A new rink in Monton?

[Sébastien]

I know there has been countless discussion about the subject of Moncton needing a new rink to replace the Coliseum. No sense beating a dead horse, but here's something new!

www.lanouvelle.net/article-i154534-Un-nouvel-arena-a-Moncton.html

This is an article written by the play by play announcer for the Tigres, who apparently had a very interesting discussion with Mr. Jean-Guy Brousseau, governor for the Wildcats.

This passage is mostly interesting:

Nous avons rencontré le président des gouverneurs de la LHJMQ, Jean Brousseau, un bonhomme fort sympathique. Il nous a révélé que l’organisation des Wildcats travaille activement en vue de l’érection d’un tout nouvel aréna d’une capacité d’environ 10 000 personnes.

For those of you who do not understand french, Brousseau is saying that the Wildcats' organization is actively working towards a new 10 000 seat arena being built.

Seems like we're talking short to medium term here.

Thoughts?

[SteveUL]

The Wildcats don't need 10,000 seats ... 6700 seats is perfect ... the venue would be useful for other events that could draw 10,000 ... but if you are building a 10,000 seat facility to get 5 extra concerts a year ... I don't see the point.

The Coliseum will still exist .... and will struggle to break even as it now has to compete with a new facility for events. I'm sure the City would own the facility ... but unless they have a plan for the Coliseum ... lots of trade shows .... UdeM play out of there ? ... I see it being overkill for what that type of facility will bring to Moncton.

A 10,000 seat facility would be a nice gift for the people ... but who is going to pay for it ?

[Sébastien]

I agree. I don't see very much the use for a 10 000 seat rink in Moncton. I don't think the Wildcats will draw enough for it to be used to that capacity. As far as the concerts and other shows go, apparently the Coliseum is starting to get a bad rep around the promoters. Considering the city has to compete with Halifax and the Metro Center for all the major events, it does make a little sense.

As for what the Coliseum would become, I doubt it would remain a rink. I think the ice section would be demolished, the seats taken out and we would have a new floor for a trade show and that's what the Coliseum would become. I think it would actually cost the city less long term, since there's no more cooling down the place, no more ice, a lot less maintenance and cleaning, etc.

Les Aigles Bleus would continue to play out of JLL as they don't draw enough to justify the Coliseum and the University owns that rink, which means that in terms of rent, it costs them nothing to have their sports teams play there.

I can see how this makes sense to the city, and knowing how Moncton and Dieppe in the recent years are all for big impressive infrastructure, it doesn't really surprise me. What does surprise me is the Wildcats actively persuing this.

[mbastarache]

The use of a 10,000 seat arena is for other events/concerts or major playoff games. You have to look at the big picture. The city isn't going to build a new bigger arena just for hockey.

[john99]

I think a new rink is a good idea as we are hosting the curling
championship here in 09 and a lot of other activities. Every spring there is the problem for the playoff boking. I have been a season ticket holder for ten years and every spring it's the same problem. It could be used for other activities. I find it's good news.

[SteveUL]

mbastarache said:

The use of a 10,000 seat arena is for other events/concerts or major playoff games. You have to look at the big picture. The city isn't going to build a new bigger arena just for hockey.

Is a $50 million tax burden (I pulled that number out of the air ... just a guess) worth 5 extra concerts a year and no playoff conflicts ? Not to me its not.

We have never actually had any real inconvenience during the playoffs ... one time we had to start on the road instead of at home ... had no affect on anything. It always gets ironed out once you know who you are matched up with and work out a schedule.

There will come a day where the Coliseum doesn't meet the needs ... but that day hasn't come yet.

[jimmy]

There is a much cited theory that new rinks or stadiums have been the catalysts behind urban growth and the revitalization of downtown cores in other North American cities (I have also heard others debunk that same theory, so who knows?) ... perhaps with the City now questioning the feasibility of the proposed convention centre, and with the Province seemingly unwilling to ever make a decision on the casino file for fear of alienating a significant chunk of the electorate no matter what they choose, a new downtown arena is now being considered as the centre piece of the downtown development project?

[chootoi]

there's no way the cats are going to build a new rink on their own with private funding. sure the irvings can afford it, but they'll leave it up to the city to foot the bill and offer *support*. RKI will be a major player since the cats are the main tenant for the building, and the city isn't stupid, they know that, and they'll accomodate.

I don't think it's necessarily the seating capacity that the cats want, it's more the corporate boxes or suites they're interested in and there would be enough corporate support in moncton to sell them out.. way more than 5000 extra empty seats, and there's just no way to put them in at the coliseum or they would have long ago, surely for the memorial cup.

we all know why the city wants a new rink (downtown development, long term cost savings, more shows & events, bragging rights etc... plus they could use the coliseum space for trade shows), but with such a big push being put on river funding, i don't see where they are going to come up with the money any time soon unless they change focus. they won't get any kind of provincial or federal funding for a new rink, so that's gotta come from the taxpayers, or private corporate funding. RKI isn't the type of guy though to shell out 50 million for a rink unless he's running the show, and the city wants full control.

and if we're throwing around numbers, i say 50 million because the john labatt center in london opened in 2005 (i think, the year they hosted the cup???), and the pricetag for that place, which is 10,000 seats was around 50 million. we're probably looking at a similar cost.

in the end though, the city will build a rink when it's good and ready, and they know the pressure is on to do it soon. this is nothing new. they just have more important things on the agenda and i don't think any extra blurbs by wildcat management in whatever media source is going to light any fires down at city hall... yet. if irving makes a serious threat to move the team or something crazy, then maybe they'll act, but for now the coliseum does it's job, and still quite well considering its age.

[Dman]

I have to agree with Steve on this one. As a taxpayer in the City, I personally don't want the city to be footing an extra $50 Million bill. With 7% property tax increases each year over the last few years, what would our increase be to build this? Sure I would like a new rink, who wouldn't? But what we have is good enough, especially considering the major upgrades that have taken place over the last few years.

As for RKI possibly threatening to leave the Coliseum at the end of the current contract (which I believe expires at the end of the 2008/2009 season) unless he gets a new rink, where would he take the team? Dieppe? I think the mayor and council would be hunted down if they take on another project this big? Riverview? Too small a tax base. I think the Coliseum will be the Cats home for a few years yet, unless RKI decides to take the team out of the Greater Moncton area completely, which I don't think he will.

[milo]

For a lot of Monctonians, the property tax increases that would result from a 10,000 seat rink would be offset by not having to travel to Montreal, Quebec, Portland or Boston to see anything interesting. Also, I think you'd see a lot more big acts come out east; Halifax often gets ignored because it's the only big venue around, but if Moncton had a large rink, both cities would benefit.

My only hope is that if they do build such a large rink, they have the sense to design the building so that the upper level can be completely curtained off for Wildcat games, like they do in Vancouver and Edmonton for their junior teams... nothing looks worse than a 1/3 full building.

[SteveUL]

milo said:

For a lot of Monctonians, the property tax increases that would result from a 10,000 seat rink would be offset by not having to travel to Montreal, Quebec, Portland or Boston to see anything interesting. Also, I think you'd see a lot more big acts come out east; Halifax often gets ignored because it's the only big venue around, but if Moncton had a large rink, both cities would benefit.

My only hope is that if they do build such a large rink, they have the sense to design the building so that the upper level can be completely curtained off for Wildcat games, like they do in Vancouver and Edmonton for their junior teams... nothing looks worse than a 1/3 full building.

If you force me to sit in the corners vs sitting in the upper deck in the middle of the rink ... I probably won't go. I sit 4 rows up in the upper deck, in between the blue lines ... best seats in the house IMO ... also quick access to washrooms, canteen, Tim Hortons and beer stand.

How many is a lot of Monctonians ... 500 ? I'm not interested in paying extra taxes so you don't have to drive to Montreal.

[Deleted]

I think this is good news also for Moncton...this could bring in a lot of bigger events that may have been passed over and gone elsewhere in the maritimes with more seats.

The only downside as far as your hockey team is concerned is that the rink will look empty during your regular season games with 4-5 thousand fans in attendance. Lots of empty seats.

[SteveUL]

hipsterdoofus said:

I think this is good news also for Moncton...this could bring in a lot of bigger events that may have been passed over and gone elsewhere in the maritimes with more seats.

The only downside as far as your hockey team is concerned is that the rink will look empty during your regular season games with 4-5 thousand fans in attendance. Lots of empty seats.

By the time it is built ... Bathurst and PEI will have lost their franchises and those fans will travel to Moncton for Q hockey ... that should add 3000 fans easy.

[jimmy]

steveul said:

hipsterdoofus said:

I think this is good news also for Moncton...this could bring in a lot of bigger events that may have been passed over and gone elsewhere in the maritimes with more seats.

The only downside as far as your hockey team is concerned is that the rink will look empty during your regular season games with 4-5 thousand fans in attendance. Lots of empty seats.

By the time it is built ... Bathurst and PEI will have lost their franchises and those fans will travel to Moncton for Q hockey ... that should add 3000 fans easy.

They don't combine for 3000 between them now on some nights ...

[buckybuckbuck]

Expand for 20 million rather that build for 50. You could blow out both ends and add a ground level entrance off the parking lot with escalators. Or my favorite, rotate/raise the roof on one and or both sides. It already looks designed for it... all kinds of possibilities. If it only costs half then its like building a new rink for half the price. Parking can be expanded over by the Sept 11 street into the woods and again in the back. We've gone through this all before. It should be done. The current design is an embarrassment. A proud of itself city is a growing city.

Q. What is that Government building in the middle and why is it there? Can't it go somewhere else. Also why is there a street in the middle of the parking lot with drivers trying to run over people going to a hockey game? Very strange.