Iveson seeks feedback on Northlands' plan that includes multiplex arena development, debt repayment
Mayor Don Iveson is asking for feedback on a motion he plans to submit to City Council on Tuesday that would see Northlands granted some reprieve from debt repayment in exchange for moving ahead with the redevelopment plan.

In a blog post published Tuesday, Iveson proposes that city administrators begin preliminary design on repurposing the Coliseum into a multiplex arena, develop an integration plan for the Expo Centre and the Shaw Conference Centre, complete a report addressing plans for repurposing the racetrack, horse barns and other surplus areas on Northlands property, and move forward on approvals to grant a one-year deferral on Expo Centre debt payments, subject to Northlands agreeing to participate in the rest of the redevelopment plan.
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Full Story (Edmonton Journal)

Blog article in question:

THE NEXT STEPS ON NORTHLANDS
Tomorrow, City Council will be discussing a series of proposals from Northlands to re-imagine the 160 acres it occupies in northeast Edmonton. In order to move forward I am recommending the following approach, in the form of a motion for Council to consider. It’s not typical practice to float motions ahead of a public hearing, but I wanted to provide the public, Northlands, and other stakeholders with opportunity to provide input on this motion as part of the hearing.

This motion aims for a number of outcomes, including: taking immediate steps to secure long-term vitality for the surrounding communities, providing opportunities for Northlands to shift course toward sustainability, and securing a more prosperous future for Edmonton’s event, convention and tourism businesses by uniting the convention centres.

Curious for your thoughts on the below:

That Administration:
  • Prepare a program statement and begin preliminary design to repurpose the Coliseum into a multiplex arena, pending securing necessary consent from Edmonton Northlands (Northlands) and Edmonton Arena Corp. This work should consult with the public and user groups, and explore partnerships with interested hockey and other amateur sports organizations. Report back to Council in Q4 2016 with a proposed project scope and budget profile to advance detailed design.
  • Work with Northlands and Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC), with input from the Government of Alberta, to build on existing studies and evaluate best practices for Convention & Event authorities, and bring a recommended model for integration of the Expo Centre and Shaw Conference Centre (and any other relevant public components) to maximize economic impact and community benefit – potentially under the management of Northlands, or EEDC, or under a new agency. Report back to Council Q1 2017.
  • Bring forward a report with Terms of Reference and cost estimates for a new Area Redevelopment Plan, to address repurposing and development options for the horse barns and racetrack site, and any other surplus lands, with special regard to the interface with surrounding communities. Report back to Council Q4, 2016.
  • Bring forward the necessary approvals required, as soon as practicable, to grant one year of deferral on EXPO centre debt payments from Northlands, subject to their participation in work outlined above, and subject to implementation of their governance reforms. That a further year of debt deferral be contingent on Northlands Board’s submission of a sustainable business plan to Council by June 30 of 2017. Report back on the recommended conditions and steps required at September 20, 2016 Council meeting.
http://doniveson.ca/2016/08/30/the-next-steps-on-northlands/
 
Edmonton Northlands finds public support for Vision 2020
Northlands employees and supporters lined up to sing its praises Wednesday as they tried to convince city council to throw the not-for-profit organization a financial lifeline.

Council would be daft to tear down a hockey venue whose history with legendary players Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier is recognized around the world, said some of more than three dozen people who spoke late into the evening. Many urged council to embrace at least parts of Northlands’ Vision 2020 and defer its debt payments to give it breathing room to plan its future.
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Full Story (Edmonton Journal)
 
Edmonton opens door to possible sports training academy at Northlands Coliseum
A council vote Tuesday opens the door for a serious talk with Hockey Canada about a possible training academy in the Northlands Coliseum.

Interested hoteliers and other potential partners can also expect a phone call as city officials promised to consult and bring a report back on a multiplex — possibly with multiple sports — by early next year.

For Northlands, it means working with city administration to explore a dream they’ve been working on for more than a year. And because council also voted to defer payment of the Expo Centre debt for a year, they can keep running K-Days and reinvest in their original mission as an agricultural society.

“It gives us the time that we needed,” said Northlands chief executive Tim Reid.
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Full Story (Edmonton Journal)
 
Open House - November 2016
The City is considering the Coliseum’s future as a sport and recreation facility. Northlands has proposed a six-sheet arena. Now we want your ideas to help us develop additional options for this Edmonton sports icon.

Date: Wednesday, November 16 and Thursday, November 17
Location: Multipurpose Room #6, Commonwealth Recreation Centre | 11000 Stadium Road
Time: 3-8pm

About the Project
The City is exploring options to transform the Coliseum into a community-based sport and recreation centre. The project will include defining community needs and priorities through public engagement, as well as exploring partnership opportunities. The project is currently in the Concept Phase, with a request to bring two to three options back to Council in April 2017.

The City is investigating options that will align with the 2017-27 Recreation Facility Master Plan and 10-year Arena Strategy.

Throughout 2015, Northlands engaged with a variety of stakeholders and consultants to prepare a new vision for its organization. The outcome was Vision 2020, which was presented to City Council in March 2016. The City's analysis of Northlands’ Vision 2020 resulted in a five-part Council motion to explore the future of Northlands. The Coliseum Transformation project is one part of this broader Northlands work.

https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_plans/design_studies/coliseum-transformation.aspx
 
Horse racing to stay at Northlands until 2018
Horse racing at Northlands Park has been given a new lease of life, before the sport is moved to another facility.

Horse Racing Alberta (HRA) and Northlands announced an agreement Thursday to extend horse racing at the facility until June 2018.

In 2018, a press release notes HRA will move into Century Mile, a new horse racing facility near the Edmonton International Airport.
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Full Story (Metro Edmonton)
 
City gathers ideas for future of Coliseum
November 15, 2016

The City of Edmonton is considering options for the future of the Coliseum at Northlands. Edmontonians are invited to share their ideas at one of two upcoming open houses.

Date: Wednesday, November 16 and Thursday, November 17
Time: 3 - 8 p.m.
Location: Multipurpose room 6, Commonwealth Recreation Centre (11000 Stadium Rd)

Northlands has suggested a six-sheet ice arena. The City is seeking public input to help develop additional options for transforming the Coliseum into a sport and recreation facility. Organizations interested in partnering with the City to operate, invest capital, or provide programming and services at a repurposed Coliseum may submit a request for expression of interest by December 9. Details and applications are available online.

Unable to make it to one of our open houses? There will also be a public survey available online from November 16 to December 1.

For more information:
edmonton.ca/coliseumtransformation

Media contact:
Kelly FitzGibbon
Communications Advisor, Integrated Infrastructure Services
780-496-2812

http://www.mailoutinteractive.com/Industry/View.aspx?id=862993&q=1114902933&qz=ddc7df
 
City mulling Edmontonians’ opinions on turning Northlands Coliseum into rec centre
The Oilers may be gone, but their former home could remain a place for blood, sweat and tears.

Think roller derby, rock climbing and minor sports.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but the city held an open house Wednesday to discuss ideas for the future of the Northlands Coliseum. They're keeping an open mind while developing concepts to turn the 42-year old arena into a rec centre.

And local residents had lots of opinions: John Carbon was a little surprised to learn a portion of the space could possibly become home to a parkour gym.

“I’m not even sure if we have a parkour gym in the city,” he said.

Earlier this year, Northlands released a $165 million plan for the site, dubbed Vision 2020, that suggested the site be redeveloped to include, among other things, a six-sheet ice arena and concert space.
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Full Story (Metro Edmonton)

City holds open house on what to do with Edmonton's Coliseum
If you thought six ice rinks packed into Edmonton’s Northlands Coliseum was far-fetched, you’re not thinking hard enough.

“I often think if there was a gym where you could play hide-and-seek or tag, that would be so much better. It would be awesome. A dodgeball court in there, drop-in dodgeball,” said 25-year-old Adam Melnyk with an excited laugh.

Melnyk was one of the Edmontonians who dropped in to the first of two open houses the city is holding to find out what the public would like to see done with the aging former home of the Oilers.

“This is really about getting some feedback from our citizens, both from a community level but also from a sport organization level,” said Judi Rohovie, director of Terwillegar, Clareview and The Meadows recreation centres and one of the people working with the city’s citizen services department to gather public opinion on the future of the building.

Northlands proposed a six-rink facility to offer ice sports year round and attract more tournaments to the city. That option is still on the table, as is tearing the building down altogether. But city council asked staff to see if residents could come up with other plans.
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Full Story (Edmonton Journal)
 
Up for discussion at council on March 21:

5. STATUS REPORT
5.1 Model for Integration of EXPO Centre and Shaw Conference Centre
5.2 Options for Use of the Former Northlands Scoreboard
5.3 Strategy for Enhancing Northlands Agricultural Portfolio
5.4 Repurposing the Coliseum into a Multiplex Arena - Profile to Advance Conceptual Design

Report document: http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=55713

Agenda: http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1809&doctype=AGENDA
 
CEO ‘more confident than ever’ of ‘great future for Northlands’
As Tim Reid outlined the successes of this year’s K-Days festival, he was once again asked about about the future of Northlands.

“I’ve spent three years having these conversations about: what’s the future of Northlands?” the president and CEO said Wednesday.
“I feel more confident than ever before that there is a great future for Northlands.

“I think we’ve worked really hard with the City of Edmonton, as well as others, to find a path… There’s a lot of change on the horizon, not only for us, but for other organizations.

“If this K-Days showed us anything, it’s that you have an organization that can recover from significant challenges organizationally, significant event challenges, and still deliver over 800,000 visitors, I think to the credit of our people.”
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http://globalnews.ca/news/3642788/ceo-more-confident-than-ever-of-great-future-for-northlands/
 
Council votes to forgive Northlands' $47M debt, take over Expo Centre
Edmonton city council voted Tuesday to forgive Northlands’ $47-million debt outstanding on the Expo Centre and merge its operations with the Shaw Conference Centre.

That means the 500,000-square-foot conference centre and banquet facility near the Coliseum will be run by the Edmonton Economic Development Corp. (EEDC) starting Jan. 1, 2018.

“We’ve worked very hard to get a smooth transition,” said Mayor Don Iveson.

He said the deal ensures Expo Centre staff will work for EEDC in January.

“I hope that comes as a reassurance to the people working there,” Iveson said. “I realize that uncertainty has been difficult.”

The new debt will cost Edmonton $4 million a year and is already included in the city’s operating budget, said Iveson. The city guaranteed the debt when the loan for the most recent expansion was taken. That meant the city had little choice but to take back the debt once Northlands couldn’t pay.

Northlands lost a key income source when the city build Rogers Place for the Edmonton Oilers.

“We are grateful for their vote of confidence in our organization,” EEDC CEO Brad Ferguson said in a news release.
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http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loc...ive-northlands-47m-debt-take-over-expo-centre

Edmonton to merge the Shaw Conference Centre with the EXPO Centre
Edmonton is moving forward with a plan to transition the Edmonton Expo Centre to the city, to complete the merger of the Northlands EXPO Centre and Shaw Conference Centre, according to a release sent out Tuesday afternoon.

The two convention centres are currently run by city-funded agencies and have competed against one another to host the same events in the past.
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http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmont...w-conference-centre-with-the-expo-centre.html
 
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