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The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Calgary Flames will move into a new arena after the team agreed a deal with both the Calgary city and Alberta provincial governments.
Confirmed:
- New arena to be built in the city’s Rivers District in the east end of downtown Calgary
- A new community rink, enclosed plaza, transit improvements and parking will also be part of overall infrastructure project
- Overall project to cost CAN$1.2 billion (US$880 million), with the arena alone to cost CAN$800 million (US$586.6 million)
- Team owners to contribute CAN$356 million (US$261 million) for the overall project
- Calgary city government to provide CAN$537.3 million (US$394.1 million), while the Alberta province has pledged CAN$330 million (US$242.1 million) for infrastructure enhancements and CAN$30 million (US$22 million) for the community rink costs
Context:
The Scotiabank Saddledome opened in 1983 and is the second-oldest arena in the NHL. The city of Calgary and the Flames previously reached a deal for a new arena in 2019, but the plan was later scrapped due to concerns over the rising cost of the project.
Comment:
“We can’t wait to drop the puck in a new, state-of-the-art arena and look forward to what this development will do for all Calgarians,” said Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner.
Coming next:
Preliminary designs will now need to be drawn up for the Flames’ new arena. There is no firm timeline for construction as of yet.
