New conceptual plan to redevelop area around McMahon Stadium

[Muta]

Originally Posted by CPK80

But without the funding support from the other levels of government or revenue from the events.

Haha, yup. Now we get to fully pay for all the future upgrades of those facilities ourselves, if ever, instead of having massive guaranteed assistance in doing so (including IOC assistance). Missed a once in a lifetime opportunity for funding on that scale, and likely never see it again. That's one of the major blunders of our time, IMO. But I digress.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Sucks for Baseball in the city. Two fields and Absolute baseball gone. I guess all our kids will just be Okotoks Dawgs.

The one in Confederation Park should have enough bleacher space for all of Calgary's baseball fans.

[Harry Lime]

-Access problems
-no ownership of land across crowchild north (Nick's)
-no ownership of land across 24th (Mormons)
-severely insufficient parking
-death of baseball in Calgary
-wrong intersection type at 16th
-walking access to certain buildings only
-poor traffic flow inside structure
-residential requires parking plus (is everything underground?)
-right next to Foothills hospital, must guarantee priority access
-right of way for simultaneous events
-McMahon seating cut to ~25K, interesting

I'll fix this up for whatever is left of the $19M.

[CroFlames]

This stadium was build for 155 million euros in 2011 in Italy.

Could we not demolish McMahon and build a new facility that doesn't suck?

Spoiler!

[81MC]

If the nearest public access parkade will be the one north of 24th (or whatever that road is), that’s a massive, massive mistake.

[PepsiFree]

I feel like all those red buildings are parkades.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

This stadium was build for 155 million euros in 2011 in Italy.

Could we not demolish McMahon and build a new facility that doesn't suck?

Spoiler!

That might need a higher roof for football, but I wonder what the value of an MLS franchise would be to the city? I actually don't mind the retrofit of McMahon, for how much it gets used, but if the star of this project was the field that you posted instead of the three outdoor fields, that would be something. It would require a practice field somewhere, but perhaps the fieldhouse could fill that role?

[troutman]

With Calgary only being the 49th largest metro area in North America, I'm not sure this market is attractive to MLS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...rthern_America

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

-Access problems
-no ownership of land across crowchild north (Nick's)
-no ownership of land across 24th (Mormons)
-severely insufficient parking
-death of baseball in Calgary
-wrong intersection type at 16th
-walking access to certain buildings only
-poor traffic flow inside structure
-residential requires parking plus (is everything underground?)
-right next to Foothills hospital, must guarantee priority access
-right of way for simultaneous events
-McMahon seating cut to ~25K, interesting

I'll fix this up for whatever is left of the $19M.

I think it was designed in the memory of Ken King

[Muta]

Originally Posted by troutman

With Calgary only being the 49th largest metro area in North America, I'm not sure this market is attractive to MLS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...rthern_America

It absolutely has to be a consideration though as a potential option down the line, however. For a facility of this purpose, getting in as many primary tenants as possible is imperative to sustained revenue generation, even if its not immediate; that design flexibility in stadium design is key. I know there was MLS discussions for the stadium concepts that came out several years ago.

[wireframe]

I live in Banff Trail and I'm thrilled that the giant empty parking lot at McMahon might be replaced

[cheevers]

Originally Posted by troutman

With Calgary only being the 49th largest metro area in North America, I'm not sure this market is attractive to MLS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...rthern_America

MLS is trash, just support the CPL and the Cavs.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I feel like all those red buildings are parkades.

• Pink = parkades
• Red = hotel/retail
• Beige = mixed use, residential/office
• Yellow = field house
• Blue = aquatic centre
• Turquoise = arenas

[Lubicon]

I know the drawings are conceptual but if/when McMahon is ever revamped I'd love to see something similar to Winnipeg and Regina with end zone/bowl seating at least on the west end of the stadium. Would help with wind and make for a more comfortable environment plus perhaps act as a sound barrier out the west end so the Nimby's won't mind so much if there is a concert or something as well.

[timun]

Uhh, you do know that McMahon's current seating is on the east and west sides, right? End zones are north and south (or NNW & SSE anyway...).

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

That might need a higher roof for football, but I wonder what the value of an MLS franchise would be to the city? I actually don't mind the retrofit of McMahon, for how much it gets used, but if the star of this project was the field that you posted instead of the three outdoor fields, that would be something. It would require a practice field somewhere, but perhaps the fieldhouse could fill that role?

The roof doesn't cover the field.

Can McMahon be renovated for much less than 155 million?

BC Place's renovation cost $500 million or something ridiculous like that.

[MegaErtz]

Originally Posted by Muta

It absolutely has to be a consideration though as a potential option down the line, however. For a facility of this purpose, getting in as many primary tenants as possible is imperative to sustained revenue generation, even if its not immediate; that design flexibility in stadium design is key. I know there was MLS discussions for the stadium concepts that came out several years ago.

There are at least twenty metro areas in the USA that will get MLS franchises before Calgary is even considered. We just don't have the numbers to make it attractive to investors. I personally doubt the CFL will even be around ten years from now, so rebuilding the stadium is likely not a good financial investment at this point.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by timun

Uhh, you do know that McMahon's current seating is on the east and west sides, right? End zones are north and south (or NNW & SSE anyway...).

Uhh, yes I do know that. NNW end zone in that case.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by MegaErtz

There are at least twenty metro areas in the USA that will get MLS franchises before Calgary is even considered. We just don't have the numbers to make it attractive to investors. I personally doubt the CFL will even be around ten years from now, so rebuilding the stadium is likely not a good financial investment at this point.

You're definitely entitled to your opinion. I won't comment on the feasibility of MLS coming to Calgary, but I will say that modern stadia design considers multiple sports. Getting a handful of CFL games in a new stadium costing nine digits isn't going to be feasible unless there's a) rich owners who aren't concerned about price, or b) opportunity to host other events throughout the year. Football and soccer are naturally good partners for anchor tenants in stadium design, and therefore filling the facility with more events. BC Place, IG Field, and Tim Horton's Field are Canadian facilities that can host both pro football and pro soccer (and, they do).

[MegaErtz]

Originally Posted by Muta

You're definitely entitled to your opinion. I won't comment on the feasibility of MLS coming to Calgary, but I will say that modern stadia design considers multiple sports. Getting a handful of CFL games in a new stadium costing nine digits isn't going to be feasible unless there's a) rich owners who aren't concerned about price, or b) opportunity to host other events throughout the year. Football and soccer are naturally good partners for anchor tenants in stadium design, and therefore filling the facility with more events. BC Place, IG Field, and Tim Horton's Field are Canadian facilities that can host both pro football and pro soccer (and, they do).

As a big soccer fan, I'd love to see an MLS team come to Calgary. Unfortunately I just don't think we have the numbers to get even 5,000 supporters out to each match, especially considering the fact that the stadium would have to either be entirely indoors or have a retractable roof. The season usually starts in very early March and playoffs finish around Remembrance Day, which means that Calgary wouldn't be a suitable city to host outdoor matches before May and after September.

I just look at San Jose, with a brand new 18,000 seat stadium. They play in a metro area about five or six times the size of Calgary, and they struggle to get the stadium half full, despite what the officially reported figures are. I realize there are some great MLS markets out there like Atlanta, but I just don't see the interest in Calgary. The Flames would never agree to any kind of stadium share with a soccer franchise, as CFL attendances continue to fall year after year.

Another big issue is that the MLS regular season is almost twice the length in terms of games than the CFL. Seventeen home matches per season plus pre-season and playoffs. I honestly think Calgary would have a better chance of getting an MLB franchise, and that obviously isn't going to happen.