#yegarena

“Mayor MVP, Katz first star in arena project”

2011-10-15T10:27:00.001-06:00

Edmonton Sun - Mayor MVP, Katz first star in arena project

From the Article

For a city that has consistently lacked the vision of Calgary, this $450-million arena and accompanying entertainment district is going to be a big step, combined with the new $350-million museum $88-million art gallery and $125 million in upgrades to Commowealth Stadium, to actually give Edmonton something to promote with that sponsorship money.

Also From the Article

“This is big step for the city of Edmonton. Not everyone supports what we do, but many people have the courage to build the city that I think in the past we might not have had.”

On every level, the Edmonton Arena District is a winner and as Jones points out, this is an example of some sorely needed vision in our city. Ten years from now, it will seem ridiculous that we spent so much time debating what will have clearly been a catalyst for positive change in downtown Edmonton.

“Staples: As both sides bend, there is no stopping downtown arena”

2011-10-15T10:21:00.001-06:00

Edmonton Journal - Staples: As both sides bend, there is no stopping downtown arena

From the Article

My own take is that this project will happen. The arguments pushing it forward, mainly the arena district’s benefit to our downtown and the good that comes from securing the Oilers here for 35 more years, are sound.

More than that, both the Katz Group and city council are investing ever increasing amounts of time and millions of dollars in this process.

There is no stopping it.

I agree with everything Staples had to say except for the last “no stopping it” line. The anti-development crowd will retrench and make a concerted effort to make sure their collective voice is heard so it’s up to us as supporters to make sure we keep pressure on our elected officials to move this thing forward.

Click here for contact info for city council as well as your MLA and the Premier.

More Support for the EAD

2011-10-15T02:31:00.001-06:00

There can never be too much support for the Edmonton Arena District. Visit these two new sites and give them some love.

Build the Arena

From the Build the Arena website:

A group of concerned business owners got together this week to discuss the incredible opportunity that exists in the capital region.

Our vision of the future of Edmonton and Northern Alberta includes an Iconic Arena District in the Capital City.

Heart of the Capital

From the Heart Of The Capital website:

This controversial issue has been surrounded with biased misinformation so we urge you to become more educated on the topic rather than believe rumours and politically motivated remarks.

All the Old Favourites

Edmonton Arena District
City of Edmonton
Connect 2 Edmonton
HF Boards (Latest on New YEG Arena)
Follow the debate on Twitter using the #yegarena hashtag

Not done yet.

2011-10-15T01:55:00.001-06:00

Edmonton Sun - Council makes concessions; arena deal in sight

Edmonton Journal - Stage set for downtown arena deal to get final OK

There are a lot of reasons to be excited by Friday’s announcement from City Hall. The downtown revitalization took another step forward thanks to compromise from both sides and now all that’s left is to break ground and drop the puck, right? If only it were that simple.

Contact the Premier and Your MLA

Thanks to your letters, emails, and phone calls, council took action, making a commitment to redevelopment and progress. But don’t put down that pen just yet; a critical component of this development is funding from the provincial government. That means more letters, emails, and phone calls.

Keep Telling City Council You Support the EAD

While it’s tempting to put our feet up and congratulate ourselves on a job well done, the truth is the anti-development crowd isn’t going to take their foot off the gas. They’ll keep voicing their opinion to anyone that will listen and the only way to counteract their commitment to the status quo is through emails and phone calls vocalizing your support for the EAD.

Who to Contact and How to Do It

By this point, the contact info for the city is probably burnt into your brain. Call 311 or send an email to councillors@edmonton.ca.

You can find the contact info for your MLA by clicking here: MLA Contact Information

And last but not least, you can contact our new Premier using any or all of this info:
Stay in Touch With Premier Redford

We Can See the Finish Line

The finish line is visible but we’re not there yet. Stay involved with the process. Give the EAD some love on Facebook and Twitter. Let your arena flag fly and let everyone know you support increased density, urban renewal, and downtown redevelopment!

“MacKinnon: Uncertainty over Edmonton arena casts shadow on Oilers”

2011-10-11T00:52:00.001-06:00

Edmonton Journal - MacKinnon: Uncertainty over Edmonton arena casts shadow on Oilers

It looks like the EAD discussion is finally coming to a head, although one could argue that we should have been at this point years ago.

From the Article

For starters, he might point out that, whatever theoretical solutions might be dreamed up, the pragmatic reality is in a market the size of Edmonton, an entrepreneur like Katz, who is willing to contribute what amounts to $225 million toward a new arena is a rarity, if not unique.

Bettman might reinforce the hard reality that a new arena is a precondition for the long-term future of the Oilers in Edmonton, pure and simple.

If the downtown arena deal blows up, the options for Katz would be several, including selling the team for a minimum of $200 million to local interests.

But any new owner is going to demand a new arena sooner than later. Would a new owner, or ownership consortium be forthcoming with the equivalent of $225 million for a new facility? Doubtful.

Also From the Article

The choice is between taxpayers footing the entire bill for a new arena, or the entire cost of renovating Rexall Place and the flawed-but-fair private-public partnership Katz and the City have been working on for three years.

I think that what Edmontonians are finally starting to realize is that we’re going to invest tax dollars in an arena. Now we need to decide whether we want to invest in a revitalized downtown and the long-term stability of our Oilers or if we want to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into what’s nearly a 40 year old structure that’s long past its prime.

Make It Happen

I know I sound like a broken record but the best way to move this project forward is to speak up and get involved. You don’t need to camp out in front of city hall or get an Oilers tattoo on your throat but you do need to say your piece.

Call 311 and let the city know you support the Edmonton Arena District. If you’re feeling verbose, send an email to councillors@edmonton.ca telling the mayor et al to get this thing built!

Worst case scenario

2011-10-03T22:22:00.000-06:00

One of the anti-arena crowd’s favourite party lines is that if Edmonton city council stands firm and refuses to invest public money in a new downtown arena, Daryl Katz will ultimately cave in and foot the full bill for the entire development.

Not gonna happen.

I’m not a mind reader or a fortune teller nor do I have a hotline to DK but I feel it’s safe to assume that Katz’s fallback position isn’t, “OK, after all this time, money and effort, I’ll just foot the entire bill.”

“what’s he gonna do? Move the team? LOL!”

He could but in my opinion, a more likely scenario is that Katz instead sells the Oilers and that new owner is the person that actually pulls the trigger on a move.

Regardless of who owns the team, if the owner’s mindset is that he absolutely will not, under any circumstance, incur the entire cost of developing a new Edmonton arena, there are any number of cities to where the Oilers could move. We don’t have the leverage we imagine we do and as we saw in 1998, this team could easily find another city to call home.

Ten Potential Homes for a Relocated NHL Franchise

Kansas City has a next-to-new arena built and waiting for an anchor tenant.
Houston has its Toyota Center, an almost-18,000 seat arena built in 2003. Houston wouldn’t be interested, would they? Nah, that would never happen...
Cleveland has a 20,000+ (!) seat arena that’s NHL ready.
Portland’s Rose Garden arena is an often discussed possibility for NHL expansion or relocation.
Saskatoon’s Credit Union Centre is too small, right? They couldn’t possibly be a contender, could they? Fun fact: Saskatoon’s arena has the same capacity as the MTS Centre, home to the recently relocated Winnipeg Jets.
Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum is marginally larger than Rexall and is 11 years newer.

Keep in mind that these are just the cities that have an existing NHL-ready arena and doesn’t include other oft-mentioned locations like (7) Seattle, (8) Las Vegas, (9) Quebec City, or (10) Toronto that would need to build a rink.

“Big deal. Edmonton’s a great hockey market! The NHL will give us another team.”

If we don’t rectify our current situation, we’re not getting another NHL franchise. If you were the proud owner of a homeless NHL team and needed someplace to put it, would you pick an existing arena off the above list, all easy-peasy with a minimum of fuss? Or would you’d let your team play in the too-old/too-small Northlands Coliseum and bang your head against the wall trying to find a compromise with small-minded Edmontonians? I doubt it would take this new owner long before he realized, “Hey, this must be why that drugstore guy gave up.”

Edmonton’s a Great Hockey Market

Our fandom and loyalty aren’t being called into question. This entire debate is about a vocal minority that refuses to understand that we barely have an NHL-calibre arena RIGHT NOW. Ignoring this reality for another five, 10, 15, or 25 years doesn’t change that fact and only compounds the problem. Dragging our feet drives the Oilers out of town and at the same time, allows the inevitable construction price tag to climb.

Speak Up and Let’s Get This Thing Built!

We spoke about it yesterday but the best way you can help move this project forward is to make a phone call to 311 or to send an email to Edmonton city council.

Councillors@edmonton.ca

You don’t need to write a dissertation; just send a few (polite) words to your elected official telling them you’re in favour of a downtown arena!

“Meet Halloween deadline”

2011-10-03T22:06:00.001-06:00

Edmonton Journal - Meet Halloween deadline

From the Article

The city can't risk putting off this important final decision any longer.

The Oilers' lease with Rexall Place is scheduled to expire in 2014, and by then a new arena must be built or else we will risk losing our beloved franchise to another market.

Also From the Article

If the decision is made to not approve Katz's arena, I fear that it will be tough for Edmonton to retain the younger generation that I am a part of, unless life is brought to the downtown core through means other than a new hockey arena and adjoining entertainment district.

As an urban planner in training, I believe that this is a chance that cannot be passed up.

A decision must be made by Halloween to approve this project, or else we risk losing the greatest hope to revitalizing the downtown core this city has seen in years.

The sentiment that Edmonton needs to do something to help retain its young, urban professionals is nothing new. What is new is the urgency with which the issue must be addressed.

Council has until October 31st to decide whether Edmonton will live up to its promise of becoming a vibrant and exciting urban centre or remain a small town of a million people

An arena-less Edmonton?

2011-10-03T00:30:00.001-06:00

What would Edmonton look like without an arena? Because if some kind of consensus can’t be reached on the downtown arena district, an arena-less Edmonton is a very real possibility.

From where I’m sitting, Edmonton has three options:

We could renovate Rexall Place with hundreds-of-millions of our tax dollars and allow Northlands to continue to reap the benefits that proximity to an arena brings;
We could share construction costs with a rich local benefactor and invest $200-$250M of our tax dollars on a new central entertainment district where the benefit from the development will revitalize our downtown core; or
We can do nothing. We can tell Daryl Katz to pound sand and inform Northlands that we’re not spending additional money on the building. We’ll simply use the current rink until the roof caves in and then, at that point, Edmonton will make do without an arena.

So What’s It Going To Be?

We all have a choice to make about what kind of city we want to live in. You need to contact the mayor and your city councillor and let them know you support a downtown arena.

311

Call 311 and tell the city that you want a downtown arena district that will revitalize the neighbourhood.

Email

One of the quickest, easiest ways to get involved is to send an email. Keep it short and sweet and remember to be respectful.

Councillors@edmonton.ca

The Edmonton Arena District Needs YOU!

It’s great that you’ve got an opinion but now’s the time to get involved. Take 60 seconds to write an email or call 311 to share your thoughts.

YVR vs YEG?

2011-09-13T16:18:00.001-06:00

Edmonton Journal - Katz reportedly living in Vancouver

From the Article

Has Oilers owner Daryl Katz quietly shifted his home base to Vancouver?

Wow. Really, Edmonton Journal? You’re going to make an issue out of Daryl Katz having a place in Vancouver? Surely any number of your readers must have a cabin at the lake or a cottage in the mountains. Or maybe they have a south-of-the-border retreat in Phoenix or Las Vegas or Florida so they can escape the snow and cold for a few months every winter. Does owning these properties make them something other than committed, hard working Edmontonians?

The Journal’s insinuation that Katz having more than one home somehow makes him less committed to Edmonton and its downtown is so ridiculous, it actually prompted me to sit down and write a letter to the editor. Here it is in its entirety.

* * *

What did Daryl Katz ever do to the city of Edmonton? Judging by the local papers, whatever it was must have been terrible.

He was born here, but then so were a lot of us, so we can’t be holding that against him.

He went to elementary school, junior high, high school, university and law school here. He started a business here and built it into one of Canada’s largest private companies with more than 15,000 employees. He is a huge Oilers fan. He has a house here with the same woman he has been married to for 17 years and their two children. Sure, he’s got a (very) big house, but to my knowledge that never actually hurt anyone. To the contrary, it probably paid a lot of paycheques to a lot of locals in the construction trades.

Back in 2003, he spared us all the embarrassment of having an NHL arena named after a long-bankrupt company no one had ever heard of when he bought the naming rights to Rexall Place.

In 2006, he spearheaded a $25 million gift to the University of Alberta, with $7.5 million coming from him personally and the rest by virtue of his leadership.

When the Cash is King Lottery was coming up short, he jumped in to help. When the Oilers ran their Tickets for Troops campaign, Katz put up a huge block of tickets so the men and women of the armed forces could take in a game. When Edmonton was about to lose the Indy, he signed a two-year deal to keep it here, thrilling race fans and generating $25 million for the local economy. Oh, and don’t forget about the $500,000 he put towards the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Word has it Katz is the one who stepped up a few years back with a $41,000 winning bid for dinner with Kevin Costner at the Donna Moore charity auction. That was the same summer when, on top of whatever he’s given in years past, he made a $500,000 donation to Stollery Children’s Hospital and got to the Province to match it. It’s pretty hard to get upset about a guy raising over $1 million to help sick children, so it probably wasn’t that.

He made a $10 million donation to Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto to fund a Centre for Acute and Chronic Medicine. Wait a minute – is that it? He made an enormous gift to help sick people in Toronto. Even Edmonton can’t be that small-minded.

So if it wasn’t any of that stuff, what other horrible thing could it be? He agreed to serve on the board of directors of Alberta Investment Management Corporation, a Crown Corporation charged with investing a $70 billion portfolio for the benefit of Alberta and Albertans.

Through the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation and the Rexall Foundation, he has provided leadership and money for Inner City High, the Kids in the Hall Café at City Hall, and numerous other programs benefiting public health and disadvantaged youth in Edmonton.

When even Cal Nichols could no longer see how the EIG could ensure a long-term future for the Oilers in Edmonton, Katz bought the team for $200 million.

Perhaps it’s because of late he has really offended Edmonton’s sensibilities by agreeing to invest $225 million in a new arena that he won’t own – with $100 million of that coming straight of his pocket and the balance being scooped out of Oilers’ revenues via a ticket tax and, to really rub it in, he’s agreed to sign a location agreement that would keep the Oilers in the League’s now second smallest market (thanks Winnipeg) for 35 years -- come hell or high water.

Oh, and wouldn’t you know it, he topped it all off by agreeing to invest another $100 million in a private sector development that will bring some much needed life to downtown and, together with the arena, serve as the catalyst for an expanded CRL zone that the City of Edmonton “conservatively estimates” will generate $1.2 billion incremental new revenue for the city to be spent on new parks and other civic improvements.

The nerve! Why couldn’t he just leave well enough alone and follow the example of other great Edmontonians like J.R. Shaw and Bill Comrie and just leave?

But this just in...! According to Gary Lamphier, we now know the real reason people are mad at him is because he’s chosen to spend part of the year in Vancouver.

And really, with “friends” like he’s got here in Edmonton, can you blame him?

Wake up, Edmonton! The downtown arena has never been about Daryl Katz or even the Oilers. It’s a reflection of us and the kind of city we want to become. The picture isn’t pretty.

Am I the only guy in Edmonton that feels like he’s trapped on a runaway crazy train? Are we out of our minds? What kind of city turns its back on someone like this? Why is there a vocal subset of Edmontonians that feel a need to vilify a man who so obviously loves his hometown and wants nothing but the best for it?

Edmonton needs to figure out what kind of future we want, and we need to figure it out sooner rather than later.

Are we going to seize Edmonton’s “greatest opportunity” and work together to revitalize our city? Or are we going to chase another one of our great success stories out of town --- assuming we haven’t already done that.

Be careful or you might get what you’re wishing for.

"Stelmach says new arena money won't happen on his watch"

2011-09-02T19:48:00.000-06:00

630 CHED - Stelmach says new arena money won't happen on his watch

The title of the article from 630 CHED sounds more than a little negative but in reality, it's full of good news for downtown Edmonton.

From the Article

"Stelmach went on to say the Conservative caucus is on-side with the arena proposal, and will likely look at celebratory cash for Canada's 150th birthday when the infrastructure grant is increased."

Vote "YES!" on CHED's CRL poll

2011-09-01T13:42:00.000-06:00

CRL a Good Idea for Edmonton?

630 CHED has an online poll asking whether or not you're a supporter of the proposed CRL. Hit their website and put in your two cents.

You can find the poll here -> http://www.630ched.com/Landing/HostsandShows.aspx

The poll is in the far right column at the bottom of the page!

“Most calls to city in favour of downtown arena”

2011-06-06T22:05:00.001-06:00

Edmonton Sun - Most calls to city in favour of downtown arena

From the Article

The vast majority of Edmontonians calling the city about the downtown arena are in favour of the scheme, according to figures released Monday.

Of the 4,560 people who dialed 311 between last Feb. 21 and Sunday, 2,491 were supportive of the new hockey barn.

Another 282 callers endorsed the arena with conditions.

“City of Edmonton and Katz Group reach arena deal”

2011-05-19T00:07:00.001-06:00

Edmonton Journal - City of Edmonton and Katz Group reach arena deal

From the Article

“I’m elated. This is, to my mind, the start of a dream come true to rebuild our downtown,” Mayor Stephen Mandel told a hastily called late-evening news conference.

“If we all work together to bring it in on budget, we will make this very special.”

This is really just stupendous news for not only hockey fans but for Edmontonians. The same framework that will ensure that professional hockey remains viable in Edmonton for the next three-and-a-half decades will also help revitalize our downtown core.

Truly a momentous day for our city!

How the NHL can impact a downtown

2011-05-02T18:02:00.001-06:00

Winnipeg Free Press - How the NHL could transform our downtown

From the Article

The real value of the Phoenix Coyotes has been the transformative effect it has had in anchoring one of the largest visitor destinations in the southwest. Westgate City Centre, a new sports and entertainment district, expects to attract up to 26 million people a year, not just to see an NHL game, but to visit a $2-billion urban district development initiative that consists of more than eight million square feet of shopping, dining, entertainment, hotel, residential and office space.

And perhaps even more applicable to Edmonton is the last line in the article.

Also from the Article

Our limits are only our collective vision for creating such a new and unique district first and foremost for our own citizens, along with our ability to persuade property owners to believe in this vision to take a risk and lead this transformation.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime way we can build something very special.”

2011-04-08T10:05:00.001-06:00

Edmonton Sun - Time to deal, Daryl

From the Article

“This is an opportunity for Edmonton, not just Mr. Katz and his hockey team.

“I wish we’d talk about this more as a redevelopment of our downtown, a vision for our downtown and an opportunity to see Edmonton as a place that can be very special,” [Mayor Mandel] said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime way we can build something very special.”

New arena progressing

2011-04-06T23:37:00.001-06:00

Edmonton Journal - Edmonton council gives green light to downtown arena plan

Great news for Edmonton and its downtown core!

From the Article

The proposed downtown arena took a major step closer to reality Wednesday night when city council approved the terms of a deal it wants to negotiate to build the project.

A 17-part motion calls for a maximum cost of $450 million, with the Oilers owner Katz Group putting in $100 million and another $125 million coming from a ticket tax.

The total city contribution would still be $125 million, but in a major change most of that money would come from taxes on businesses in the facility, redirected subsidies now going to Rexall Place or higher parking revenues.

A community revitalization levy, based on property taxes generated by new development around the site, will only contribute $20 million, with any surplus going to other downtown upgrades such as improving Jasper Avenue.

We’re not there yet but this is a major step forward in making a new arena a cornerstone of a revitalized downtown!

Congratulations to both council and the Katz Group on all their hard work and progress to this date.

And congratulations also to all the action takers that contacted city council or called 311 to voice their support. Your letters, emails, and phone calls are making a difference!

Clock ticking on downtown arena

2011-03-31T23:37:00.001-06:00

630 CHED – Mayor says clock is ticking on arena

From the Article

"The clock is (ticking towards) 2014," says Mandel. "There's a construction window in this city, which is right now reasonably priced. If all of a sudden, the $400 million arena becomes a $700 million arena, we're not going to have an arena."

The mayor is absolutely right when he says the clock is ticking.

Call 311 and let the mayor and council know that the time for this development is now.

Call 311 and voice your support for a new arena.

2011-03-31T23:30:00.001-06:00

After almost a year of intense debate online, in the newspapers, and, most recently, on billboards, it’s understandable that one may suffer from Arena District Burn Out. But as we close in on what may well become the biggest and most important date in a series of big, important dates, it’s vital that supporters of a downtown arena maintain their focus for just a few more days.

Wednesday April 6^th is when city council will decide whether or not to move forward and take the next step in reinvigorating our downtown core with a sports and entertainment district. If you’re a believer in the development, now is the time to reach out to city council and make your voice heard. Let the mayor and council know that the stakes are high and now is the time to demonstrate leadership and move this project forward.

The importance of forward movement can’t be over emphasized. Not only is this our chance to provide our beloved Oilers with long-term stability, this is also a once in a generation opportunity to dramatically improve our downtown core with an arena and entertainment district that will provide Edmontonians with an exciting urban experience we’ll enjoy for decades to come. Best of all, proposed funding formula has been designed in such a way that the impact on taxpayers will be negligible.

Don’t let this opportunity pass us by. Pick up the phone, call 311, and let the mayor and city council know that there’s a silent majority that’s supported this development from the very beginning.

“Cities don’t get great by saying ‘No’ to everything.”

2011-01-26T15:17:00.001-07:00

AlbertaPrimeTime.com – Alberta Arena Funding

Yesterday, Steve Soboroff, former Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Los Angeles, was part of a panel discussing public dollars being spent on projects like the proposed downtown arena district here in Edmonton.

The other guests, former Edmonton Mayor Bill Smith, and Alberta Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Scott Hennig, also had the opportunity to share their viewpoints but in my mind, Steve Soboroff was the person that best put the entire debate into perspective.

Here are some of his comments from the discussion.

On Creating a Better City

“Around the world, cities don’t get great by saying ‘No’ to everything.”

On Team Owners Making Money

“Phil Anschutz is a very wealth man and it didn’t bother us one bit if he got a whole lot wealthier on this transaction. What we were looking out for was that it would help Los Angeles. And if we encouraged Phil to make an investment of a $100M, $200M, a billion, 4 billion dollars into downtown Los Angeles, my concern was ‘What does it mean for Los Angeles?’ I wasn’t worried about making sure Phil didn’t make anything.”

On Improving One’s City

“You know, for me, basketball, the Lakers, you know a bunch of rich people go and movies stars go. I don’t really care about them, frankly. And basketball is OK with me or not OK. What I love is Los Angeles and what I care about is that the parks work, the education system works, the infrastructure works and everything else. So we made a deal – like I think you are in the middle of doing, almost at the end of doing – that created a better Los Angeles than what we had.”

On the Insinuation that the Oilers May Leave

“They [the Oilers] ain’t going anywhere. But that’s not relevant. What’s relevant is, ‘Is your city going anywhere?’”

This is great insight from an outside voice that has no vested interest in whether or not Edmonton builds a downtown arena. What he does have is first hand experience in successfully revitalizing a downtown core in far worse condition than ours by using a combination of public and private dollars.

“Arena decision needs broad view”

2011-01-22T13:44:00.001-07:00

Edmonton Journal - Arena decision needs broad view

A great editorial from the Edmonton Journal today. The entire piece is worth your time but I thought this paragraph was particularly relevant to the debate.

From the Article

On the question of public money, everyone -- hockey fans, downtown revitalizers, project opponents and city councillors -- needs to remember more clearly that in a large community, individual spending items can never be considered in isolation. On the contrary, a willingness to fund the priorities of others is generally the only way to expect your own needs and wants are taken care of.

Rational, non-biased opinions on PPP

2011-01-21T01:03:00.001-07:00

Edmonton Journal - Public/Private Perils and #yegarena

Paula Simons from the Edmonton Journal has written what has to be one of the most rational, non-biased, well thought out articles to date concerning the proposed Edmonton Arena District.

From the Article

Crane certainly isn't opposed to public-private partnerships, per se. He says they can be useful ways for cities to achieve urban renewal objectives, and for private investors to mitigate risk. He also thinks that community revitalization levies, done right, are a good way to capture the economic growth around a project, so that all the benefits of revitalization don't simply pass to the landowners who profit from higher land values.

However, he says, it's vital that cities get the best possible objective financial and legal advice before entering into any such agreement. Otherwise, he says, a municipality can find itself caught out by details it overlooked.

Absolutely spot on. Public/private partnerships CAN work. The idea of investing public dollars into a development has been successful before and if properly planed and implemented, there’s no reason it can’t work here in Edmonton.

From the Article

As for the wisdom of using an arena as an engine for urban renewal? Well, Crane says there are some cities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco where sports complexes have dramatically improved surrounding neighbourhoods.

Here is a non-biased expert answering the oft-asked question, “Does this type of renewal actually work?” Again, the answer is, “It CAN work.” As Crane points out, LA and San Francisco have both experienced improvements.

From the Article

Crane has advice for citizens, taxpayers and journalists too.

"Keeping shining the light on every step of the process. And if you see things that aren't being done well - make a fuss."

Great advice. As exciting as a new arena and a revitalized downtown may be, we can’t blindly rush into spending our tax dollars without first understand exactly what we’re spending and why we’re spending it.

None of us have a crystal ball and we can’t see into the future. All we can do is make the best decision we can with the information we have and trust that our research, planning and due diligence will lead to a positive end result.

We can never achieve absolute certainty and to do so ensures that our city will never move forward.

Why a CRL makes sense for Edmonton.

2011-01-18T13:07:00.001-07:00

“A CRL doesn’t create new businesses or new tax dollars. It simply moves existing money around.”

Overly Broad Generalization

To say that a CRL won’t create new growth is an overly broad generalization. In actuality, one needs to consider the realities of the centre proposing the CRL. A Community Revitalization Levy in New Orleans or Cleveland? Probably not a good idea as these cities have literally lost tens-of-thousands of residents over the past decade.

That’s not the situation in Edmonton.

Opposite End of the Spectrum

According the City of Edmonton’s Municipal Census, between 2008 and 2009, Edmonton increased in population by 30,027. To put that in perspective, our city grew by the entire population of Lloydminster AND Peace River combined in one single year.

Stats Can projects that Alberta’s population will only continue to grow over the next 25 years. In its lowest estimate, the province will grow by over 875,000 residents by 2036. The highest estimate is that we can expect almost 1.7 million new Albertans in the decades to come.

What does this mean for Edmonton? As of 2009, roughly 32 per cent of Albertans live in our city. If this trend continues, that means on average Edmontonians can expect anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 new residents per year between now and 2036.

New Growth Not Our Problem

Even if we work with the lowest estimate of “only” 10,000 new Edmontonians on average per year, it’s easy to see that new services, new businesses, and new residential development will be required. To state otherwise is to ignore unbiased data from Statistics Canada and the City of Edmonton. It’s also implying that what you see is what you get and it’ll never get any better. “Edmonton will never get any bigger and can’t aspire to be more than it currently is!” “Stop building the Anthony Henday and give up on expanding the LRT!” “Progress, prosperity, and planned growth? Who needs that?”

New growth is not our problem. The issue facing Edmontonians is where to put these people and businesses. Yes, we could continue doing what we’ve been doing and push the boundaries of our city out further and further while at the same time hollowing out the core of our city. Instead of investing tax dollars in the revitalization of our city centre, we’ll spend our money to pave over farmers’ fields, to annex outlying communities and to continue to build a city that is nightmarish to navigate via public transit.

Or we could take a new tact. Instead of adding to the sprawl, we could redevelop and revitalize our downtown. We can build a community where residents ride public transit, where they walk to work, to school and to the grocery store and where live music or an art gallery or a sporting event is only ever a few blocks away.

A CRL Can Work for Edmonton

So does a CRL create new growth? In Edmonton’s case, the answer is “Yes.” We have a private citizen that’s willing to make a substantial investment in our city’s future, we have elected officials that are at least willing to consider the possibility and, we’re expected to have growth that almost any other city in North American would kill for.

And perhaps most importantly, we have a vision of what our city could be and of how to make it a better place for all its residents, present and future.

A rare opportunity

2011-01-18T01:54:00.001-07:00

Edmonton Journal – Two steps forward

John MacKinnon hit the nail right on the with his article in today’s Edmonton Journal.

From the Article

At its most basic, the win-win for the city is the billionaire owner of the beloved local hockey team is committed to a project that will fill a 16-acre hole in downtown Edmonton.

Do you have any idea how rare an opportunity that is?

As the arena district negotiations move forward, there will undoubtedly be heated debate and differing opinions but it’s important that we’re able to find common ground and focus on the unique opportunity we have to improve our city.

Overcoming objections

2011-01-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

“Nothing will ever be attempted, if all possible objections must be first overcome.”
-Samuel Johnson

The Avenue of Champions

2011-01-17T00:12:00.001-07:00

The proposed downtown arena is going to be a hot topic again this week. With that in mind, I thought I’d review some of the most common concerns surrounding this development.

* * *

“If an arena will spur development downtown, why hasn’t it spurred development around Rexall Place?”

A lot has changed since Rexall Place (then Northlands Coliseum) was built in 1974. We almost all have cell phones, smoking is no longer allowed inside hospitals, and city planning has evolved tremendously. Our understanding of science, culture, medicine, technology, construction, aviation, and almost all other aspects of our lives have progressed by leaps and bounds over the past 35+ years. It should come as no surprise that our comprehension of how and why a city works has also increased exponentially during that time.

To assume that the neighbourhoods surrounding Rexall Place are rundown and therefore an arena district can’t revitalize downtown is inaccurate. The current arena DID help to spur development; it’s just that very little of that development spilled over into the surrounding residential neighbourhoods. Since the rink’s completion in 1974, Northlands built the Agricom and then expanded it into what is now the Edmonton Expo Centre, it renovated Northlands Park, and also expanded its parking capacity by paving over a residential neighbourhood. Northlands also got an LRT station when the original line launched in 1978. To say that there’s been no additional development around Rexall Place is misleading.

Current State of 118th

As difficult as it may be to believe today, the Cromdale Hotel wasn’t actually designed to be a rundown, dilapidated blight that would hamper redevelopment of 118^th avenue. At one point in Edmonton’s history, the Cromdale was a well respected facility with amenities like a 100 guest banquet room and suites that boasted wall-to-wall carpet and even a TV in EVERY room. Yes, believe it or not, there was a time that you could proudly announce you were going to the Cromdale without having people ask you if you had enough money to make bail.

Obviously, times have changed. The Cromdale is an eyesore and is often accused of being a haven for drugs and crime and its continued existence is the bane of community groups and area residents. And it’s almost impossible to maintain a straight face when you refer to 118^th avenue as “The Avenue of Champions.”

But none of this is the fault of Northlands, Rexall Place, or those that originally participated in designing and building the complex. They made the best decisions they could with the information they had on hand. Thankfully, we’re in a position to learn from almost four additional decades of city planning experience as well as the experiences of cities like Los Angeles and Columbus.