Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said that the province has “not been asked to open its checkbook for a new Calgary arena project,” but suggested that there “may be other ways it can help get the ball rolling on the stalled civic venture,” according to Chris Varcoe of the CALGARY HERALD. A model could include "finding ways to entice more development around a proposed event centre.” Smith “pointed at a model used in Edmonton" as "one possible way to propel a Calgary event centre forward.” Smith: "One of the things that [Alberta Legislative Assembly Member Ric McIver] told us that (the consultants) have said is that you don’t need to pay for an arena out of taxpayer money if there’s enough investment dollars that go around the development of the arena ... and that was the Edmonton model." Smith added that "may be the missing piece in the approach in Calgary," as it "could be that the area of development is just a little bit too small and doesn’t allow for all of those auxiliary type of parcels to be put together." Varcoe wrote 2023 could prove to be a "pivotal period for defibrillating hopes of a new arena in Calgary after years of debate.” The broader issue of ancillary developments around a new event center “may hint at a potential solution, although there are no details on the talks or how that issue might unfold.” Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek yesterday said that it is “too early to determine what role the province could play in the project or to discuss details of possible deal structures,” although she “remains optimistic” (CALGARY HERALD, 1/3).
Scotiabank Saddledome is Calgary's multi-use indoor arena built in 1983Getty Images
