Deal with Oilers on Coliseum closure would add $17 million to city coffers
The city is looking to close the final chapter on Northlands Coliseum.
At an executive committee meeting Thursday, councillors voted to finalize an agreement with the Oilers Entertainment Group about the permanent closure of the Coliseum, bringing an end to a $17-million sponsorship deal negotiated with the group, as part of a memorandum of understanding reached in 2016.
“We may hold off on the demolition discussion because there may be different approaches to that, ( but) I think there was a consensus that closure of the facility is inevitable,” said Mayor Don Iveson.
“In exchange for confirming closure ... we’re in a position now that we can get $17 million back out of the arena deal.”
Iveson said he didn’t think there’ll be a quick decision about the building until everyone understands the options.
Brian Finley, president of the Bellevue Community League, who spoke at the meeting, said residents were frustrated about not being more involved in the process.
“For all intents and purposes, they need to close the Coliseum,” Finley said. “There’s potential to do amazing things with that site.”
Some of the options being considered for the site include showing drive-in movies, or using it as a facility to train emergency personnel in mock disaster scenarios, officials said.
Demolition could cost between $15 million and $25 million.
Ward 9 Coun. Tim Cartmell said it seemed “unlikely ” the Coliseum would operate the way it did.
“It’s not ever going to be a place where people gather in seats for entertainment or sport. Period,” he said. “It then becomes this concrete, round shell that becomes very expensive to turn into anything else. You might be able to dream up other uses, other ideas, simply because it’s a building that exists, but whether that can be done economically or whether there is any viability around those ideas is really the question.”
It takes $1.5 million a year to keep the place lit, heated and secure, Cartmell said.
He said the city should listen to different ideas and look at things through other lenses.
“It’s gathering all those ideas,” Cartmell said. “Put them in a blender and see what the best solution is for everyone.”