It is an early concept, but new Calgary Flames arena renderings provide a vision of a potential project that includes the venue and surrounding amenities.
The Flames had been looking to replace the aging Scotiabank Saddledome with a new arena, but that process stalled last fall, when negotiations between the team and Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi ceased. There were considerable disagreements between the two sides over the economics of a new arena, prompting the discussions to come to a halt.
However, Calgary’s event centre assessment committee, which was approved in May, has been looking to reinvigorate discussions. During a committee meeting on Friday, officials unveiled conceptual renderings produced by ROSSETTI that provide a preliminary look at a potential new arena. While there is still plenty of work to be done on the potential arena if it is to come to fruition, the renderings could provide a starting point for the vision of a new arena and surrounding development in Victoria Park. More from CTV News Calgary:
Ward 6 councillor Jeff Davison, a member of the event centre assessment committee, says they will now forward the visual on to council for their take on the idea.
“Is this the parameters that we want to look at and is council happy with this and if so, council will then direct a committee and start working with a partner in terms of where we go from here.”
The concept, produced by Detroit-based architectural firm Rosetti, isn’t much more than a drawing right now, but the hope is that this development could spur talks forward with the Calgary Flames.
“The big thing is they were always looking for was, show us the vision, what do we need to get on board with here? What does the city need from their perspective to make this work?” Davison says.
Before those discussions ceased last fall, the Flames and the city were considering a plan for a new arena in Victoria Park at a site near the Saddledome. Originally opening in 1983, the Saddledome is currently the second-oldest arena in the NHL, with only Madison Square Garden–which has received significant renovations over the years–predating it among active venues.
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