Calgary Mayor says Flames intend to pull plug on Event Centre project
BNN Bloomberg
Mayor Jyoti Gondek says it appears the Calgary Flames intend to pull out of the multi-million dollar Event Centre arena complex project.
CALGARY -- Mayor Jyoti Gondek says it appears the Calgary Flames intend to pull out of the multi-million dollar Event Centre arena complex project.
The mayor said in a series of tweets that Murray Edwards, chairman of Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, informed her Tuesday that the Flames intended to ``pull the plug on the deal.''
``We have come to the conclusion where the Event Centre deal is not moving forward,'' Gondek said at a news conference.
``There was additional funding that had to be taken on by Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation. It appears that they are unable to make that financial commitment, following the approval of their development permit, so it would appear that they are ending the deal.''
Tuesday's news comes after several stop-and-start years around the project. The city and the Calgary Flames originally agreed to terms in 2019 on the Event Centre that would replace the Scotiabank Saddledome, the Flames' home since 1983.
The original estimate of $550 million to build the 19,000-seat arena was to be split between the city and the corporation, which owns the Flames, the Western Hockey League's Hitmen, Canadian Football League's Stampeders and National Lacrosse League's Roughnecks.
