Calgary Officials Mulling New City-Owned Facility For Flames

Calgary officials said that a proposal for a new Flames facility is "in the works and could soon be presented" to the team's owners, according to Meghan Potkins of the CALGARY HERALD. The city would "likely retain ownership of the building in the event a deal is reached" with Calgary Sports & Entertainment. Calgary City Councillor Jeff Davison said that "formal negotiations have yet to begin but he’s confident that the committee will soon be able to bring forward the 'right type of proposal.'" The city of Calgary currently owns the Saddledome, which the Flames manage through an agreement with the Saddledome Foundation. Rogers Place is also owned by the city of Edmonton, while other arenas in Canada, including ones in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, are privately owned and were "primarily privately funded." It is "not yet known what the details of Calgary’s arrangement with the Flames could be, or whether the Flames would rent or lease the building" (CALGARY HERALD, 4/25).