NEW ARENA BACK ON AGENDA
Move afoot to restart negotiations
Rookie city councillor Jeff Davison said he will bring forward a motion to create a new committee to resurrect negotiations with the owners of the Calgary Flames for a new arena to replace the aging Saddledome, more than six months after talks broke down.
“I think it’s critically important that the city move forward, take the move and form a committee to get negotiations going on the arena again,” Davison said Monday.
“This is a different council, we have some new councillors, we have a fresh perspective. I think part of what we have to look at here is what went wrong the last time and it’s not about pointing fingers or names, it’s just about establishing a new committee and how we move forward.”
The Flames’ owners said last September that they were no longer pursuing an arena deal after months of unproductive negotiations with city hall, but Davison confirmed that a proposal to begin negotiations anew with Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp. is in the works.
While there were few details offered about who might sit on the new committee, when questioned whether Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi will be involved in the group, Davison let slip that at least three councillors could be “on board.”
“I think the mayor’s office is going to be well aware of what we’re looking to accomplish (and) whether or not they’re involved in the negotiation team. I think with three councillors on board, we should have that well in hand.”
Nenshi said he welcomed the idea of injecting “fresh blood” into the arena debate, but questioned what a new committee would accomplish.
“The city ’s still at the table,” Nenshi said. “We’ve been at the table this entire time and the other party needs to indicate that they ’re willing to come to the table.
“If they ’re willing to come to the table if they’re dealing with new faces, sure that’s a good thing.”
Nenshi added that councillors aren’t customarily at the table for these type of talks usually undertaken by professional negotiators.
The mayor was also asked if he’d like to see new negotiators on the Flames’ side.
“If the negotiations have stalled out, it may well be a good idea to put people with no history sitting around that table. If CSEC wants to start again with new folks, I’d certainly welcome that.”
The motion to create a committee dedicated to renewing arena negotiations could come forward at next month’s council meeting.
The new group could also include representation from the Calgary Municipal Land Corp. if negotiations for the megaproject resume, Davison said.
Davison has long articulated that getting a deal struck for a new arena is one of his key priorities.
Davison met with Flames CEO Ken King last October while still campaigning to win his Ward 6 seat. At the time, Davison said the meeting left him with a “much better understanding ” of the Flames’ frustrations.
Reached Monday, King declined to comment, preferring to defer to a statement issued by the sports team company, owners of the Flames, Stampeders, Hitmen and Roughnecks.
“Based on what has transpired to date, we have no basis on which to believe anything has changed with respect to a new arena,” said the statement. “If the reports are true, it will be interesting to see what, if anything, the city decides to do.”