Final agreements for Calgary event centre released, construction pegged to start this year

The big details that will choreograph construction and operation of Calgary's event centre block were released Thursday, setting the stage for the city's stated plan of breaking ground on the project this year.

The final agreements were signed last October between the City of Calgary, the Government of Alberta, the Calgary Stampede and the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC), which owns the NHL's Calgary Flames — but weren't made public until today.

The details are laid out in 16 specific agreements spanning nearly 800 pages, some of which are heavily redacted to "protect sensitive and proprietary information about the project's partners."

The event centre block will feature an 18,000-seat arena, which will replace the Scotiabank Saddledome, as well as a new community rink. 

"Calgarians who review these agreements will see a lot of familiar information," said Michael Thompson, the city's general manager of infrastructure services, in a release. "Much of the information contained in these agreements was released in October 2023 with the announcement of final agreements."

Other documents range from tax agreements to event management and road usage agreements. In a statement, Stuart Dalgleish, chief operating officer and steering committee member for the event centre, said 2024 will be a big year for the project.

"Along with the event centre, these are critical investments that, together, lay the foundation necessary as we progress towards a city of two million people," he said, citing other projects in progress in downtown Calgary, such as the expanded BMO Convention Centre and the renovated Victoria Park/Stampede LRT Station.

WATCH | Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek explains the project after deal announced: 

According to the city, permits and a design will be done sometime between the spring and summer of this year. Construction is targeted to take place between summer and fall.

In January, the city began enabling works and preparation activities to prepare the site for construction. That involved relocating Fifth Street S.E. between 14th Avenue and 12th Avenue approximately half a block to the east to make space for the event centre block, which will cover four hectares (10 acres).

In April 2023, an agreement in principle was reached that would see the city and CSEC fund a new event centre. The provincial government will contribute $330 million toward infrastructure in a new entertainment district and the cost of a new community rink attached to the event centre. 

Coun. Sonya Sharp, who is also chair of the event centre committee, wrote in a statement that she was glad to see the agreements released publicly.

"I think it's really valuable that everyone has the chance to understand the details of this project. Work is well underway, and Calgarians should expect to see enabling construction activity begin in the coming months. The next major milestone the public will see is obtaining permits," said the Ward 1 councillor.

"2024 is going to be a big year for this project and for the area. I will be excited to see more details on the design, and I know many Calgarians will be, too."