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Post by phillymike on Apr 1, 2017 11:05:24 GMT -6
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Post by mikecubs on Apr 1, 2017 20:10:02 GMT -6
Not a surprise. The Sadledome is the last pre-90's arena left in either the NHL or NBA. All the early 90's arenas in both leagues have undergone or are about to undergo renovations. The Flames need to get it though their thick skulls Calgary NEXT is dead and too expensive. The mayor wants the new arena to be by the old arena and be an arena only without the CFL stadium attached. The current site is about to undergo a ton of infrastructure work so an arena at that site would be cheaper. The Calgary next site also has the clean up cost associated with the soil.
Don't see the Flames moving but no one saw Seattle moving in the NBA either or Cleveland in the NFL. San Diego was a good NFL market and the Chargers were there 55 years. They couldn't get a stadium done. Quebec IS a better market with a new arena that Calgary without a new arena.
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Post by mikecubs on Apr 1, 2017 20:19:08 GMT -6
Calgary Mayor: CalgaryNext is “Dead”CalgaryNext, a proposal that includes a new arena for the Calgary Flames, is “dead,” according to Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi. Originally proposed in 2015, CalgaryNext has been the subject of debate for several years. The plan calls for a new arena for the Flames as part of a complex that would also include a new venue for Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders. There were signs in recent months that the Flames and the city would consider alternatives, as Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp CEO Ken King said in December that CalgaryNext was “on pause.” Calgary has been exploring a possible plan B, one that could lead to a new Flames arena at Victoria Park. When providing an update on Monday, Nenshi labeled CalgaryNext as dead, something that surprised King. More from the Calgary Sun: “The thing about a new arena project, and I’ll use those terms because CalgaryNEXT, the West Village project, is dead,” Nenshi said when asked if the federal government’s planned Canada Infrastructure Bank could be used to pay for CalgaryNEXT. “But, the thing about a new arena project is that our first criteria has always been public money for public benefit, so it really is up to the Calgary Sports and Entertainment (Corp.) to figure out what the public benefit is,” the mayor continued. Asked about Nenshi’s remarks, King expressed surprise. “Notwithstanding that I was not present or did not understand the context of the mayor’s comments, I am surprised. Our understanding is that, as directed by council, CalgaryNEXT is ultimately to be compared with a Victoria Park option,” King said Monday afternoon. Nenshi followed up by making the case that the Victoria Park site may qualify for more infrastructure investment funds than CalgaryNext’s location in the West Village. More from the Sun: After stating the West Village project was dead, Nenshi went on to tell reporters the substitute arena plan in Victoria Park may qualify for funds under the planned Canada Infrastructure Bank, set to use federal dollars and private-sector funding to finance projects that might not otherwise be built.
“Those transit and road improvements have to stand on their own, they have to be improvements that we would make regardless and that’s one of the reasons why, by the way, that a potential site in Victoria Park makes way more sense than CalgaryNEXT because those infrastructure investments including the Green Line are happening anyway,” Nenshi said Monday morning.The Flames have been searching for a new arena to replace the Scotiabank Saddledome, which originally opened in 1983. arenadigest.com/2017/03/28/calgary-mayor-calgarynext-is-dead/
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2017 16:03:06 GMT -6
Another Atlanta franchise potentially on the move!
Just sayin......
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Post by wolfmannick on Apr 5, 2017 1:29:26 GMT -6
The Oilers new arena was dead at one point to. They will get something built in Calgary.
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Post by mikecubs on Apr 25, 2017 14:57:33 GMT -6
Calgary pursues ‘Victoria Park option’ for new arena: ‘This needs to happen sooner than later’Calgary is taking the Flames further down the road of building a new hockey arena close to the Saddledome. City council voted Monday to continue working on a new arena option. Calgary Sports and Entertainment is willing to stay on that road if it expedites a new rink for the Flames.
“We’re enthusiastic to the extent that I think we’re getting closer to being able to make some decisions ourselves,” president and CEO Ken King said. The costs of what’s been dubbed the Victoria Park concept were not revealed. “I’d love to be able to share those, but they don’t exist yet,” Mayor Naheed Nenshi said. The parcel of land under consideration is a 7.2-acre site on the north side of Scotiabank Saddledome, which at 34 years is the oldest in the NHL. The initial CalgaryNext project proposed by the Flames in 2015 included an arena, football stadium and public fieldhouse costing $890 million and located on the downtown’s west side. The Flames offered $200 million of their money for the project and proposed a $250-million loan be repaid through a ticket surcharge. Council declared CalgaryNext not feasible saying the bill would be $1.8 billion when the costs of land, municipal infrastructure, environmental remediation and financing were incorporated. The Flames didn’t agree with the city’s financials and the price tag was eventually lowered to $1.3 billion, with taxpayers footing over a billion of it. That was still too much money for council. Nenshi told reporters last month that CalgaryNext “is dead,” but deputy city manager Brad Stevens said Monday it is “on pause.” A motion to eliminate CalgaryNext from consideration was defeated by council, however. “Our agreement was, on an expedited basis, we would look at Victoria Park as long as we could keep CalgaryNext on the backburner,” King said. “If we can make a deal on Victoria Park we will. If we can’t, then we’ll revisit whatever options are available to us.” The Victoria Park location is attractive to the city because it is in a district in which more than $1.44 billion has already been invested over the last decade in buildings, bridges, underpasses, transit, streets, paths and utilities. The Victoria Park proposal doesn’t include a football stadium or fieldhouse.The Flames also own the Canadian Football League’s Stampeders, who play at the 57-year-old McMahon Stadium. “ If we should come to an agreement on Victoria Park, then the matter of the disposition of McMahon Stadium becomes a separate and different issue,” King said.King added that an arena at Victoria Park “can come close to” the 20,000-seat design that was part of CalgaryNext. “Our group is putting a very considerable contribution to this,” he said. “This is a public-private partnership and it’s a big one.” Nenshi believes many Calgarians see the need for a new arena, but aren’t willing to write a blank cheque for one. “Public money must have public benefit,” the mayor said. “Does the city literally get every dollar back that it puts in over time? “Is a proposed new facility having benefit to those who don’t have to buy a ticket to go there? Is there a general economic development benefit to the area from doing this?” Meanwhile, city councillors have chipped in money to conduct a poll gauging public appetite on funding a new hockey arena. “The poll is simply saying, ‘what do you believe should happen with public funds for an arena regardless of location, regardless of who is involved and regardless of what it’s about,” Coun. Shane Keating explained. “‘Under what circumstances do you believe public funds should be invested into a new arena?'” globalnews.ca/news/3401267/calgary-pursues-plan-b-for-new-arena-this-needs-to-happen-sooner-than-later/
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Post by pogoboy on Apr 28, 2017 6:55:28 GMT -6
Article date is April 1st... Just sayin...
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Post by wolfmannick on Jun 9, 2017 0:23:17 GMT -6
Brian Burke the other day threatened to relocate the flames although Ken king tried to play down his comments later that same day. Things are getting heated in Calgary.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2017 1:13:38 GMT -6
Brian Burke the other day threatened to relocate the flames although Ken king tried to play down his comments later that same day. Things are getting heated in Calgary. I'm in Calgary right now, and I can say this much. The NHL let alone the City of Calgary would NEVER let the Flames move. Calgary has arguably been the fastest growing city in North America since 2003. There are now 1,500,000 people in the metro area (if you include the Okotoks/High River area). All the corporate office for big oil are located here. the city has TONS of money. If Bettman can prop up the Coyotes, where there is no local interest to take over the team, he would never let a team move when there is a lineup to own a piece of the Flames. It's all a political game. It's an idle threat anyway. The club is just trying to leverage itself to get more government funding for a new arena. Th Flames are NOT moving. end of story.
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Post by Grumpz on Jun 9, 2017 9:09:14 GMT -6
Jamie Macoun.
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Post by USApegger on Jun 10, 2017 4:43:51 GMT -6
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Post by mikecubs on Sept 15, 2017 8:11:44 GMT -6
Ken King says Flames will not pursue new arena in CalgaryThe president of the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation — which oversees the Calgary Flames, Stampeders, Hitmen and Roughnecks — says the group is dropping its plan for a new arena. Ken King says the group is no longer in talks with the city after an owners meeting today that included NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. "The owners conveyed to me their frustration," said Bettman, adding the owners feel over time it will affect the ability of the franchise to be competitive, but they will hang on as long as they can. Gary Bettman NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said there will be consequences without a new building. (CBC) "This arena can't compete, for example, with Edmonton any longer, because they don't have the resources or the building. I think there were 34 dates of concerts that the new Edmonton arena got that didn't come down here," he said.King said negotiations with the city have been unsuccessful, with the last meeting at the end of July. "They've been spectacularly unproductive meetings," said King. "It's unfortunate because I really thought we would have something that works." King won't say what this means for the future of the team. "We will operate as long as we can and work as hard as we can to make it work," but Calgary Sports and Entertainment won't be putting more money into the Saddledome or McMahon Stadium, he said. No deal could be made, says King Mayor Naheed Nenshi declined to comment on King's statements Tuesday night. He has raised concerns about using taxpayer dollars to fund a new arena in the past. Nenshi says '99.999997%' of Calgarians don't want public money, or Gary Bettman, involved in arena Calgarians support city involvement in new arena — as long as it doesn't raise taxes Nenshi, running for re-election this October, said earlier this week that his campaign wanted to see the new arena as part of the revitalized entertainment district near the current Saddledome. King said he called Nenshi's office on Monday to talk about his vision, and said it was clear when talking to Nenshi's chief of staff that what he considered to be a fair deal would not work. "He does not see the merit in the response we had," said King. King denied making the arena an election issue. "We're not running for office. It's certainly not an election issue for us," King said. "We're certainly not trying to throw fuel on the fire. The reason we had the meeting today is that the mayor's campaign seemed to kick off with a vision for Victoria Park yesterday." The city had been talking with the Flames about a "Plan B" site in the community of Victoria Park, west of Fifth Street between 12th and 14th avenues S.E. Those negotiations came after the city rejected the team's CalgaryNext proposal for the West Village. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/new-arena-negotiations-end-ken-king-nenshi-1.4286660
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Post by mikecubs on Sept 15, 2017 8:14:58 GMT -6
Here is why things fell apart Flames rejected Calgary’s arena plan because taxpayers would’ve gotten paid backPosted on September 14, 2017 by Neil deMause Following Calgary Flames CEO Ken King’s announcement on Tuesday that his team was going to take its arena-negotiating ball and go home, the Calgary city council voted yesterday to release the city proposal that King had called “spectacularly unproductive.” The details aren’t public yet, but the basics, according to Toronto Metro: An estimated $500-600 million in construction costs would be shared one-third by the city, one-third by the Flames, and one-third by a ticket surcharge. The city wanted to get its third repaid either by new property taxes or by getting a cut of arena revenue. That’s … perfectly reasonable? That second item would be, in fact, required by law if this were Seattle, and in any event “We’re splitting the costs, let’s split the revenues” is a sensible proposal in any world other than the sports one. The Flames owners, according to Metro, “balked” at this, and asked for an exemption from property taxes on top. That wasn’t going to get a deal done. So while the talks may have been “spectacularly unproductive,” that doesn’t appear to have been the fault of Mayor Naheed Nenshi or the council. Declaring an impasse now is clearly meant to put pressure on Nenshi with elections coming up; already two of his opponents in the upcoming election tried to take advantage by saying how they think a new Flames arena is important, though only at the right price, which is actually what the mayor himself is saying, so. There’s also, as Maclean’s columnist Jason Markusoff points out, an element of “the Edmonton Oilers got a new arena, we deserve one too”: Flames CEO Ken King grumbled yesterday, “If we can beat the guys up north—apparently we can’t beat them on the building front, but maybe we can beat them on the ice.” This will not go over well, predicts Markusoff: A large portion of the Calgary populace will view ceding the arena-building race to Edmonton not as a loss, but as a win: that Cowtown didn’t acquiesce to its hockey barons’ demands. Until the Flames owners can appreciate that, they’ll be stuck in their current saddle. Maybe? Certainly the mayor and the council’s first reaction — we made a perfectly good offer, here, look at it — doesn’t smack of panic, but we’ll see where things head as the election campaign continues. Ham-fisted threats and unintentionally hilarious self-promotion are kind of Flames exec trademarks by now, but there is that old saying about blind pigs and acorns. www.fieldofschemes.com/2017/09/14/12892/flames-rejected-calgarys-arena-plan-because-taxpayers-wouldve-gotten-paid-back/#comments
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Post by pokeybandit on Sept 16, 2017 17:14:39 GMT -6
This whole Calgary relocating bs is such garbage. Yet the NHL sings the praises of "strong" markets like Phoenix, Carolina and Florida.
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Post by mikecubs on Apr 24, 2018 15:30:02 GMT -6
Some Calgary council members want Mayor Nenshi out of Flames arena talks, because he’s not “gung ho” enoughPosted on April 24, 2018 by Neil deMause This article from the Toronto Star is really weird and convoluted and lede-burying, but if I get the gist of it, it’s that some members of the Calgary city council are trying to find a way to freeze Mayor Naheed Nenshi out of future negotiations with the Flames over a new arena, because he’s been too good at not giving away the store. The evidence on hand: At least 10 councillors are directly involved in or aware of recent meetings in which elected officials have discussed drafting a notice of motion calling on council to strike a new committee — one that may exclude past brokers from both parties.“Initially, it should be new blood that’s on it to give it a different perspective than we’re getting now,” said Coun. Ray Jones. “The longer we leave it, the more it just kind of goes away,” he explained. “Everybody right now is gung ho to get going on it, and I think we should take advantage of that.” And: In addition to Jones, councillors Ward Sutherland, George Chahal, Sean Chu, Shane Keating, Peter Demong, Diane Colley-Urquhart, Joe Magliocca, Evan Woolley and Jeff Davison are directly involved in or aware of discussions to restart talks and form a new committee. “We’ve got to get a few oars in the water here and moving in the same direction before we really can make any headway with it,” said Davison, who is leading the charge. “Overall, you’re just seeing a different makeup on council,” he said. “There’s a lot of us that are new, and sometimes some of the ideas that failed in the past get rejuvenated.” And: Lori Williams, associate professor of policy studies at Mount Royal University, said councillors might be wary of voter backlash given many Calgarians supported Nenshi’s position. “I suppose it does make sense to try to get new people to the negotiating table so that any animosities that may be lingering from the breakdown of negotiations in the past would not be part of this,” Williams said. Okay, sure, “new blood” and “new ideas,” but otherwise this is just weird: The last round of negotiations “broke down” not because of any problems on the council side, but because Nenshi pointed out that the Flames owners’ plan could cost the city more than a billion dollars, and then the Flames walked away from the table and put all their energies into trying to defeat Nenshi in last fall’s mayoral election. When that didn’t work, they mostly sighed a lot about how now what were they gonna do with a mayor in power who didn’t want to give them lots of taxpayer money, and deployed NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to say that the Flames will lose money without a new arena, when that’s patently not true. While Nenshi has been possibly the most prominent city mayor anywhere in holding the line on sports subsidies, he’s always been limited by Calgary’s weak-mayor system, in which he’s only one vote on the 15-member council. Given that the Star report only talked to a couple of council members, it’s hard to say whether this is an actual major revolt or just some people trying to trash-talk the mayor into getting out of the way and letting them get down to the business of shoveling money at the Flames — one councillor, Shane Keating, is cited as having said of Nenshi, “I’ll never be as intelligent as you are, but I’ve been smarter than you many times,” which is described as a “stinging rebuke.” Maybe it sounds different in the original Canadian? www.fieldofschemes.com/2018/04/24/13719/some-calgary-council-members-want-mayor-nenshi-out-of-flames-arena-talks-because-hes-not-gung-ho-enough/#comments
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