Do you support the proposal for the new arena?

  • Yes

    Votes: 103 67.3%
  • No

    Votes: 40 26.1%
  • Maybe

    Votes: 10 6.5%

  • Total voters
    153
The project on the city site now has a timeline stating design reveal and development permit application is targeted for Spring/Summer and construction start Summer/Fall. If the completion date is mid season they'll likely play on the road for the first few months before moving into the new arena like the Islanders did. Only if the completion is expected to be toward the end of the season will they likely stay in the Saddledome for the full season.
A '24 summer/fall start period would put completion in the Feb/Mar '27 territory. The ticketing/suites/operations nightmare of a midseason move, for what might be 1-2 months of play....cant see it happening. The islanders played 13 straight on road, moved in Nov. 19, much different story.

I think they’ll under promise with the hope to over deliver, but I also think they’ll want to move ASAP to maximize revenue. Other teams have moved mid-season (e.g., Leafs).
*One* team did. That was 25 years ago coming from 70 year old Maple Leaf Gardens. I cant think of a major league team in any sport that's done it since, for all the reasons i mentioned above. The ticketing fiasco alone is enough to avoid it.

June/July '27, that's my prediction for first event.
 
A '24 summer/fall start period would put completion in the Feb/Mar '27 territory. The ticketing/suites/operations nightmare of a midseason move, for what might be 1-2 months of play....cant see it happening. The islanders played 13 straight on road, moved in Nov. 19, much different story.


*One* team did. That was 25 years ago coming from 70 year old Maple Leaf Gardens. I cant think of a major league team in any sport that's done it since, for all the reasons i mentioned above. The ticketing fiasco alone is enough to avoid it.

June/July '27, that's my prediction for first event.
- Montreal Canadiens (March 1996)
- Ottawa Senators (January 1996)
- Washington Capitals (December 1997)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (February 1999)

I’m not saying it’s a template the Flames will want to follow, and you’re probably right, they’ll target a summer completion so the Flames don’t have to open the season with a long road trip or move mid-season, but do you really think the Flames wouldn’t move into their new arena in December if construction could be completed in 2.5 years instead of 3, or if construction was delayed by 6 months?
 
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Attendance is also down this year, around 90% of capacity. If the team is in rebuilding mode probably less of an incentive to move mid-season but if they're contending, they might want the playoff gate enough to justify the mid-season switch. Based on the trajectory of the team, probably lucky to be seriously contending by 2027...
 
At this stage, just take the time to get it right. I mean we've been waiting for basically two decades now, we can chill a bit more.

Not that anyone of us will be able to afford to go to a game of course.
 
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At this stage, just take them time get it right. I mean we've been waiting for basically two decades now, we can chill a bit more.

Not that anyone of us will be able to afford to go to a game of course.
This, absolutely. Just do it right, even if it takes an extra half year or year.

- Montreal Canadiens (March 1996)
- Ottawa Senators (January 1996)
- Washington Capitals (December 1997)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (February 1999)

I’m not saying it’s a template the Flames will want to follow, and you’re probably right, they’ll target a summer completion so the Flames don’t have to open the season with a long road trip or move mid-season, but do you really think the Flames wouldn’t move into their new arena in December if construction could be completed in 2.5 years instead of 3, or if construction was delayed by 6 months?
36 months from construction start will put them at '27 opening night, 30 months lines up with before stampede. They would have to build it in 26 months to open in december '26. To move into an arena mid-season, you would have to KNOW the date 1+ year out. Some saddledome suiteholders might opt for a loge concept instead, so now ur pricing seats/suites for only "x" games, relocate STH's, sponsors...it would me monumental, with no flexibility.
 
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It took about 1000 days to complete Rogers Place so if the event centre takes a similar timeframe to build and they start in October it'll likely open for Stampede 2027.
...further...little caesars, almost 36 months on the nose. Climate pledge arena, 33 months. Stampede '27 is very much the likely date now
 

U.S. firm will be paid $18.9M to oversee construction of new Calgary arena:​

"the $18,894,750 fee for CAA Icon will be shared by the City of Calgary and the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC), which owns the NHL's Calgary Flames. When asked if the cost would be equally split by the two partners, a city official said more detail would be made available once the arena agreements are made public in the near future."
"CAA Icon's development manager contract estimates the arena project will be completed by the end of 2026."
 
The city of Calgary quietly dropped an update in December, still no renders.

"
Several streams of work are progressing concurrently to ensure a timely delivery of the Event Centre Block. The project team alongside the design consultants have begun the design phase of the event centre, community rink, and surrounding public plazas. This work is in its early stages and will take several months to complete.

The project team is also working to finalize a construction schedule in the coming months that will highlight when major milestones might occur, such as development permit applications, design reveal, and ground-breaking. While the schedule is still being finalized and subject to change, we expect to share the design and break ground in 2024.

We are also gearing up to conduct enabling works in the New Year to prepare the site for construction. This will include utility relocations, reconfiguration of 5 Street S.E., and site clean-up.

As previously committed, we intend on sharing the definitive agreements once all parties are ready to have them publicly available. As with all business agreements, the documents need to be reviewed first for proprietary and financially sensitive details before they can be released in early 2024. This process is well underway; however, it is expected to take a few more weeks."
 
The city of Calgary quietly dropped an update in December, still no renders.

"
Several streams of work are progressing concurrently to ensure a timely delivery of the Event Centre Block. The project team alongside the design consultants have begun the design phase of the event centre, community rink, and surrounding public plazas. This work is in its early stages and will take several months to complete.

The project team is also working to finalize a construction schedule in the coming months that will highlight when major milestones might occur, such as development permit applications, design reveal, and ground-breaking. While the schedule is still being finalized and subject to change, we expect to share the design and break ground in 2024.

We are also gearing up to conduct enabling works in the New Year to prepare the site for construction. This will include utility relocations, reconfiguration of 5 Street S.E., and site clean-up.

As previously committed, we intend on sharing the definitive agreements once all parties are ready to have them publicly available. As with all business agreements, the documents need to be reviewed first for proprietary and financially sensitive details before they can be released in early 2024. This process is well underway; however, it is expected to take a few more weeks."
"expect to share design and break ground in 2024". Summer 2027 it is...mark that down!
 

Road and utility prep work starts next month:​

https://flamesnation.ca/news/road-a...-calgary-arena-construction-begins-next-month

According to the City, that process begins on the week of Feb. 5 – the Monday after the All-Star break. Underground utility work will be conducted on 14th Avenue, on the northeast side of the Saddledome to the east of 5th Street, for about four weeks. 5A Street will be built and opened and then 5th Street will be closed (and full-on construction will begin), with the City’s website projecting the process to take “approximately six months.”
Event Centre traffic and construction impacts
 

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