Outcome won’t affect search for new arena
Event centre should have legs to stand on its own, councillor says
Whether the Olympic dream lives or dies after the Nov. 13 plebiscite, members of the city ’s event centre assessment committee say their search for a new arena or event centre will not stop.
Coun. Jeff Davison said the committee will continue to look at options for creating an entertainment district in the city.
“With or without the Olympics, the assessment committee is looking at building a new event centre for Calgary,” Davison said.
“It’s not just about a hockey story, it’s about building … an entertainment and cultural district Calgary has talked about for 25 years. An event centre is really just a catalyst to starting that development.”
Davison said the Olympics don’t play any part in their search for a building.
“It doesn’t play in at all — we’ve intentionally sort of made the two buckets separate. From my perspective, you want to make sure the event centre has legs to stand on its own,” Davison said.
“What I mean by that is, with a new event centre, bringing it outside the Stampede Park and sort of putting it on the perimeter encourages the $3-billion-plus private sector investment that we think it will bring.”
It’s not just about a hockey story, it’s about building … an entertainment and cultural district Calgary has talked about for 25 years.
Coun. Ward Sutherland, who also sits on the committee, foresees a potential cost-sharing arrangement should the city get a successful Olympic bid and an event centre.
“Depending on timing and if (a bid) proceeds, obviously, there could be some synergy in costs being shared if the Olympic bid does proceed and is awarded,” said Sutherland.
“That process is quite down the road, because, as you know, we have the plebiscite to do, and even if it’s Yes in the plebiscite the bid submission has to occur. We’re really approaching (the event centre) beyond the Olympics.”
The committee recently urged Calgary to re-engage in partnership talks with the owners of the Calgary Flames as the first conceptual plans for an entertainment district, including a new arena, were released for Victoria Park.
The plan, presented to the committee in early October by the Calgary Municipal Land Corp., outlined a 20-year vision for redevelopment of the beleaguered neighbourhood east of downtown.
A price tag wasn’t identified for the facility, but CMLC said in addition to an arena, it could include 40,000 square feet of retail space within a building that would still have a smaller overall footprint than Edmonton’s Rogers Place.
CMLC president Michael Brown said the renderings are “conceptual” but that they fit well with the existing vision for the Rivers District master plan.