Great perspective ....... I completely agree.

Nobody likes being held hostage, and the emotional reaction is to go tell King to stuff it, but, unfortunately, it makes sense in this case given all of the other benefits a pro team brings to Calgary.

And, since the taxpayers are flippin' the bill, why not have a team owned by the taxpayers ?????

As a club minor hockey coach I can vouch for this. For those of you who have not been around minor hockey its sickening what some parents put their kids through. Or what some parents are willing to do to get the kid to that next level.

Very Well Said! You can also add the contributions of the Stampeders, Roughnecks and Hitmen to the list.....all owned by the Flames Ownership Group I believe. Sports builds community......across Canada the hockey rink is usually the lifeblood of the community. Calgary needs other sports facilities ie. replacing McMahon probably worse than the Saddledome. Add some money to Notleys annual debt load and it is a drop in the bucket. Spend the money and get it done!

Pro hockey is one of the worst ripoff scam circuses going. 90% flash entertainment and not much else. Today it's about mind-numbing theatrics, 5-storey video screens, distracting visuals, advertising, teevee eyeballs, player stats, fights and noise at $ 100 a ticket on top of taxpayer subsidies. Sorry, but that's not real hockey folks.

Hockey is supposed to be about athletic excellence; collegiate teams hustling their utmost all season long, in a barely-heated arena, white light, flat benches, and maybe the chance to talk to the chicks in the next row down without flash grenades and air horns going off during intermission. Or it's farm teams' practice on the local frozen river after dinner under a full moon at -25 degrees.

Instead what we have now is blatant spectator sensory addiction with live TV feed; a form of Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling with multicolor strobe lights and music organ soundbites. Rock concerts are great, but that's not hockey.

Despite all the technical innovations down on 104th street, that abomination mostly adds up to a sports bar with expensive parking crammed full of TV screens. They could have sufficiently renovated the Coliseum (remember that name?), already having full LRT service and parking available, for a fraction of the aluminum-covered turd choking up traffic downtown.

Finally, if you have to have a full company of riot police brought in to 17 Ave or Whyte or Vancouver center to put down a bunch of hockey fans trashing the city after they got riled up over standings, maybe you need to promote hockey differently to start with.

Losing the Flames? Cry me a river.

King is playing politics, plain and simple. Nenshi is playing hardball and King is trying to get him voted out, and replaced with someone who is more pro-Flames and less arts and culture. Flames aren't going anywhere...

http://www.tsn.ca/king-says-flames-a...arena-1.854741

Right from the source...

Fact is.. You want a NHL team, you step up because if you don't, someone else will.

I am actually stunned that we have Nenshi supporters here.. It really makes me wonder if you follow what is going on in our once great city. The Mayor is the leader, the mayor MUST pull together the council and get a consensus... He can't do anything. New mayor coming up. Nenshi can go hang out under the same rock that houses Redford.. I wonder if they will have room for our Premier as well?

Jamie

Ok.. Step up and buy them... Should be around 500,000,000
That will go over well with the Artsy crowd

Good riddance!

Sorry for the die-hard fans on here that respect the game and stick with their team, but for the most part, the fan base in Calgary only fills the building when the team is winning. Last year was a great example, first half of season there were lots of seats. Once they started turning it around and playoffs were in the picture, the place was packed. If people truly cared about the Flames, that place would be packed every night.

Just before the "red mile" days, they were practically giving away season tickets. Calgarian's don't deserve a pro hockey team

Huh, city can hardly stay afloat let alone take on the financial burden...but ya never know...

I remember a time the Hitmen had a larger showing per game...

Quebec City "Flammes" has a nice ring to it

We cant be rid of Nenshi soon enough. Its all about nenshi. Many of his counselors feel the same I hear. Nenshi enjoys the lime light way too much.

Im not happy with the direction this city has taken, does not look to improve any time soon.

Also, just so everyone knows. There has never been a proposal for the flames to own the facility. CalgaryNext was City of Calgary owned facility.

Stoney Plains arena is a 30M dollar arena. Guess what, not operated as a City of calgary facility. (aka not public). I think there is a very large difference in perception as to what a Public building actually is.

you have not been talking to the average person in Ed then. biggest waste of money but then thats what Edmonton is knowen for wasting money. They cant finish the transit system or even make what is there work properly. But lets put a over price ugly ice pond in the center of the city and screw up more stuff.As far as the arena getting people off there couch instead they just sit in over priced chairs.. i give ::Nenshi props for having some guts to bad we cant get some in a mayor in Edmonton.

mack

x2

I would prefer that kids not dream about something that needs to be subsidized in order to survive.

Take all of the ridiculous public art funding and we could build two nice arenas!

I dislike tax money going towards subsidizing billionaires. If he wants a new rink, he can build it himself. Otherwise, I want the government to give me the same amount of money to build a NASCAR track and a drag strip.

Stadiums don't bring the economic benefits touted.

http://news.stanford.edu/2015/07/30/...s-noll-073015/

It's not just a stadium, it's an entertainment district. Edmonton seems to be doing all right with it, as it has completely revitalized the downtown area there. Probably produced a few jobs over the years it was being built as well. So many tangibles and intangibles would be received from this, short and long term.

How many jobs would be lost if the Flames left Calgary? Why did Edmonton have WAY more events this year than Calgary (comparing arena to arena)? How much EXTRA money did that produce for the local economy, for people's shifts, their bank accounts, the places they spent money, etc, etc, etc. This will have a negative impact on Calgary in a big way if this continues and they ultimately lose the team.

Cheers

We also aren't discussing stadiums. That article is quite clearly aimed at NFL stadiums and he made it quite clear that "Basketball and hockey arenas are a better deal for cities, he said. “Arenas are used more often.”"

The deal in Edmonton actually makes sense for all sides. The arena is paid off by ticket surcharges, the Oilers stay, and the added Ice District development was the real goal for Katz. A brilliant move, and in the long run, good for Katz, good for the city of Edmonton, and the local economy.

I'm not sure if a similar set of circumstances exist in Calgary. With the concentration of O&G offices being there, and considering the office space vacancy rate, there is no way anyone is going to invest billions in building new towers like they are in Edmonton. It just doesn't make sense, as very few see a return to the hay days of oil/gas development.

Are the Flames gone? Perhaps. That is too early to tell, but they are on the watch list to be moved. Obviously Seattle is in the running if they do.

I'm going to miss the Edmonton/Calgary rivalry in hockey.

The economic boom did not seem to affect the area around the Coliseum, or Saddledome, much. Nor Commonwealth Stadium or McMahon.

Edmonton's downtown was already in transition, after the closure of the airport, as it allowed tall condos to be built, which kept people downtown, as well as increasing demand for various associated support service industries. Rogers place has contributed little to that, and in terms of jobs created per tax dollar "forgiven" is probably a net loss to the city.

As for "extra money produced", if you subtract the many millions leaving the city to pay the players from the $$ spent by people coming to the city from outside its borders to visit sports venue's, again, that's probably a net loss.

Sorry, I just don't see the value in subsidizing billionaire's and their hobbies.

ok

No we don't NEED a rink, YOU want a rink. Myself and many others that would be on the hook for your enjoyment are completely against this. If you want a new rink have the billionaire owner build one on his dime.
If the public is to fund this stupid idea then the Flames can rent space and King can pound sound.

You sir are a socialist.

The Flames NEED a rink. If you can't see how this will benefit your city as a whole, there's plenty in line who do. While you personally might not be affected, your city will, and many you know will.

Cheers

Ya, lets let them sit on the couch and play video games. I love seeing the new generation of 500 lb whales when you walk down the street these days, with two or three dogs in tow. The parents that choose the sideline option. You're completely right, screw hockey, complete waste of time.

Like I said earlier in this thread, move to timbuktu, watch some 'c' hockey at the local barn, no concerns over tax dollars toward a pro hockey team. Sit on the porch and pick your teeth with your three dogs at your feet.

Reports alone said Garth Brooks and his nine shows in Edmonton brought $42m into Edmonton's local economy. I can only imagine that number is on the sunny-side, but it provides insight of how new fancy arena's benefit the Cities they're placed in, not just the owner(s) of the building. I agree that it's an absurd concept that we as taxpayers in Edmonton paid to subsidize Katz's place, but there is no question that it has brought a variety of benefits, economically and otherwise, and it's an essential piece to CoE's plan of revitalizing downtown.

Calgary needs to think long and hard about the decision about a new arena that is subsidized by taxpayers. Edmonton can be seen as doing everything correctly in terms of at least having an overall plan in place in terms of creating the ice district, and developing it along with new downtown highrise condo developments, new museum/other city facilities, and propping up the idea of urban infill rather than further expansion into surrounding area suburbs.

now i try to avoid downtown for gathering,shopping and dining, due to the traffic and parking cause by the arena .Double edge sword good for some, bad for others.

It will have Zero affect on kids, they will cheer for whatever team they want (whether it is their hometown or not). They will play the sport they want to play.

FTR, I want a new sports complex, as I realize the additional benefits of the arena (and sports team). But, it needs to be a regular destination for everyone (not just during events). As in, get some restaurants (family friendly), some cheap entertainment (like buskers/street performers/etc), make it a fun place to visit, as well as hosting the event.

Read up on Auston Matthews. If you haven't heard of him, last year's No. 1 pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Grew up in Arizona. ONLY played hockey because of the Arizona team, and specifically, looking up to his idol, Shane Doan. If not for the hockey team, he would have played baseball.

Now that's an American example. In Canada, it's different for sure, as we have more exposure. I can tell you growing up in Saskatchewan, it would have been nice to cheer for a hometown team. To say it has zero effect would be grossly inaccurate.

King's proposal was for more than just an area, similiar to what Edmonton has done. It would have had far reaching implications beyond housing just the Flames.