Brewin Flames Posted July 24 Share Posted July 24 Shovels in the ground as work begins on new $800M arena for Flames Calgary Flames - The Canadian Press The Canadian Press Published Jul 22, 2024 at 05:59 PM ET UpdatedJul 22, 2024 at 05:58 PM ET Share More options CALGARY — Construction has begun on the new $800-million arena for the NHL's Calgary Flames. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek joined others Monday picking up a chrome shovel to symbolically turn the sod to launch the multi-year process to replace one of the NHL's oldest arenas. The new building – to be named Scotia Place -- is being built in the shadow of the Saddledome and its iconic saddle-shaped concave roof. "Today is a big day for Calgary. After a decade of talking, Calgary is breaking ground on a new events centre...a project that promises to become a cornerstone of our sports and entertainment district," said city councillor Sonya Sharp, the chair of the committee overseeing the project. "This is a place where dreams will be realized, where champions will be made and our community will come together to celebrate, to be entertained and to enjoy." The arena is part of a new $1.2-billion event centre and entertainment district near the city’s downtown. The project plan includes plazas and gathering places, bars, restaurants and retail shops, with the main event centre hosting the NHL team along with other sports, concerts and events. The facility, with a seating capacity of 18,400, is expected to be completed in 2027. At that time the Saddledome will face the wrecking ball. In addition to the sod ceremony, new images of the arena were released. Bill Johnson, with the design firm HOK, said there was a lot of consultation with Indigenous groups. "I think the best buildings tell stories and narratives. It was important for us to come up with a story that resonated with this place," Johnson said. A striking feature of the building is the central structure with a textured flame motif that emulates a home fire, which is accentuated when it is lit at night. "We came up with a fairly direct idea that this is a meeting place and this was the birthplace of this community and people gathered around the fire, and what better building type than a building that was designed to bring people together." The design is intended to bring together Indigenous cultural perspectives reflecting the four elements of nature -- fire, ice, land and air. The Saddledome has been home to the Calgary Flames since it was built in 1983. The Alberta government is committing a maximum $330 million for area infrastructure, to demolish the Saddledome and to cover off half of a new 1,000-seat community rink. "Today is all about new beginnings. We're marking the start of the construction of the new arena and events districts and unveiling a vision of a renewed and revitalized downtown," Smith said. The City of Calgary will put in $537 million and Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp., which owns the Flames, will pay $40 million now and then $17 million a year over the course of a 35-year lease, with payments growing by one per cent a year. The Calgary Stampede, which runs the city’s signature summer festival and rodeo, will transfer land. Only Madison Square Garden, home of the New York Rangers, is technically older among NHL arenas than the Saddledome. But even that comes with an asterisk as the Rangers’ Manhattan home underwent a massive renovation and modernization a decade ago. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2024. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewin Flames Posted July 24 Author Share Posted July 24 (edited) I've seen the pictures of the proposed interior/exterior designs and it looks amazing. Edited July 24 by Brewin Flames 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Math Posted July 24 Share Posted July 24 Yeap, about time... I will regret the fantastic views that the old Saddledome offers with the cameras very close to the ice but it's a necessary need for the franchise. Meanwhile, in Ottawa... [cough cough] 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J0e Th0rnton Posted July 24 Share Posted July 24 1 hour ago, Brewin Flames said: I've seen the pictures of the proposed interior/exterior designs and it looks amazing. I've only had to do one rodeo show arena flip in the last 6 years. It was the messiest most annoying thing ever lol I'm sure the staff will be happy to not have to do those flips anymore LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegx.ca Posted July 24 Share Posted July 24 https://i.cbc.ca/1.7271581.1721679465!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/new-scotia-place-arena.jpg https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/arena-calgary-flames-design-green-line-analysis-1.7272975 Only $800M now...? I seen articles saying it might be closer to $1B by time it finally built...meh well $200M give or take is pocket change for multibillion dollar industries like spor...whoops I mean industries like tax collecting Here's what the $630M one would've looked like so yeah the $800M to $1B version better be looking way better... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Math Posted July 24 Share Posted July 24 That's strange, I don't see any Huberdeau jersey in the pic... Well, if you want to move faster at a more reasonable cost, we could've sent you our useless but still NHL-ready $400M Centre Vidéotron. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegx.ca Posted July 24 Share Posted July 24 1 hour ago, Math said: That's strange, I don't see any Huberdeau jersey in the pic... Well, if you want to move faster at a more reasonable cost, we could've sent you our useless but still NHL-ready $400M Centre Vidéotron. Wow...$400M just for screens? I'm pretty sure The Sphere only cost either half billion or maybe it was one billion...either way the Sphere is what the future gonna be for arenas now but instead of the stage in one direction it'll stage in middle...if only Shakesphere could experience a stage like that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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