Entertainment District + Event Centre Update
Last week, city council met publicly to discuss the details and timeline of the event centre negotiations and gain a clearer understanding of where and why the agreement was terminated. The meeting was an important step in beginning to move forward – council and the public were able to ask questions in a transparent way and begin to put in place some tangible next steps to restart the process in a fresh light.
We understand this is a multifaceted issue, with people feeling strongly both for and against the project.
Councillor Carra supported the event centre deal because he viewed such a facility as a necessary set-piece in the success of the entertainment district and in Calgary’s best future. A new event centre allows Calgary to maintain its leadership position in arts and culture among other major Canadian cities.
But perhaps most importantly, the event centre was a key part of a political agreement that secured the delivery of three other significant projects—the BMO Centre Expansion, the Arts Commons Revitalization Project, and the city’s portion of the Foothills Fieldhouse. These facilities are vital pieces of infrastructure for Calgarians and help us further champion a vibrant arts, culture, and recreation scene in our city.
It is also important to acknowledge the Glenbow Reimagined project, Fort Calgary’s renovation and expansion, and the Indigenous Gathering Place as additional elements that, while not part of the original four project political deal, are now also moving forward on account of our support for the entertainment district.
So, what’s next?
City council voted unanimously to pass a motion reaffirming our strategic vision to revitalize our cultural and entertainment district, inclusive of a new event centre.
The Event Centre Assessment Committee has been reestablished to help guide the process towards a new deal.
The city will engage a third party to determine:
if CSEC would be interested in re-entering discussions around a new deal.
if there are other parties interested in partnering with the City of Calgary to construct an event centre.
Revitalizing the entertainment district, anchored by a new event space is still the end goal for city council. This pause in progress is not the outcome we anticipated, but it does allow us the opportunity to sit down and understand how new operating models, projects, and partnerships could potentially work in everyone's best interest. At the end of the day, we must create a deal that is fair and equitable for all parties involved but especially Calgarians, understanding that how we move forward needs to reflect our future and not our past.
We will hear more from the Event Centre Assessment Committee as well as details on third-party findings at the Combined Meeting of Council on March 8, 2022. This session is open to the public and can be viewed live on the City of Calgary website HERE
You can view the Event Centre Timeline Presentation HERE
You can watch the recording of the Combined Meeting of Council Meeting HERE (the event centre discussion begins at 12:58:39)