The Calgary Flames are teaming up with the city of Calgary and the Calgary Stampede to build a brand-new arena. The project is estimated to cost around $1.2 billion dollars, with $800 million dollars of that money going directly to the construction of the new arena.
Hearing this news got me thinking, when will the Vancouver Canucks get a new stadium? Maybe they don’t need a brand new one, but they could at least use some renovations at what is now one of the oldest arenas (without a major renovation) in the NHL.
City of Calgary, Alberta, Flames and Stampede reach arena deal.
WATCH: https://t.co/joUVKwzpkG pic.twitter.com/VMcAZX5sIn
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 25, 2023
Calgary’s multi-purpose Saddledome is one of the NHL’s oldest buildings, so the city felt that it was time to build a new arena on the grounds of the Calgary Stampede. The project includes more than just this new and improved arena, as there will also be improvements made to Calgary transit in the area, parking around the venue and a new community rink.
Just like the Canucks are an important part of Vancouver’s identity, the Flames are an important piece of what Calgary brings as a city. Flames players’ are thrilled by the news of a new stadium and other teams that routinely play in the Saddledome are equally excited. I recently visited Calgary in March and the highlight of the trip was going to the Saddledome to see the Flames play. The stadium had a vintage feel to it, but people knew that Calgary was one of the next teams to make the shift to a new arena.
(Pexels / Brayden Law)
Going back to the Vancouver Canucks’ arena situation, the fans are ready for the team to do something with Rogers Arena. The seats need to be upgraded, the facility needs a practice rink, and the team store could use a revamp. These are just a few of the commonly shared suggestions that fans have been asking the owners to consider in the near future.
Downtown Vancouver is among the top tourists locations in BC, but many feel as though it has not reached its potential yet in terms of upgrading and adapting to match today’s society. A revamped Rogers Arena along with the land around the stadium would create a revitalized atmosphere for the home of the Vancouver Canucks and other local teams.
Hopefully there are plans in the works already for the Canucks, because after hearing the news about Calgary’s new arena, fans are eager to see what the city of Vancouver will do with one of the league’s longest unrenovated buildings.