'No negotiations' with CSEC as event centre committee meets ahead of summer break

Calgary’s event centre committee met for several hours Monday morning and indicated there's reason for optimism on the potential for a future arena deal.
The majority of the meeting was held behind closed doors, with officials saying discussions are still ongoing toward bringing Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) — the company that owns the Calgary Flames among other local sports teams —to the table on a new arena deal.
"As we go through these next couple months, we are hoping for an even bigger update for September with more information to be able to speak about," said Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp, who chairs the committee.
A third party has been tasked with gauging whether CSEC is interested in doing another deal with the city to replace the Scotiabank Saddledome.
CBRE executive vice president John Fisher, NAIOP Calgary director of strategic initiatives Guy Huntingford and Ayrshire Group executive chairman Phil Swift will lead those discussions with the Calgary Flames ownership group.
Sharp says she's optimistic as administration has been tasked with moving this process along quickly.
"Time and speed will be my priority, and they knew I would be pressuring them to move quicker than usual, and they have," she said.
The committee and administration say there are no concrete details to be released in relation to any sort of plans for a new event centre, but discussions continue.
"The work is progressing well, we have a lot to do over the course of the summer months," said Stuart Dalgleish, general manager of planning and development with the City of Calgary.
The committee came to fruition after the agreement to build an event centre officially fell apart at the start of this year when the city and CSEC couldn't agree on additional funding needed for the project around environmental concerns.
An agreement to build a new event centre was signed in December 2019, with the city and CSEC splitting the cost of the $550 million project. Costs increased to $634 million before the deal expired on New Year's Eve.
The committee will meet again in September.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Engaged couple shot dead fleeing landlord after house dispute near Hamilton, Ont., police say
A 'truly innocent' engaged couple was shot dead while attempting to flee their attacker outside their home after a landlord-tenant dispute escalated on Saturday night, according to police.

Jan. 6 rioters are raking in thousands in donations. Now the U.S. is coming after their haul
Less than two months after he pleaded guilty to storming the U.S. Capitol, Texas resident Daniel Goodwyn appeared on Tucker Carlson's then-Fox News show and promoted a website where supporters could donate money to Goodwyn and other rioters whom the site called 'political prisoners.'
Venice authorities investigate after canal turns fluorescent green
Venetian authorities are investigating after a patch of fluorescent green water appeared in the famed Grand Canal on Sunday morning.
Prediabetes: The younger you are, the higher the risk of dementia
People who develop prediabetes when they’re younger are likely to have a higher risk for dementia in later life, a new U.S. study has found.
Running through middle age can keep brain healthy and neurons wired: study
Exercising as you age can help maintain memory and fight cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Erdogan holds lead in unofficial count in Turkiye's presidential runoff
Preliminary, unofficial results from Turkish news agencies showed incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead with over 95 per cent of ballot boxes counted in a presidential runoff that will decide whether the country's longtime leader stretches his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade.
Russia launched 'largest drone attack' on Ukrainian capital before Kyiv Day; 1 killed
Ukraine's capital was subjected to the largest drone attack since the start of Russia's war, local officials said, as Kyiv prepared to mark the anniversary of its founding on Sunday. At least one person was killed.
Jewish groups and city officials protest against Roger Waters concert in Frankfurt
Several Jewish groups, politicians and an alliance of civil society groups gathered for a memorial ceremony and a protest rally against a concert by Roger Waters in Frankfurt on Sunday evening.
Attorney for 11-year-old Mississippi boy shot by police says there's 'no way' he could have been mistaken for an adult
An attorney for an 11-year-old Mississippi boy who was shot by a police officer after he called 911 for help said Thursday there was 'no way' the boy could have been mistaken for an adult.