What happens when the Calgary Flames leave the Saddledome

Imagining what might happen to theSaddledomewhen the Calgary Flames are no longer the primary tenant is the basis of a new report.

The document, titled CalgarySaddledomePotential Future Uses Study, wasobtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation(CTF) through a Freedom of Information request.

City council is expected to review the report in the new year.

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Commissioned by the CalgarySaddledomeFoundation which was formed in the1980sto operate the facility the report lists four main possibilities for what happens after the Flames leave:

• Continue operating the 'Dome without a major tenant.
• Repurposeit into a recreation centre, convention centre, multi-use facility or Olympic venue.
• Decommissionit.
• Demolishit.

Transforming theSaddledomeinto a recreation centre could turn a profit, while the other options are anticipated to be money losers for the city, to the tune of roughly $1 million or more per year.

The city and Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation which owns the Calgary Flames, Stampeders,Hitmenand Roughnecks have been at odds over the construction of a newarena for several months.

CSECpresident Ken King said in September they will no longer be pursuing a deal for a new arena, citing a lack of progress.

The two sides last met in July and King described the negotiating process thus faras"spectacularly unproductive."

Mayor Naheed Nenshi has said the cityremainsopen to continuing talks.

The team had earlier proposed what it calledCalgaryNEXT, an $890 million stadium, fieldhouse and convention centre in the downtown west end, which would be funded through a mix of public and private dollars.

Those plans were later abandoned and the two sides began discussing what the cityreferred to as Plan Bin the community of Victoria Park, west of Fifth Street between 12th and 14th avenues S.E.

The report notes that 17 other cities four in Canada and 13 in the United States have replacedNHLfacilities with new buildings. Of those, 11 cities demolished the old arenas and six kept them, but three were later torn down.

Only in Montreal, Toronto and Los Angeles do the old rinksremain as repurposed spaces.

Completed in 1983, the Saddledomewas built for the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Continue operating without amajor tenant

The report notes just one positive aspect of continuing to operate with an anchor tenant that it will remain open for use.

The biggest drawback would be the cost to the city, which the report estimates to bebetween$1 million and $1.4 million per year. As well, it notes the team will likely have moved to a similar, 20,000-seat venue in the same market, which would be "a significant source of competition."

Repurpose

There are four options listed for repurposing theSaddledome turning it into a recreation centre, turning it into a convention centre, turning it into a 6,000-seat multi-use facility, or using it for the 2026 Olympics.

Costs and timelines for thoseoption break down as follows:

Recreation centre with six ice arenas or three ice arenas and three soccer pitches:

• Cost to repurpose: $138 million to $165 million.
• Design timeline: 12 months.
• Construction timeline: 40 to 44 months.
• Operating cost: City would profit $1.7 million to $2.3 million per year.

Convention centre:

• Cost to repurpose: $130 to $156 million.
• Design timeline: 12 months.
• Construction timeline: 40 to 44 months.
• Operating cost: City would lose $1.5 million to $2 million a year.

A 6,000 seat multi-use area:

• Cost to repurpose: $44 million to $53 million.
• Design timeline: 12 months.
• Construction timeline: 22 to 26 months.
• Operating costs: City would lose $900,000 to $1.2 million per year.

2026 Olympic venue:

• Cost to repurpose: $28 million to $34 million.
• Design timeline: 12 months.
• Construction timeline: 8 to 12 months.
• Operating cost: Would be a one-time event, then decision needed whether to repurpose or demolish.

Decommission

The third option is to decommission theSaddledomeand make it available for use during specific events, like the Stampede, or the 2026 Olympics.

The cost for that providing things like security and keeping the pipes from freezing is expected to be in the range of $600,000 to $800,000 per year.

The report also notes this option could work as a stopgap measure of sortsuntil a decision is made about repurposing the building.

Demolition

The costof demolishing theSaddledomeis estimated to run between $11 million and$13 million.

One drawbackto tearing the 'Dome down, the report notes, will be "the emotional loss of a revered building and prominent icon in Calgary's skyline."

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