A deal has been reached to replace CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 aging Saddledome with a new event centre and make improvements to the surrounding area east of downtown.

The City of Calgary, Alberta government, Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp. and Calgary Stampede said Tuesday they have reached agreements in principle.

The total cost is projected to be more than $1.2 billion, with $800 million on a new arena that is to be home to the National Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Calgary Flames. The overall cost also includes parking, transit improvements, a new community rink and an enclosed plaza.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek said city council unanimously voted in favour of the deal Tuesday.

B次元官网网址淭his is a generational investment in place-making, creating space for community to gather,B次元官网网址� she told a news conference on the proposed site for the new arena close to the nearly four-decade-old Saddledome.

The Alberta government is not contributing directly to the arena but said it plans to fund up to $300 million on public transit and road improvements, site utilities, reclamation and other supportive infrastructure.

The province is also contributing $30 million to cover half the cost of the 1,000-seat community rink.

The announcement comes less than a week before the writ is expected to drop for the May 29 provincial election.

B次元官网网址淎fter the election, the provinceB次元官网网址檚 contribution to this arena deal must be approved by provincial cabinet and the Treasury Board before the end of summer,B次元官网网址� Premier Danielle Smith told the news conference.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why, on May 29, IB次元官网网址檓 hoping Calgarians give our (United Conservative Party) government a clear mandate to proceed with this arena deal.

B次元官网网址淐algary isnB次元官网网址檛 Calgary without the Flames, and Alberta isnB次元官网网址檛 Alberta without the Battle of Alberta.B次元官网网址�

Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said his city is happy for Calgary, but noted Edmonton didnB次元官网网址檛 get any provincial government support for its new NHL arena a decade ago.

B次元官网网址淲e asked the province for support and we were told we were not getting any,B次元官网网址� he said.

Sohi said he would like to sit down with the next premier to see if thereB次元官网网址檚 a way for the province to also support the area around Rogers Place in Edmonton B次元官网网址� something Smith said she would be willing to do.

Smith said last October that the Saddledome has served the community well but can no longer compete with new buildings across North America for events, concerts and sports.

The Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation and the city restarted talks last year on a new event centre after a previous agreement collapsed a year earlier.

John Bean, president and CEO of the corporation, said itB次元官网网址檚 an exciting announcement for all the sports teams B次元官网网址� the Flames, the Hitmen, the Wranglers and the Roughnecks B次元官网网址� that play in the arena and suggested it would also put Calgary back on the map for major concerts.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e heard this from our friends in the north, who we compete with fiercely on the ice, that they were getting messaging that the big acts wouldnB次元官网网址檛 come over the Rockies because they could only get Edmonton,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f they could get Edmonton and Calgary, theyB次元官网网址檇 come back.B次元官网网址�

Several Flames players B次元官网网址� Michael Stone, Andrew Mangiapane and Nikita Zadorov B次元官网网址� also attended the announcement.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 exciting for everybody B次元官网网址� the City of Calgary, the people, players, fans,B次元官网网址� Stone said in an interview. B次元官网网址淚 hope itB次元官网网址檚 built the way everyone wants it to be.B次元官网网址�

As a player, Stone said he would like to see the arena built up rather than out.

B次元官网网址淵ou feel like the fans are more involved,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ou donB次元官网网址檛 want to lose the atmosphere because the arena is too big.B次元官网网址�

Stone, who played with the WHLB次元官网网址檚 Hitmen before the Flames, said he also likes the idea of a community arena as part of the event centre.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 huge,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 am coaching my sonB次元官网网址檚 team right now and itB次元官网网址檚 hard finding ice. The more rinks you can have for people, the better.B次元官网网址�

Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley said her party is committed to revitalizing CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 downtown and knows that the Flames inspire community spirit, but she noted that the cost of the proposed arena has increased.

B次元官网网址淭axpayers are now responsible for more than 70 per cent,B次元官网网址� she said.

Notley said she wants to review the deal in greater detail and will have more to say in the near future.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation said taxpayersB次元官网网址� money should not be paying to build new arenas for wealthy sports teams.

B次元官网网址淭he Flames franchise is worth hundreds of millions B次元官网网址� they shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be taking money from struggling taxpayers,B次元官网网址� it said in a statement late Tuesday.

The latest agreement also includes a $537.3-million contribution from the city and a land-transfer deal with the neighbouring Calgary Stampede.

B次元官网网址擟olette Derworiz, The Canadian Press

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