Council agrees to 'start fresh' on new arena deal, explore interest from partners
A deal to partner with the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) to build a new arena may have died when the calendar flipped to 2022, but city council has pledged to "start fresh" and gauge the interest of the Flames' ownership group about whether to forge ahead.
Late Wednesday night, councillors unanimously voted in favour of bringing in a third party to find out whether a new deal to build an arena can be established with CSEC. If not, the city will explore whether other parties are interested in partnering to build a new event centre.
"What we have before us now is the opportunity to work in this new environment with partners and actually strike a deal that is respectful of the fact that the economic conditions are completely different globally, including in Calgary," Mayor Jyoti Gondek told journalists Thursday.
"It's a new opportunity that unshackles us from the old arrangement," she said.
An agreement to build a new event centre was officially signed in December 2019 between the city and CSEC, with each party deciding to share the $550 million cost for the project. But the deal changed and costs eventually ballooned to around $634 million before the deal expired on December 31, 2021.
Councillors spent nearly seven hours behind closed doors Wednesday, hearing from administration about why the previous deal failed and determining the next steps. The work to find a third party to act as an intermediary will begin right away and a report is due back to council on March 8.
"We can start fresh without any kind of -- I hate to use the word -- 'baggage,' but that's really what we need to do here," said Ward 1 councillor Sonya Sharp.
The council motion states that if CSEC isn't interested in re-starting discussions to build a new arena, the city would explore whether any other parties are open to partnering to construct an event centre.
"Other cities have managed it differently. They've also got partners that are responsible for entertainment, outside of sports. So anything is possible at this point," Gondek said.
The mayor said the city could be open to a tenancy agreement for a new event centre in which a private company would step in to build and manage a new arena for the Flames. Such agreements exist in many U.S. sports markets, including T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, owned by AEG, and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, owned by Oak View Group.
CSEC has not yet responded to a request for comment on the new developments.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.