Calgary event centre talks get back underway at city hall
Posted Apr 4, 2022 11:25 am.
After the deal was shuttered at the start of the year, talks are beginning yet again about a new event centre in Calgary.
Last month, a new committee was appointed with hopes of moving ahead on a new deal.
Related article: Calgary city council appoints new committee tasked with taking next steps on event centre
A third party is also being welcomed into the fold to facilitate negotiations between the City of Calgary and the ownership group of the Calgary Flames, as the relationship between the two became particularly contentious.
This third party has not yet been named publicly.
Councillors Sonya Sharp, Courtney Walcott and Dan McLean were announced as the new members of the refurbished event centre committee, and they will sit alongside Brad Parry from Calgary Economic Development and Deborah Yedlin from the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.
Walcott said this is an opportunity to make sure they get the best deal possible.
“I think for a long time, the Stampede grounds, the festivals grounds have always seen an event space, but we are in the midst of the Rivers District master plan of turning this all into both an event space and a community space. Knowing where this district is supposed to be in 20 years means that we have to start planning that way today,” he said.
Walcott said he is also hopeful there is a greater chance to find common ground, and there is an upside that a previous deal had already been reached so at least they aren’t totally starting from scratch.
Committee members met behind closed doors on Monday morning to go over some specifics of the plan and how to move ahead, but no information could be provided to the public and all the matters stayed confidential for now.
