Final agreements for Calgary event centre released, construction pegged to start this year
CBC
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."
When Stephanie Gamble watched her mother model the first dress she made, smiling wide and walking an imaginary runway, she knew that was what she wanted to keep doing in her life.
'Tis the season for cuddling on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and watching holiday movies. And for people in B.C.'s Interior, that can increasingly mean seeing their home communities on display.
Every year, snowy owls spread their wings and migrate down to the Prairies, where they enjoy access to plenty of rodent prey in vast open spaces.
This month has been a busy stretch at the Upper Room Food Bank in Charlottetown.
N.W.T. Education Minister Caitlin Cleveland says she has received the final report from an independent investigation into education bodies in the Dehcho region.
P.E.I.’s auditor general says he’s concerned and disappointed that the projected deficit has doubled what government initially estimated it would be — and he's urging the province to balance its budget.
A man found not criminally responsible for stabbing five people to death at a Calgary house party is getting more freedoms but not an absolute discharge.
A man has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a Toronto mother outside a supervised consumption site in Leslieville.
Russian olive trees — sometimes known as silver berry or oleaster — are small, ornamental plants with silvery leaves and black bark, and small yellow flowers and silver fruit that look like miniature olives. They’re pretty, but they’re a problem.
The Yukon Legislative Assembly’s fall sitting ended on Thursday after the territorial government introduced and passed a supplementary budget.
A Canadian military counter-intelligence operative, who stands accused of passing sensitive information to Ukraine, was involved in an investigation into allegations that a leading Canadian defence journalist was a longtime Russian asset.
An Alberta panel aimed at finding ways the province can strengthen its autonomy has offered up seven recommendations, including options for referendum topics.
People won't be able to travel along B.C.'s Highway 3 without significant delays and detours over the holiday season, says the Ministry of Transportation.