[IanO]

I get where they are going with this, but 'Cost' - I don't like that word.

Value, legacy, bravado, community spirit, international exposure, fun... etc. etc.

But I too use defence mechanisms for coping.

 

[Mattyeg]

Large events like the olympics or the World Cup are known for cost overruns and negative legacies. In A tournament with as many host cities as 2026, depending on which teams Edmonton hosted, it would have had limited international exposure. But I think it would have been a positive for the perception of Edmonton from within Canada. As we saw with the Oilers run, that sense of community and pride in the city also has worth. Clearly hosting three games wouldn’t have been a complete game changer for Edmonton, but it would have been a nice-to-have for our “brand and reputation“

edit: oops, I basically just wrote the same thing as Ian lol

 

[IanO]

^sure, if you build a dedicated stadium for $2B when you have some other options... but a refresh for stadium in need is a great way to leverage all orders of government funding.

This was a huge missed opportunity to promote the game locally/provincially, to accelerate LRT expansion, to refresh Commonwealth and other facilities and to drive some additional private investment in and around our city.

Net loss? Nope, gross missed opportunity.

 

[archited]

Forget Naming Rights for the Commonwealth edifice... how about a little out-of-the-box thinking. The City could lease land and development rights to Real Estate Builders in parcels around the stadium for a $1.00/year token sum. For their lease-able parcel developers could then build a structure that would not only have mixed-use potential but that also would buy into an overall scheme that would enclose the stadium with the exception of a "moveable" roof that could alternately be "open-sky" and enclosed. The City would gain a structure that is serviceable year-round -- Canadian football games, European-style football games, world-class track-and-field meets, major concerts, large Expos, Ethnic celebrations, etc. The mixed use potential for developers could include housing (essentially this would be a Transit-oriented Development (ToD)), a sports-oriented retail world, one or more major hotels, offices, and institutions (perhaps a sports-oriented college). The development rights would expand for 100-year terms and be partially tax-sheltered for 5 years after building completion. The City loses nothing in this equation -- improves an underused facility, upping its class to world-status; initiates potentials for major events landing in Edmonton; initiates development of ToDs and increased Transit use; tied-in with the Convention Centre, gains the possibility of hosting major international Expos (in fact with the land next to the Transit Station, east of Stadium Road, I could envision facilities that expand the concept to include an Athletic Village that could also cater to Convention attendees); and an accelerator for redevelopment of neighbouring communities.
The developer gets "free" land and development "tax relief" and enjoys a community of complementary uses. Part and parcel of their responsibility would be the inclusion of structural elements that would support Stadium enclosure.
The development parcels could be defined by architecture (architects chosen from a list of pre-approved candidates) that would then support the over all goals of the development; same goes for construction companies.
Like this for example

 

[IanO]

Keep in mind that there is a full on TOD DC for the lands to the east between it and the LRT. It's dated, but the renderings are neat.

 

[TAS]

From city official quoted in a column today - this is frustrating to read and how Soccer Canada and our official on FIFA (from Vancouver) treated Edmonton.

"Naive or not, the local bid team felt it had all the assurances to consider its application a near guarantee, which is why Thursday’s news felt much like a betrayal.

“They were all over us … to sign a commitment, because otherwise the Canadian bid was dead,” one source with insider knowledge told me.

“Those individuals (at FIFA) made their commitment to Edmonton, and when the Canadian bid survived they manipulated Vancouver to get back into it and played us. We took them at their word, and they did not come through.”

Officials at FIFA could not be reached for comment."

Keith Gerein: Plenty of blame for Edmonton's missed World Cup moment

edmontonjournal.com

 

[MacLac]

Not surprised at all! Corrupt Gangster mothers! I’m referring to the Van officials……FIFA is on a whole other level

 

[IanO]

Classic. Reminds me of Jerry Maguire.

 

[TAS]

There was hopeful thought posted here that maybe Edmonton could host some 2026 friendlies etc leading up to the World Cup.

According to this article in Vancouver where BC's provincial sport minister is quoted, Vancouver has also already been promised 5 warm up games prior to its hosting duties in 2026. So obviously FIFA/Soccer Canada has not promised Edmonton anything of that sort or our bid committee would have mentioned it.

Daphne Bramham: Yay! Vancouver is a 2026 World Cup host. Now tell us the cost

In the excitement of hosting 2026 World Cup games and bidding for the 2030 Olympics, politicians hope we'll forget the cost of circuses.

www.google.com

The story above gives a few more insights into what cities will likely be required to pay for as hosts including free transit for all ticket holders.

 

[ION]

This clip from Election pretty much sums up how I think we all feel right now. I know I'm still vibrating with rage from this and I don't think the hurt will ever go away only because of how non-plussed everyone is outside of Edmonton is towards Edmonton and ESPECIALLY after this. Basically every person from "Down East" was like... "What did you expect, it's.... UGH.... EdMoNtOn..." or was told "Edmonton has a chip on its shoulder and that's not our fault".... Oh if it was only that simple... or if some more ignorant local "soccer media" personalities were saying and blaming it on us not having a shiny new soccer-exclusive stadium with 40,000+ seats... Yeah no... READ BETWEEN THE LINES YO... Basically the jist is we're too _____ to deserve nice things... Be it poor, liberal, isolated, too far North, too cold, too buggy, too ethnically diverse... not diverse enough... too cracky, too humid, not humid enough, etc. Meanwhile? 4/10 US cities are the Hurricane Belt using old ugly NFL lumps for stadiums... And another two are in California which socially seems more and more like a failed state by the day... NOPE! DIDN'T BOTHER ME AT ALL! ;-)

 

[IanO]

From the FIFA bid report for those interested.

https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/3c077448dcd5c0ab/original/w3yjeu7dadt5erw26wmu-pdf.pdf

 

[IanO]

Also, whomever 'modified' the aerial should be fired.

 

[archited]

^^^^ And this is the part where we are supposed to guess what you mean?

 

[IanO]

It's a forum. You post things from various sources that inform, share or create discussion.

Enjoy.

 

[itom987]

Fake balloons in the air and smudgy smudge smudge on the stadium, any dolt can do that with photoshop.
I wouldn't be surprised if Fifa officials looked at that and made their decision to exclude Edmonton from the world cup easier.