Calgary Flames all set to get new digs

Article posted by Coliseum, June 30^th, 2020

Image: The Canadian Press

The construction of the new Calgary Flames arena at Alberta in Canada is expected to begin in August 2021, giving the project an opening timeline of the 2024-25 seasons. The Calgary Event Centre is a planned arena complex to be built in Calgary. It will replace the Scotiabank Saddledome, home of the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Details of the development were announced, including a start date, the opening date and the design and construction teams for the NHL project. The price tag of the 19,000-capacity facility is expected to be C$550 million ($401.5 million US.).

The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based at Calgary in Canada. They compete in the NHL as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The National Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league in North America, currently comprising 31 teams: 24 in the United States and seven in Canada.

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With this, Calgary Flames kicking off the 2024-2025 season in their new Victoria Park accommodation seems strong.

The design of the development will be led by Dialog of Calgary and HOK of Kansas City, Missouri (US). These two design practices also joined hands on the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The local construction firm CANA Construction will team up with Mortenson Construction to build the arena, as per information released by the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC).

“The Event Centre will be a year-round entertainment facility that will serve as an extraordinary civic amenity for Calgarians and visitors to enjoy for generations to come,” observed Kate Thompson, President and CEO, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation.

“First and foremost, we were looking for a team to work alongside us for the next five years, we’re confident in our selection of DIALOG + HOK and CANA + Mortenson based on their collective experience, capabilities and understanding to deliver a venue that demonstrates Calgary’s pride and spirit,” she added.

“As we move forward with the development of this facility, we are confident this project team brings the experience, leadership and ambition to realize the full potential of what the Event Centre provides Calgary,” remarked John Bean, President and CEO, Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation.

“With their experience of large-scale sport and entertainment facilities, we know that Calgary’s new Event Centre will be a source of civic pride for many years to come,” he added.

The Flames have played at the Saddledome since 1983. It is the second-oldest arena in the NHL. Madison Square Garden, residence of the American professional ice hockey team New York Rangers, opened in 1968, but a $1-billion repurposing work was completed in 2013.

The city of Calgary and the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) agreed last year to go Dutch on the cost of the $550-million project, which is scheduled for completion in May 2024.

The building will sit on the eastern side of downtown Calgary, just north of the Scotiabank Saddledome, where the Flames have played since 1983. The Saddledome will be torn down once the team moves into the new Event Centre.

The venue will also serve as the home for the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen and National Lacrosse League’s Calgary Roughnecks, both of which are owned by CSEC.

The Event Centre and surrounding festival street will be a year-round, permanent gathering place for all Calgarians to enjoy affordable programing and activities like concerts, assemblies, festivals and amateur and professional sporting events. The Event Centre will be a cornerstone in the City’s Culture and Entertainment District.

Advantage Calgarians

The Calgary mentions in their website that the new Event Centre is a “strategic investment in our city’s future, a partnership with long-term public benefit.” These benefits include:

Attracting and retaining young talent in a re-energized, entrepreneurial and socially vibrant city;
Calgary being included in tours by world-leading performing artistes, major events and festivals;
Solidifying Calgary’s place as a major destination for visitors from around the world;
Creating another exciting place for Calgarians to gather, strengthen relationships and celebrate;
The Event Centre being a catalyst for attracting private sector investment to the district and the development of under-used lands.
Community sports organizations receiving a contribution from The Flames Foundation of $1.5 million (escalating at 2 per cent for inflation) each year over the lease term;
The City receiving some access to the Event Centre for non-commercial events. If a secondary arena is constructed, community organizations would have access to it; and
Revenues and benefits are defined in the signed agreements. This includes tax revenue that will be generated from the street-facing retail portion of the Event Centre and other developments in the Rivers District.

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