Calgary Flames say stand-alone fieldhouse would cost city $260M

The owners of the Calgary Flamesare estimating the costs of a stand-alone fieldhouse will be substantially higher than the city has projected.

The Flames organization wants to build anarena and stadium complex dubbed CalgaryNext,which wouldfeature a fieldhouse, west of downtown.

However, the city is also consideringa new arena near the Saddledome, renovating McMahon Stadium and building afieldhouse at Foothills Athletic Park.

A fieldhouse primarily for amateur sports is the top item on the city's unfunded capital projects list.It estimated a couple of years ago the facility could cost $202 million.

$260M estimate

The Flames owners estimate if it's not part of CalgaryNext,the stand-alone costs of a fieldhouse could hit $260 million.

"I have no doubt in my mind that Calgary can financially cover the costs of a standalone fieldhouse," said Murray Sigler with Sport Calgary, a non-profit primarily funded by the city.

"Ihave no doubt that the largest measure of those will be from the user fees and they'll be reasonable user fees. The capital costs will drive what those are."

Sigler said he wants to see an updated budget for a stand-alone fieldhouse, acknowledging costs could have changed since the $202 million estimate.

City council will discuss a report on the CalgaryNext project early in 2017 as well as what it calls Plan Boptions for a new arena and other sports facilities.

• MORE ALBERTA NEWS |'It's tricky': Why there's no magic number for an effective carbon tax
• MORE ALBERTA NEWS |Deer saved from icy Alberta river in rescue caught on video