CalgaryNEXT Discussion pt. 2

[GullFoss]

Given how important luxury boxes are to revenue - isnt that the entire reason theyre pushing for a new arena? - I can't imagine this arena doesn't end up in the between 17th avenue sw and the bow river.

The biggest blight in downtown calgary is the stampede grounds. Its a waste of space for something thats only used 10 days a year. Move the stampede grounds to Balzac and move on. If the kids want to go on rides, take them to Balzac. Otherwise, you can have the rodeo in the new stamps stadeum, and parties in cowboys and kraft and rachmans and national like we have today.

I continue to beleive the best proposal would be to develop the stampede grounds to create an arena district like LA or Toronto has. Give the flames a working interest in the land so they can profit from the development - that allows them to make back money from building an arena.

[jayswin]

You can't be serious with that proposal? You really think the Stampede would consider moving the main attraction of the Stampede outside the city?

'Wow, I'm so excited to eat at Joe's Burgers...Hi there I'll take a double cheeseburger, large fries and a chocolate shake'.

'Okay, sir, your fries and shake are coming right up, however you'll have to grab your burger at our auxiliary location in Cochrane'.

[upperloge77]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I live in Houston where they have a huge rodeo every year inside the football stadium. There is a scaled down version of chuck wagon racing. There is not nearly enough room for a full sized horse track even if the end zones were open. Unless you are suggesting they run around the outside of the stadium?

yup. why not? most seats can't see the middle section of the halfmileofhell anyway, it's typically all about the start and the final corner/run to the finish. if you had some jumbotrons that tracked the action....

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

Given how important luxury boxes are to revenue - isnt that the entire reason theyre pushing for a new arena? - I can't imagine this arena doesn't end up in the between 17th avenue sw and the bow river.

The biggest blight in downtown calgary is the stampede grounds. Its a waste of space for something thats only used 10 days a year. Move the stampede grounds to Balzac and move on. If the kids want to go on rides, take them to Balzac. Otherwise, you can have the rodeo in the new stamps stadeum, and parties in cowboys and kraft and rachmans and national like we have today.

I continue to beleive the best proposal would be to develop the stampede grounds to create an arena district like LA or Toronto has. Give the flames a working interest in the land so they can profit from the development - that allows them to make back money from building an arena.

Bahahahha "give"???

They can buy the land and pay tax on it if the Stampede's lease allows for it and the Stampede allows for it.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by craigwd

Fun fact, the original 1988 Olympic Bid put the speedskating oval in the middle of the Stampede Park infield.
That would have been an ugly disaster in my eyes. Thank goodness Dr. Jackson come up with a plan for a covered oval at the UofC.

(another fun fact: the original bid in 1980 designed that hockey venue as the Olympic Coliseum which only had international sized ice and I believe it was to be located in the Firestone Park area. The location bounced around a few places after the games were awarded.)

Yeah, IIRC the Stampede Grounds, Fire Park and the Nose Creek area around Memorial Dr. were possible sites for the Arena.

[Reneeee]

This article from 2008 also says the Flames are ready to show a new stadium design. It also lists West Village as a possible build site way back when.

[URL]http://www.canada.com/mobile/iphone/story.html?id=bb367c51-527e-4abc-b61a-39821fa3f0f9/URL]

It would be a piss off personally and maybe even a bit of a scandal if it was ever leaked that the Flames were sitting on CalgaryNext for 8 years.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Reneeee

This article from 2008 also says the Flames are ready to show a new stadium design. It also lists West Village as a possible build site way back when.

[URL]http://www.canada.com/mobile/iphone/story.html?id=bb367c51-527e-4abc-b61a-39821fa3f0f9/URL]

It would be a piss off personally and maybe even a bit of a scandal if it was ever leaked that the Flames were sitting on CalgaryNext for 8 years.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Of course the plans would have changed since 2008. The Flames weren't majority owners of the Stamps in 2008 so their plan at that point probably didn't include a football stadium. I doubt a fieldhouse was included either.

[powderjunkie]

Stamps stadium on Stampede Park could/would make some sense (even in conjunction with a field house, though not so much in my idea). Although it's not inconceivable to continue running the chucks, it's not nearly as simple as dropping a foot of dirt over the concrete.

It would be the perfect excuse for Stampede to get out of chuckwagon racing (far too progressive an idea for them at the moment, though I know executives have pondered what Stampede looks like in 50 years, and chucks are no guarantee. The rodeo/agriculture aspect isn't going anywhere anytime soon - it would be an opportunity to improve the rodeo production, because right now it's 3+ hours of boredom with occasional 8 seconds of action (split it into afternoon/evening; can tie a 'grandstand show' of sorts (or freestyle motocross, etc.) into the afternoon show to retain the value. A football field size footprint would also allow for a better grandstand stage that doesn't necessarily need to be pulled in with a tractor (though it would still likely be temporary/mobile, just not set-up every single day).

It would still require 4 straight road weeks for the Stamps (just through a bye week in there and it's not too bad).

Frees up tons of 'wasted' space that is the rest of the track - easy to build the attached arena. The grandstand building is no spring chicken, but also doesn't necessarily need to be replaced (it has tremendously valuable premium seating venues - Lazy S, Ranahans), and lots of the seating is undercover; most importantly it has an indoor concourse! It may take a bit to prepare it for cold weather operation as it's basically winterized every year, but certainly doable.

Build a 3/4 semi-enclosed stadium around the rest of the way, and they might get close to a 'best of both worlds' indoor/outdoor stadium. Perhaps include some heated seats (be it seats themselves or space heaters) in the premium section - I can't imagine the up front and operational costs would be that different from building a roof and climate controlling such a huge space.

It would definitely be a one of a kind venue! Stampede Park would be almost like Sochi Olympic village...but no stray dogs and the buildings wouldn't already be falling apart. Pipe dream of mine as an F1 fan, but you could even run a track through there (as they have in Sochi), but more likely would be Formula E and IndyCar, which could use much shorter, cheaper tracks.

With the BMO expansion, we would join Vegas, Nashville and Orlando in the mega-convention game too.

[EldrickOnIce]

I'm always interested in 'Arena Districts'.
Went to Quebec City for the first time earlier this week.
It's a ghost town of aging commercial/industrial warehousing around the Videotron Centre.
I'm not sure if it the expectation/development plan that it will build up around the rink if/when they get an NHL team, but there is zero right now.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Reneeee

This article from 2008 also says the Flames are ready to show a new stadium design. It also lists West Village as a possible build site way back when.

[URL]http://www.canada.com/mobile/iphone/story.html?id=bb367c51-527e-4abc-b61a-39821fa3f0f9/URL]

It would be a piss off personally and maybe even a bit of a scandal if it was ever leaked that the Flames were sitting on CalgaryNext for 8 years.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

The 2008 plans were drawn with crayons.

[Tyler]

For those wondering about the status of the environmental study results:

Both the CMLC and administration reports are to go before council on April 25.

[Bar-Down]

Weren't they supposed to have the costs for the cleanup in the West Village sometime in April?

Or did I miss this?

[troutman]

Saddledome Foundation seeking consultant to study potential future uses of arena land

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...-of-arena-land

The city and operators of the Scotiabank Saddledome are quietly considering “multiple scenarios” for the landmark building — including a date with the wrecking ball.

The tendering document indicates the city wants the successful applicant to explore at least four options: continue operating the building in its current form, repurpose the facility, decommission it but have it available for “significant events,” and demolition.

[IgiTang]

Demo?!? That would be a sad, sad day... That building is so iconic with YYC. The dome, imo, is truly a piece of art. Personally, I think it's one of the most interesting and fun buildings to look at.

I personally feel the Saddledome should be treated as a historical building in Calgary.

[RM14]

Originally Posted by troutman

decommission it but have it available for “significant events,” and demolition.[/I]

Keep it around for the 2026 Olympics then blow it up. Nice bookend, for the Olympic Saddledome.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by IgiTang

I personally feel the Saddledome should be treated as a historical building in Calgary.

It's just not practical to keep such a large facility around as a historic building. Much more historic venues in North America have met the wrecking ball.

[Tyler]

Why not just replicate what the Oilers are doing at Northlands and make it a community multi-plex? I assume the roof poses some problems, but you can just scale the size down slightly from what Edmonton is proposing.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Why not just replicate what the Oilers are doing at Northlands and make it a community multi-plex? I assume the roof poses some problems, but you can just scale the size down slightly from what Edmonton is proposing.

Copy something Edmonton is doing? The horror!!

[sempuki]

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

Copy something Edmonton is doing? The horror!!

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

[Cappy]

doug vaessen ‎@dougvaessen
#yyc #calgarynext City today releases report on new flames home. Rumour has it big $$$

https://twitter.com/dougvaessen/stat...06712831315970