[Stephen Ave]

The province has already put up their support. We just have to hope the feds put up theirs. I'd love tom see this project go ahead.

Premier Rachel Notley, Finance Minister Joe Ceci and Nenshi were set to make a major announcement on the Stampede grounds Tuesday, in which the province is expected to throw its support behind the project.

Timeline is completion by 2025

They're hoping to be done construction in time for hosting the Rotary International Convention which will see 40,000 members congregate in Calgary in 2025.

BMO Centre expansion approved contingent on federal funding. Construction to begin early 2019.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/bmo-centre-expansion-1.4950137

 

[gsunnyg]

Definitely great that we're getting this but it seems like everything else is getting built except an arena. Library, Music Centre, and now a Convention centre but still no arena. I think given the amount of obvious money we're losing to concerts and events skipping Calgary, an Arena is on top of my list. BMO expansion is great to have but not something I'm dying to see.

 

[Stephen Ave]

I think the arena is just around the corner. I have a feeling Flames and the city would like to push the reset button and start again.

 

[Chowda7]

Definitely great that we're getting this but it seems like everything else is getting built except an arena. Library, Music Centre, and now a Convention centre but still no arena. I think given the amount of obvious money we're losing to concerts and events skipping Calgary, an Arena is on top of my list. BMO expansion is great to have but not something I'm dying to see.

The funding for major projects such as the arena is supposed to be discussed in council on January 28, 2019. Based on quotes from Jeff Davison it sounds like they would like the BMO expansion and the arena to be developed concurrently.

http://dailyhive.com/calgary/new-calgary-event-centre-estimated-cost-550-million

 

[UrbanWarrior]

The funding for major projects such as the arena is supposed to be discussed in council on January 28, 2019. Based on quotes from Jeff Davison it sounds like they would like the BMO expansion and the arena to be developed concurrently.

http://dailyhive.com/calgary/new-calgary-event-centre-estimated-cost-550-million

Oh my god, that would be dope as hell! The north end of stampede Park would just be an enormous construction zone for years, then when complete, a world class convention centre, brand spanking new arena, and an Opera centre! annnnnd voila, Entertainment District!

 

[Chowda7]

Now I just wish they would move the Glenbow to a new building

 

[1875]

and bring on all those hotel rooms!

 

[darwink]

Was looking at the infrastructure program this morning for something else - not entirely sure what category of federal funding this would be eligible for.

Maybe it would be gas tax fund eligible? Under the "Tourism Infrastructure – infrastructure that attracts travelers for recreation, leisure, business or other purposes. " category? The feds transfer to Calgary through the province around $230 million a year. If it isn't to be finished by 2024-25, there are a few years of it for Calgary that aren't allocated yet.

Sounds like a slam dunk funding plan. But we have to remember this money could have been used for a lot of things. Like new LRT cars or somesuch. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[darwink]

Now I just wish they would move the Glenbow to a new building

Once the archives are moved up to UCalgary, there will be a bit more room to do renovations. Perhaps the south building of the convention centre will not longer be useful once the BMO Expansion is up and running at full pace.

 

[maestro]

It's unfortunate they couldn't come together 10 to 15 years ago when conventions were at their peak. Now there's too many facilities around North America for a stagnating number of conventions. Still good news that it is going ahead. It's another piece of infrastructure missing from the city's portfolio.

 

[MichaelS]

It's unfortunate they couldn't come together 10 to 15 years ago when conventions were at their peak. Now there's too many facilities around North America for a stagnating number of conventions. Still good news that it is going ahead. It's another piece of infrastructure missing from the city's portfolio.

I have been trying to find articles from 3-4 yeas ago when Telus Convention Centre was talking about an expansion, I swear I remember Nenshi being quoted as saying he didn't think a big convention center was a good investment, given the trend of the industry and that we would just be chasing a smaller and smaller group or clients.

I know major car shows like the North American International Auto Show are facing severe curtailments of participation, with many large mainstay brands choosing to skip it entirely.

 

[RyLucky]

The CRL will work if they can attract a lot of residential and hotel investment. The timing might be right with supply in the east village and beltline beginning to shorten, but unlike the EV, there won't be a massive investment like the Bow to instantly convince us we did the right thing. Whatever the case, half a billion dollars from the community it going to be great for the locale. The conference market is hard to predict a decade away, but I think we are moving to a world with more and more niche conventions and conferences with larger and larger attendances and greater international travel, so hopefully it's a win for tourism.

 

[JoeUrban]

I like the expansion but I would also like there be a way to retain some of the Corral, even just the neon cowboy facade.

 

[darwink]

The CRL will work if they can attract a lot of residential and hotel investment. The timing might be right with supply in the east village and beltline beginning to shorten, but unlike the EV, there won't be a massive investment like the Bow to instantly convince us we did the right thing. Whatever the case, half a billion dollars from the community it going to be great for the locale. The conference market is hard to predict a decade away, but I think we are moving to a world with more and more niche conventions and conferences with larger and larger attendances and greater international travel, so hopefully it's a win for tourism.

As a CRL extension, depending on the exact wording of the order in council, could use the 2006 baseline (iirc the baseline for the existing one) as the baseline for the extended one. In which case it will have no problem whatsoever making its outlays back.

 

[JoeUrban]

Can anyone tell me if Council simply voted on the 'plan to build an extension that looks like this rendering" or are there actually detailed drawings available for viewing?