovating the athletic park north of McMahon, so they could tie it in with it.

Makarov · 08-13-2012, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joborule

If I were to guess it would be demolished and replaced with a much smaller stadium for the university. Probably something like 10,000 capacity at most. They're also going to be renovating the athletic park north of McMahon, so they could tie it in with it.

Maybe make the replacement U of C stadium suitable for an MLS team? I would love that.

Joborule · 08-13-2012, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Makarov

Maybe make the replacement U of C stadium suitable for an MLS team? I would love that.

I figure if Flames ownership is going to make a new football stadium, they'll make it MLS/FIFA capable since they'll want dibs on any future MLS franchise that comes into the city. Why make a football stadium for one primary tenant when you can make it for two?

Jimmy Stang · 08-13-2012, 08:13 PM

^ Calgary is light years away from an MLS franchise, but the lack of an appropriate stadium has always been a problem. A modern, multi-sport outdoor stadium would be nice, and if the seats are closer to the field it would benefit both soccer and football.

I was the BC Place on the weekend for the second time since the renovations, and man is that a nice building. I'm sure that the cost would be prohibitive, but the retractable roof sure is nice. And the field can be rented/used all year round, which would be an asset. Dare to dream, Arnold, dare to dream.

browna · 08-13-2012, 08:36 PM

The West Village is the ideal spot now with the Ctrain there.

They can't build residental by the river/Renfrew Chrysler thanks to the creosote plant, and the Greyhound depot and offices are at 10% of the capacity. GSL and the Mercedes dealership are on borrowed time regardless of an arena being built there or not. No Science Centre anymore there and the skate park is the skate park.

Parking isn't as bad as the ingress and egress of traffic, and there's not much ability to make that any better (that said, won't be any worse then rush hour). 14st and Crowchild to go north and south, 9th Ave to go East and Bow to go West. Ctrain to go west or east to connect to the south or NE.

If the Stampede was the only option, a deal would've be done long ago, as this has been at this stage for the better part of 7 years as I know personally. The Flames owners really want to avoid the restrictions and hand in the pie the Stampede board indulges itself in. But a central location downtown is what is still wanted, and really the west end of downtown is the only viable option outside of Stampede Park.

Northendzone · 08-13-2012, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Well played, sir. You got lots of bites with this one!

The sun shines on a dog's @$$ every once and a while.......

T@T · 08-13-2012, 11:29 PM

I know Libin is a real estate guy but he bought firepark over 5 years ago, real estate people rarely keep property for very long without building something on it or re-selling it to make money.

The property is huge, has existing C train, accessable from deerfoot trail,memorial dr and barlow trail.

If it's not stampede park...this is the spot folks.

https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Firepa...,+Alberta&z=16

Alberta_Beef · 08-14-2012, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T@T

I know Libin is a real estate guy but he bought firepark over 5 years ago, real estate people rarely keep property for very long without building something on it or re-selling it to make money.

The property is huge, has existing C train, accessable from deerfoot trail,memorial dr and barlow trail.

If it's not stampede park...this is the spot folks.

https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Firepa...,+Alberta&z=16

just a quick look on google maps makes me think this site is big enough for an NHL arena and new Stadium, but is there also room for parking?

As someone who lives to the south of Calgary who gets lost easily having the buildings just off Deerfoot like that would be nice.

T@T · 08-14-2012, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

just a quick look on google maps makes me think this site is big enough for an NHL arena and new Stadium, but is there also room for parking?

As someone who lives to the south of Calgary who gets lost easily having the buildings just off Deerfoot like that would be nice.

I would say there's lots of room, the site looks far bigger than Mcmahon/Foothills. maybe someone with photoshop skills could try 2 buildings in that spot with parking.

Alberta_Beef · 08-14-2012, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T@T

I would say there's lots of room, the site looks far bigger than Mcmahon/Foothills. maybe someone with photoshop skills could try 2 buildings in that spot with parking.

thanks, i just opened your link and glanced at the size of the saddledome and the size of McMahon and basically finger measured to see how they would fit. Highly efficient as you can tell

Madman · 08-14-2012, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T@T

I would say there's lots of room, the site looks far bigger than Mcmahon/Foothills. maybe someone with photoshop skills could try 2 buildings in that spot with parking.

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...9&postcount=59

Arsenal14 · 08-14-2012, 10:27 AM

As long as the new football stadium can be part of Canada's proposed World Cup bid I'm good. An MLS team would be great but I don't see that league adding many teams in the near future and Calgary would be far down their list of preferred destinations. An occasional national soccer team game would be great though and right now McMahon just isn't an option for that.

Jimmy Stang · 08-14-2012, 11:40 AM

I can't say that I'm a fan of the Fire Park location. It would be missed opportunity to incorporate restaurants, hotels, shops into the plans if it is the middle of an industrial wasteland. Aside from game days, it would be desolate and uninviting. Being on the LRT line is a plus, obviously, but I'd put this location slightly higher than building it in on the outskirts of the city somewhere with a sea of asphalt parking lots around it.

Somewhere central (and Fire Park isn't central in my mind) is the best place for an ambitious project like this. Even if there is less parking on the actual site, there is an abundance of public and private parking available downtown that is under utilized in the evenings and weekends. Surrounding it with acres of parking isn't necessary when there are thousands of available spots nearby already.

Bunk · 08-14-2012, 11:58 AM

Build a new arena and stadium and it'll be close to $1 billion. How to pay for it? Doesn't seem like Flames ownership is willing to pay for it all themselves. That's potentially a lot of public money when we don't have funding for things like LRT lines.

FireFly · 08-14-2012, 12:05 PM

This is purely my own speculation but I think the Flames want a train station at or in the new building and as such, are kind of looking at how the SE LRT line is going to head out of DT. If they can work it, it would be nice to have the new arena where the transit bus depot is and also make that the first stop out of DT on the new LRT line.

But that's just my thinking.

Magnum PEI · 08-14-2012, 02:28 PM

Just my opinion, but I think it would be best if it was next to the main South/NW line. It probably has 3/4 of the total ridership.

JD · 08-14-2012, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magnum PEI

Just my opinion, but I think it would be best if it was next to the main South/NW line. It probably has 3/4 of the total ridership.

Just my opinion, but I hope that "fact" has absolutely no bearing on how the Flames decide where the new arena should go.

longsuffering · 08-14-2012, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireFly

This is purely my own speculation but I think the Flames want a train station at or in the new building and as such, are kind of looking at how the SE LRT line is going to head out of DT. If they can work it, it would be nice to have the new arena where the transit bus depot is and also make that the first stop out of DT on the new LRT line.

But that's just my thinking.

Better yet, let's tear down City Hall and build it here! It's the ideal location.