Calgary residents today will get a "first glimpse at the 'Plan B' officials have been considering" as an "alternative to the hypothetical CalgaryNEXT project that's faced hurdles since renderings and details were made public" in August '15. A new report to go before the Calgary City Council today outlines a substitute plan calling for a Flames arena in Victoria Park, on land "currently occupied by parking lots and roadways." Calgary Sports & Entertainment, city administration and the city’s land developer "have met more than 25 times to discuss" the substitute plan in recent months (CALGARY HERALD, 4/22).
Meanwhile, a citywide poll looks to answer the question, "Under what circumstances, if any, should public dollars go into a new arena?" The poll, "paid out of the existing budgets of individual city councillors," will ask if the city "should give out money for a new arena with no strings, lend cash or get a share of the profits in a new arena." The survey "will begin within days throughout Calgary with final results next month" (CALGARY SUN, 4/22).
