Smith tasks MLA Mciver to liaison on new event centre for Calgary

Calgary, October 26: Premier Danielle Smith says Calgary needs a new event centre, and she’s tasking a local MLA to represent the province as the city returns to the negotiating table with Flames ownership.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Mayor Jyoti Gondek, events centre committee chair Coun. Sonya Sharp and Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp. chair John Bean, Smith said she was pleased to see the parties restart talks and offered help from the province.

“Simply stated, Calgary needs a new world-class event centre and arena, and the time to commence with this project is now,” read the letter.

Smith said she’d like to identify ways her government can “assist the city and CSEC in achieving a successful outcome.”

She has tasked Calgary-hays MLA Ric Mciver to be the province’s “personal representative” on the matter.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon, Mciver said he will act as the Alberta government’s liaison on the arena talks, aiming to assist the city and CSEC as the parties require.

He said it’s too early to discuss a financial commitment, but said he expects the city to request provincial funding.

“Mayor Gondek wouldn’t be much of a mayor if she didn’t ask for money from the province,” Mciver said.

“I think everyone will get something out of it. If the negotiations … are successful, all of Alberta will. I think it’s a very important part of the business climate here in Calgary. If we’re going to fill up those towers downtown with workers, I think having professional sports teams is a really important element of that. It’s economic development, it’s culture.”

The letter, which was posted on Twitter by Smith, came as a surprise to Gondek, who was in a council meeting when she received her copy by email.

Gondek said she was “very happy” to see the letter.

“It’s a good first step,” said the mayor. “I would assume that since they’ve designated a contact person, there might be some funding involved.”

The province’s assistance could also come in the form of legislation or policy that would help enable a deal, Mciver said.

He said it’s also a chance for the province to signal its support for a new arena, and for the Flames organization.

“One of the big issues that (sports organizations) look at is, does the government want us? Are we welcome?” said Mciver, who was last week shuffled out of the UCP cabinet, where he previously headed up the municipal affairs portfolio.

“I think what this is saying is, yes, the government does want Calgary Sports and Entertainment. We will be friendly. We will be co-operative. And we will appreciate them being there. And I hope that tone is something that will have a positive influence on the talks.

“This isn’t us bigfooting in. This is us offering a hand of friendship, a hand of support.”
Sharp said it was positive to see support from the province, although it would take her some time to absorb what it means.

“One of the first questions I’m going to have when I sit with Mr. Mciver is find out what they see as their role in this project being, and then we can kind of talk,” said Sharp.

The councillor said while the assistance is welcome, she doesn’t want to slow the process. Sharp said consulting firm CAA ICON has taken the lead on the city’s side of things, and the province will have to be brought up to speed on that aspect of the negotiations.

“Time is of the essence for this project,” she said. “So we definitely don’t want to throw in more red tape or barriers.”

Three local business leaders acted as third-party mediators between the city and CSEC as they tried to find their way back to the table.

When asked Tuesday, Sharp said she was unable to comment on if negotiations have resumed.

Calgary announced last week it was going back to the negotiating table with the CSEC for a fresh start on a possible events centre deal. Council voted unanimously in January to try to restart those talks, just weeks after the CSEC walked away from the previous $650-million deal due to cost overruns.

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