‘Great conversations’ about new Calgary event centre deal

Calgary’s Event Centre Committee met with the third party they assigned to move talks along with Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) on Wednesday.

Updates for the event centre remain under wraps, but the chair of the committee and Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp says there are “great conversations” happening behind closed doors.

“We had a fulsome update from administration and the third party today, which was really great,” Sharp said. “It’s been a long summer and a lot of work went into preparing for today’s meeting.”

She says details on a possible timeline can’t be shared with the public yet, but members of the administration are working as hard, and as fast, as they can.

“In city-speak, this has been light speed in some of the work that they’ve been doing. I say that honestly, and I’m actually quite proud of the project team around this and the committee, but there is no date set in stone,” Sharp explained.

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The previous deal between the city and CSEC fell apart in Dec. 2021, but hope for a new deal was reignited in late May after the city appointed a third party group made up of three executives from the real estate industry to negotiate with CSEC.

Sharp says that as soon as they know more, they will provide an update.

“The most important thing was getting really back to having the conversation of building a relationship. And so as soon as we’re able to say more, we will,” Sharp said.

Saddledome showing signs of deterioration

Calgary’s Saddledome is nearing 40 years of age, and concerns arose around a deteriorating roof following the closed-door meeting with the Event Centre Committee.

Michael Thompson, the general manager of infrastructure services with the city, says despite the signs of aging, the building is safe.

“We annually and regularly do inspections of our buildings. The recent reports we’ve received from this show that it’s structurally sound and safe for public use,” said Thompson.

“Concrete weathers as it starts to get old. We see that on many of our buildings, structures like bridges, that concrete starts to weather as it gets older. And so, we’re seeing that on the side.”

He said the building will “undergo the similar types of repairs that we would ask for any other building or structure within the city.”

In terms of who would pay, Thompson says they’d have to review the agreement they have with the Saddledome foundation.