Get the damn deal done already!

The 2022/ 23 hockey season is almost upon us, and the Red Mile will spring to life again. The people who follow Calgary Flames hockey certainly had their emotions played with this off season with departures, trades and new faces coming into the line-up. But the biggest lingering question remains in the sense that our entertainment district is lost in limbo. I am not going to point fingers again, but truthfully, it didn’t have to be this way.?

To this point, a committee was formed to (hopefully) revive a deal that ensures the largest leaseholder — the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Group that owns the Calgary Flames, Calgary Hitmen, Calgary Roughnecks, and Calgary Stampeders — will remain in Calgary and be a part of our great city’s future of professional sports entertainment.

So, here’s a little reflection. I was in Nashville a short while ago and, like many who visit that city, we went down to Broadway, which is their Entertainment District. Some of you may have a vision in your mind already, while others may even think back to Electric Avenue from '80s–'90s Calgary, or the previous 'Red Mile' which is fair. But that’s not what their entertainment district is about.

My research was done over three nights on Broadway. One of the nights happened to be during a Nashville Predators hockey game. The energy there was infectious, and the live local musicians showcasing their talents were impressive. Most may never make it to the big stage, or cut a bestselling record, but they are enthusiastic and grateful to have somewhere to showcase.

The atmosphere was electric. I was surprised to see the wide variety of age groups partaking in the nightly District festivities, with age appearing irrelevant. The locals have their favourite places to patronize and are some of the most welcoming and chatty people you will find. They're having fun and proud of their city and everything it has to offer — civic pride is what I believe it's called!

The District's architecture is reminiscent of the history of Nashville re-purposed and re-marketed while still preserving its character. You could shop, eat, have a few drinks, be entertained, and walk away feeling satisfied that you received value for time spent. And you had a fun time. Ironically, there was virtually no police presence. If there was trouble, you had confidence it would be taken care of quickly by the locals.

So where am I going with this?

Calgary needs to complete its own Entertainment District deal for so many reasons, primarily like the downtown revitalization in Victoria Park and the East Village.

Building out the empty parking lots, showcasing local musical talent, art, delicacies and more would do this city well for the sake of tourism. It could become another Calgary success story. Conventions will come because then delegates would have something more to do in the core following a day of sessions besides just grabbing dinner, having a few drinks, and then traipsing back to their hotel. A well marketed program could move Calgary to one of the top places to go for a convention.

For those people who are still quoting flawed research that implies there is no added economic growth to building these districts, look around at the successes — they most definitely influence economic success. Others have done it, so why not us? Some of the success is monetary, some is cultural, and without question, ‘civic pride’ grows. The hospitality industry would agree there's an uptick in business with every event in the city, along with the small and large businesses that would surely evolve.

And to those still shaking their fists and ranting “We need to diversify the economy!” — it does not happen without vision and joint investment from the business community and municipalities, and cooperation from the people. That is how cities grow and evolve over time, not by constantly labelling people or businesses who are trying to do something as being ‘too rich’ or in some way depicting them as ‘the enemy.’

The repetitive comment, “I’ll never set foot in the building, so why should my taxes pay for it?” needs to stop. Many Calgarians will never set foot in the downtown library or Arts Commons, but you don’t hear the same complaints. The Entertainment District with all its potential, done right, will give all Calgarians a reason to visit.

So quit bitching already, and let Calgary’s enterprising spirit take over, and it will happen.

Until then, Lets Go Flames!