Menu
Facilities

Calgary Hosting '26 Games Would Require Two Arenas, Possibly Helping Flames' Venue Pursuit

The leader of Calgary's committee exploring a bid for the '26 Winter Games this week said that two arenas would be required to host the event, leading Flames President Ken King to say he is encouraged it is "just another reason people will get behind" building a new venue for the NHL team, according to Rick Bell of the CALGARY SUN. King said Bid Exploration Committee Chair Rick Hanson's comment "could be considered to be a benefit to the process, but not essential." In fact, King "insists he doesn't want a new arena tied to an Olympic bid." Hanson said, "We were asked to look at what's required for Calgary to host the Olympics. To successfully bid we need two full-size arenas." Bell notes one is the Scotiabank Saddledome, while another is a "proposed arena, north of the Saddledome" in Victoria Park, the "so-called Plan B." The Dome and the proposed new arena "would be close to each other and close to the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies at Stampede Park." Hanson said a new arena "could fit in nicely" and "potentially contribute to make it more feasible for us to put in a bid and host the Olympics" (CALGARY SUN, 5/3).

KEEPING COSTS DOWN: The Bid Exploration Committee said that "'clustering' venues together could cut down on costs." In Calgary, Annalise Klingbeil noted the group is "still examining" how much a potential '26 Games "would cost and determining whether the city should bid." Hanson: "This [C$3.2B] is a benchmark we're looking at. We don't want to put a number down on the table today because we're still drilling down." Hanson "acknowledged the group is paying attention to the arena debate that was reignited at city hall last week when council voted to continue exploring an arena replacement in Victoria Park, while keeping" the Flames' C$890M CalgaryNEXT proposal "on the table." Hanson: "All we can identify is the fact we're going to need two arenas. How that plays out, we'll find out down the road like everybody else" (CALGARY HERALD, 5/2).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2017/05/03/Facilities/Calgary-Arena.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2017/05/03/Facilities/Calgary-Arena.aspx

CLOSE