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5th 1990

Revenue drives push for new arena
Ownership group wants more modern, comfortable replacement for Rexall Place, NHL's third-oldest rink
David Staples
The Edmonton Journal
Sunday, October 02, 2005

A new arena for the Edmonton Oilers is now on the to-do list of the team's owners, the 37 partners of the Edmonton Investors Group (EIG).

The EIG is planning for the Oilers' long-term future now that league owners have negotiated a more favourable collective bargaining agreement with the players' association, one that could help NHL hockey thrive here.

Part of the EIG's plan includes a new state-of-the-art arena to replace aging Rexall Place. Only the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders play in older buildings, says EIG board chairman Cal Nichols. "One day we will have the oldest building in the league, and eventually you have to do something about it."

Adds EIG partner Bruce Saville: "I'm not sure anybody wants to hear it, and I don't know what number to pick out of the air, but let's say 10 years from now we're going to have to be in a new arena."

Nichols's favourite NHL arenas include the new Glendale Arena, home of Wayne Gretzky's Phoenix Coyotes. The $180-million US arena was built by the city of Glendale.

The EIG hasn't looked at where the new arena will be built or focused on how the project will be funded. Northlands, a community group, built Rexall Place in 1974 with a $3.7-million grant from the province, a $10-million low-interest loan from the federal government, and roughly $2 million in federal lottery money.

The city donated $3.7 million to buy land for the arena, then known as Northlands Coliseum.

The economics of the Oilers and the NHL have to justify private individuals and the community investing money in a new building, Nichols says. "The thing can only be dealt with if you're viable and profitable as far as the eye can see, because if it isn't, you can't think new building."

Nichols isn't looking for government to do all the heavy lifting here, EIG lawyer Mike Crozier says. "He doesn't have the attitude that somebody should provide it for nothing."

Before plans advance for a new arena, EIG partners must pay down the remaining $30 million on the bank loan taken out in 1998 to purchase the team. So far, the investors have not made money on their initial $60-million investment. In 2002, they had to put in an additional $14 million to cover costs.

But things are looking good this season, Nichols says, with demand for season tickets the highest since the EIG took over.

"I've never seen such excitement

since 1979 (the Oilers' first year in the NHL)."

The team now leases Rexall Place from Northlands.

There are nine years left on the lease for the arena, which was extensively remodelled in 1994 with 39 luxury boxes and 16 skyboxes installed.

The need to increase comfort in the building and revenues for the team is driving the urge to build, Saville says.

"It just allows that much more revenue to be generated.

"That's the key. If you tour all the other arenas in the league now, they're just that much better in the way of amenities, food services, suites, access to suites, number of suites."

NHL tickets are expensive, and customers who pay more than $250 a ticket, the price of a ticket in an Oilers corporate box, demand the best, Nichols says.

"You've got to have a modern, first-class, up-to-date presentation and facility because if you don't, you just can't command those kinds of prices forever. Everything wears out."

There's no need to add increased seating, Nichols says, but Rexall Place doesn't have enough gold and silver seats, which command more money for the team than upper blues.

Many of the existing high-priced seats are uncomfortable for fans to sit in, especially down in the arena's corners. "I've sat there and it's really uncomfortable and I'm not a big or tall person," says Nichols.

"You just have to have more comfort."
By GRAHAM HICKS, EDMONTON SUN

REALISTIC DREAMING

In the Oiler saga, the next off-ice chapter is fast coming up on the city's radar.

The team survived the Pocklington era, survived through the 04/05 lockout.

Now its brain trust and owners have to start planning for a long-term future in this city.

On the top of everybody's minds: When the current 10-year lease on Rexall Place (owned by Northlands Park) draws to a close in 2014, the Oilers will need a new barn.

Today and Tuesday, two special Hicks on Six columns on the challenges, possibilities and city-wide benefits of a new Oilers' arena.

Surprisingly and encouragingly, most of the thoughts on the subject - for nothing has been done of yet - are heading in the same direction.

A beautiful, new arena.

Downtown.

- - -

THE NEED FOR A NEW ARENA

Ever since the Northlands movers and shakers built what was then the Coliseum in 1974, Rexall Place has been a worthy, sturdy home to our WHA, then NHL hockey team.

But it's the third-oldest arena in the National Hockey League. Discussions and negotiations are underway for new arenas for the Pittsburgh Penguins (if that team stays in Pittsburgh) and the New York Islanders.

We're next.

It's not that Rexall Place is hopeless. But even with the renovations 12 years ago, it's simply outdated.

The concourses are too small, the legroom too tight. Most important, every inch of room in the place is taken up.

The Oilers have a crying need for more premium seats, more luxury suites, more restaurants, more lounges ...

Northlands argues, without conviction, that Rexall Place could possibly be refitted once again to accommodate a few more decades of professional hockey. A consultant is currently assessing the building's long-term options.

But in their heart of hearts, I think Northlands' management and its board knows the jig is up. They realize the building's use as an NHL arena is fast drawing to a close.

- - -

WHERE THE NEW BUILDING SHOULD GO

This is where there's surprising uniformity of opinion.

First choice: Jasper Avenue East, or the "market lands" - an architecturally pleasing hockey arena could anchor a massive redevelopment of approximately 10 square blocks bounded by Jasper Avenue to the south, 103rd Avenue to the north, 97th Street to the west and 95th Street to the east.

Second choice: Around the CN Tower or the "postal lands" on a much smaller piece of land (bounded by 104th Avenue, 97th Street, 105th Avenue and 101 Street) mostly owned by one company, Qualico Developments.

Why downtown? There's a chorus of agreement among NHL teams and cities (with a viable downtown core).

Given a choice, downtowns or close-to-downtowns are the best sites for new professional sports facilities.

They serve as anchors to overhaul/redevelop rundown, decaying parts of urban centres (insert "east end of downtown" here.)

They utilize existing public transportation and roads during non-office hours (insert "LRT" here).

By being downtown, they meet multiple urban planning and political ends: building up downtown density and vibrancy; not contributing to suburban sprawl; creating "critical mass" to make a downtown a desirable, after-hours place to go.

Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal all built their new arenas downtown. Everybody is pleased with the results.

Ottawa built its arena a half-hour out, in Kanata. Greater Ottawa agrees. It was a huge mistake.

There are other long-shot possibilities around town, i.e. West Edmonton Mall, by the City Centre Airport, industrial land north/northeast of Northlands.

But the downtown location is so glaringly obvious, with such overall benefits, as to render other possibilities most unlikely.

- - -

THE VISION

An arena nestled somewhere behind the historic buildings on Jasper Avenue East (from the now renovated Hardware Grill at 97 Street to the Flat Iron Building at 95 Street).

It would be a beautiful piece of signature architecture, as per several new hockey, baseball and football facilities in the U.S.A.

It could echo and complement the historic buildings to its south - which would be renovated and look beautiful, too.

Alongside, by 97 Street and close to Churchill Square and the Shaw Conference Centre, a big, well-designed parkade architecturally complementing both the new arena and the surrounding buildings. Plus a pedway to the LRT.

Meanwhile, all other buildings in those 10 square blocks would be demolished with the exception of the Jasper Avenue heritage group, possibly some buildings along on 97 Street, and newer projects like the Chinese seniors' complex and condos.

Around the new arena is born a well-planned redevelopment - convention centre add-ons, hotels, offices, condos, an "Old Strathcona North" entertainment zone.

For examples, see the "arena district" around Nationwide Arena, home of the Blue Jackets in Columbus, Ohio. Or Minnesota/St. Paul's Xcel Energy Centre, home of the Minnesota Wild and a downtown revitalization showpiece.

COMING TUESDAY: The amenities needed in a new Oiler home and the political, economic and leadership challenges of building a new barn in the downtown core.

And ... who's gonna pay?

New arena gets approval
Tuesday, March 25, 2008

THE CANADIAN PRESS - EDMONTON -- A committee studying whether to build a new arena in downtown Edmonton has concluded that the project would be both feasible and desirable.

The committee says a new sports and entertainment facility in the Alberta capital would help revitalize its downtown core.

As for who would pay for the $450-million arena, the committee suggests a "mix of public and private participation."

Spokeswoman Charlotte Robb says the committee is confident the arena could be financed without tax increases and without taking money away from other infrastructure projects.

In the past, Mayor Stephen Mandel has expressed support for the arena, although the provincial government has said it is not a priority.

Darryl Katz, the prospective owner of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers, has pledged up to $100 million for a new ice rink, although the committee has not spoken to him directly.

Rexall Sports Corp., an affiliate of the Katz Group of Companies, says it is pleased at the committee's conclusions.

"Over the next several weeks we will be assessing our position with regards to the financing and overall development, and what it means to us as the prospective new owners of the Oilers," John Karvellas, president of Rexall Sports, said Tuesday.

"We look forward to working with the City ... and other stakeholders to move this project forward."

Katz is a pharmacy entrepreneur who owns the Rexall drugstore chain.

He is poised to take over ownership of the Oilers after the current investors agreed early this year to sell him their shares for $200 million.

The deal is pending National Hockey League approval and is expected to close in May

NEW CONCEPT FOR DOWNTOWN EDMONTON ARENA IS IFFY
IS GENE DUB OFFERING TO DONATE THIS LAND?
OTHERWISE, HIS IDEA MAKES LITTLE ECONOMIC SENSE, EXCEPT MAYBE FOR HIM.

Edmonton architect Gene Dub has released some interesting conceptual drawings of a new arena for downtown Edmonton. Dub showed up at a public hearing on east Edmonton and outlined his master plan for this arena.

As the Journal's Gord Kent reports, "(Dub) and other landowners in east downtown want a raised oval structure due south of the police headquarters on five acres of mainly parking lots. He estimates the project would cost about $300 million. He has talked to the Katz Group, which hasn't made any commitments, but Dub says it's an alternative to the six other potential downtown sites that have been mentioned."

Dub says the five acres are worth $20 million. Hmmm. . . .

I'll say one thing for Dub, if there is one location that would truly benefit from a new arena it's the land that Dub has chosen. That area is blighted. It's also located next to Edmonton's greatest physical resource, the river valley, and if the new rink could tie the downtown to the river valley, creating a thriving entertainment district in that area, that would be a tremendous boost to the city.

Of course, erecting a rink here would also be a boost to Dub, as he does indeed own land that needs redeveloping in that area. But I can't see this project going anywhere, not unless Mr. Dub is offering to donate these five acres of land, and about 20 more additional acres, to Northlands or the city for this project, which would, in turn, work with the Katz group on a new arena there.

Sports economics prof. Dan Mason of the University of Alberta has said at least 26 acres are going to be needed for any viable downtown arena district in Edmonton.

You see, the Katz Group is going to have to acquire a big enough chunk of land to build a larger development around the rink, with offices, restaurants, theatres, condominiums and other amenities going up, that sort of thing.

That is what we've seen in other cities in recent years. That is what the the arena-building game is all about now -- making enough profit as the developer of the arena district to pay for the arena itself. In Columbus, Ohio, for instance, these secondary developments helped the private developer to foot the bill for the rink with very little public assistance.

Anyway, if Mr. Dub wants to give Edmontonians a gigantic present, perhaps he can donate this land and more land in the vicinity, or at least offer it up at a vastly discounted price, and then the arena and other developments can be built there.

We all await further clarification on this matter.

As for Dub's building, I'll let the fans at the Hockey's Future board do the talking on this one:
* OilFanInCowtown: "Pretty bizarre looking building for a team that normally goes for a traditional look/feel." * Pennertration: "Looks a bit like a Copper toilet bowl." * Homesick: "It looks like a giant WOK!" * Asher: "That looks like something out of The Jetsons." * the word: "That's a very original concept. I like it. I hope that's the design they go with."

If done right, a new arena could revitalize Edmonton's downtown and not strain public finances, says Dan Mason of the University of Alberta. This kind of community friendly development was seen in Columbus, Ohio, yet there's nothing that says Edmonton will get things right, as many North American cities continue to get it wrong.

"It's the Columbuses that are still the exception to the rule."

In Columbus, citizens had voted five times over the years against using public money to build a new arena. After the last loss, a landslide vote against public funding, private interests stepped up. Nationwide Insurance, the biggest company in town, was led by a dynamic fellow, Dimon McFerson, who looked out of his office, saw a massive rundown area, and started plotting about simply building the arena himself.

In the end, Nationwide got together a massive piece of land for the project, 95 acres in total, but only with the help of local authorities. The land acquisition was helped by the fact that Columbus, like a lot of American rust belt cities, has huge tracts of land in the inner city which are dead zones, just parking lots and unused buildings, Mason says. In Edmonton, it's going to be a far greater challenge to come up with as much as 26 acres.

"There are no shanty towns in downtown Edmonton."

What the developer most wanted to avoid in Columbus, Keith Myers has said, was the sort of "death space" that surrounds most arenas, the acres and acres of parking and concrete that separate arenas from the surrounding neighborhood.

"That's what makes Columbus so beautiful," Mason says. "That arena fits about as seamlessly as you can imagine an arena fitting into a surrounding community."

The redevelopment in Columbus has been so successful that condo projects around the arena have sold out quickly and property values in the formerly depressed neighbourhood have risen much faster than other neighbourhoods in the city.

BETTMAN SAYS OILERS NEED DOWNTOWN ARENA
December 18, 2008
Copyright 2008 MediaVentures

Edmonton, Alberta - National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman is convinced the Edmonton Oilers need a new downtown arena.

"It is imperative that the Oilers have a new building," he said. "It can become an economic engine. It can attract tourists. It is critical both for the future of the Oilers and the city. "Yes, the team is good shape, but you have to look into the future. This is a city and a team that vitally need a new building."

Bettman made the comments during an Edmonton Chamber of Commerce luncheon. He also addressed the global economy and its effect on the NHL, saying "our numbers are almost incredibly strong."

Bettman said attendance is up two per cent league-wide, revenue will be up, and television ratings on both Hockey Night in Canada and TSN are up. (Edmonton Journal)

Three Quarters (76%) of Edmontonians 'Disagree' That City Should Provide Taxpayer's Money for a New Hockey Arena
August 20, 2009
Contact Jamie Duncan at 403-294-7385.

Edmonton, AB Ð Weighing in on the debate about a new hockey arena in the Edmonton downtown core, a new Ipsos Reid poll of 440 Edmonton residents has found a strongly-negative response to the idea of providing City funding to help build the arena.

Three quarters (76%) of Edmontonians 'disagree' (46% strongly/31% somewhat) that 'The City should provide taxpayer's money for a new Hockey Arena. With nearly one half strongly disagreeing with this notion, it is unlikely that further debate on the issue would make them more receptive of the idea.

Desiring a new arena despite the cost to city hall and taxpayers, one quarter (24%) of Edmonton residents 'agree' (6% strongly/17% somewhat) that the city should provide funds to help build the arena.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between Aug 14 and 17, 2009, on behalf of Global Edmonton. For this survey, a sample of 440 adults living in Edmonton from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-4.7 percentage points 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Edmonton been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

People in Edmonton Don't Want (To Pay For) A New Arena
August 23, 2009
By Jonathan Willis of Oilers Nation Dot Com

An interesting study (See Above) on support for a new taxpayer-funded arena for the Edmonton Oilers came out yesterday (g/t Battle of Alberta). The headline is that 76% of Edmontonians don't like the idea of the city using tax dollars to help build a new arena.

Ipsos-Reid provides a detailed breakdown for support/non-support for using taxpayer dollars to build the arena:

* 18 Ð 34: 30% support, 70% against
* 35 Ð 54: 20% support, 80% against
* 55+: 22% support, 78% against
* Men: 24% support, 77% against
* Women: 24% support, 76% against

It's hard not to see the rationale for opposing spending tax dollars on an arena; particularly since the last four NHL arenas built in Canada (Vancouver, 1995; Ottawa, 1996; Montreal, 1996; Toronto, 1999) were built with private money.

This should mean that there's very little chance of the Oilers playing out of a new building in the near future; on the other hand, big public works projects like this often go through despite contrary public opinion.

The most interesting thing about these numbers is how dramatically they've changed in less than two years. Towards the end of 2007/start of 2008, a public opinion study conducted by the University of Alberta found that only 50% were opposed with 48% supportive of using public dollars to build the arena.

Patrick Laforge was ÒoverjoyedÓ at the time:

The divided public opinion doesn’t discourage Oilers president Patrick LaForge, given that nobody has even seen a sketch or a model of the proposed arena.

In fact, LaForge says he’s thrilled so many Edmontonians already favour the project. “I’m overjoyed, shocked, I can’t believe it.

“Most humans respond visually … so they would see something and say, ‘I love it, that’s a great idea.’ But not even one sketch has been produced and the location hasn’t even been discussed.”

Once sketches and plans are annnounced, the approval rating will grow “monstrously,” predicts LaForge, who is also chairman of Edmonton’s Chamber of Commerce.

“People will see the real thing and go, ‘Wow, do I ever love it.’ “

With so many already strongly opposed to spending tax dollars on a new arena, I can't see LaForge being right on this.

REPLACE
September 3, 2009
Copyright 2009 MediaVentures

Edmonton, Alberta - Daryl Katz, owner of the Edmonton Oilers, has proposed two arenas to replace Rexall Place as part of a much larger development, but the city's mayor says regardless of what takes place, he sees the city as being the arenas' owner.

If it proceeds as planned, the multi-use project would transform the northern quadrant of the city's downtown core, and help kick-start a stalled adjacent condo project that could one day house 3,000 residents.

The dramatic makeover would turn the current Baccarat Casino site and an adjacent parking lot into an entertainment Mecca for sports, concerts and other events, while driving related casino, hotel, condo, retail, student housing and office developments, reports said.

Besides a new 18,000-to 20,000-seat rink that would serve as the Oilers' new home, Katz's plan calls for a linked second 8,000- to 10,000-seat arena that would serve as the team's practice facility.

Both buildings would host a wide range of other events besides hockey, including concerts and shows.

With the campuses of three major post-secondary schools nearby Ð Grant MacEwan College, NAIT and NorquestCollege Ð and the U of A's main campus connected to the site by LRT, the reports said development plans have also recently expanded to include student housing.

Such housing could complement Carma Developers' long-proposed, C$500 million, 1,192-unit Aurora condo project just north of the Baccarat site. Both projects would be directly tied into a new light rail station, on a line extending west to MacEwan and north to the NAIT campus.

The team wouldn't be interested in staying at Rexall Place, where it has a lease until 2014, even if the building was expanded and updated as suggested in a 2007 consultant's report, team officials said.

Mayor Stephen Mandel, a longtime booster of the project, called the Baccarat Casino site a "reasonably good location" for a new arena. He said he expects to see a detailed proposal come forward soon.

A new downtown arena would be owned by the city Ð not the Oilers, Mandel said, vowing again that current tax dollars wouldn't be used to build the facility. The mayor said he would be open to a community revitalization levy in the area surrounding the new building, a concept he's also talked about before. That would see a portion of taxes paid by new neighborhood developments set aside to pay for the arena.

Northlands, which manages Rexall Place, is working with the city and Katz-owned Rexall Sports Group on possible solutions "vis-a-vis a new arena in Edmonton," an idea that should be considered despite the economic slowdown, chairman Andrew Huntley said.

In a report released in March 2008, a committee appointed by Mandel concluded an inner-city sports and entertainment facility would be a huge shot in the arm for the downtown. The report said an arena alone would cost C$450 million.

Katz has said he would be willing to put C$100 million into the facility.

OILERS WANT ALL MONEY FROM REXALL PLACE
September 17, 2009
Copyright 2009 MediaVentures

Edmonton, Alberta - If a new arena is built downtown, the Edmonton Oilers say they'll need all the building's revenue and control of the venue in order to be competitive with other NHL franchises. The Northlands, which operates the team's current venue, Rexall Place, says it has been a responsible operator and should continue in that capacity.

The Calgary Flames and almost every other NHL team control all revenues from their home arenas, but the Oilers do not, says team president Patrick LaForge. To level the playing field, the Oilers want to control not only hockey revenues, but also those that come from concerts and other events held in the arena.

"We lost money last year," LaForge says. "We lost quite a bit of money" LaForge says because of Calgary's superior arena deal, the Flames take in $15 million to $20 million more each year than the Oilers.

Oilers owner Daryl Katz has been meeting with international players in the arena building and concert promotion business, such as AEG and Live Nation, in the hopes of forging new partnerships to build and run a proposed downtown arena on the Baccarat casino lands.

AEG, owned by Los Angeles businessmen Philip Anschutz, owns or controls numerous arenas around the world, including the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Prudential Center in Newark, the Sprint Center in Kansas City, the Target Center in Minneapolis and the O2 World Arena in Berlin.

"We're interested in being the best in the world," LaForge said. "I'm not trying to poke Northlands in the eye here. ... Northlands has done a good job so far. Nobody would have an issue with that. (But) the new world is big operators like AEG, Live Nation and the like. They are creating a new world of preferred outlets that they bring their best Triple-A entertainment to, and we want our place to be one of those stops, and want them probably to be one of our partners."

AEG TO HELP DEVELOP EDMONTON ARENA
December 10, 2009
Copyright 2009 MediaVentures

Edmonton, Alberta - AEG has been hired to work with the Katz Group to help develop a new arena and entertainment district in Edmonton. The move was described as hiring a "project manager" by members of the Katz Group, also owns the NHL Oilers.

AEG has developed numerous properties in the U.S., including L.A. Live around the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The firm will work with local leaders and the master architect on an entertainment district designed for the Edmonton market.

NICHOLS: ARENA NEEDED TO SECURE OILERS' FUTURE
December 17, 2009
Copyright 2009 MediaVentures

Edmonton, Alberta - Cal Nichols, former owner of the Edmonton Oilers, said the teamÕs future in the city is dependant upon whether it gets a new arena. Rexall Place is the second-oldest and smallest NHL arena. Almost every other NHL team has moved into a massive new arena with wider concourses, improved seating and better food and beverage services in the last 15 years. On average, NHL buildings were financed with a 60/40 private-public split.

The longer Edmonton waits to build a new arena, the greater the revenue gap between the Oilers and its NHL competitors will be, and the more expensive an arena project will be, Nichols says.

The Oilers have yet to finalize plans for a new arena on the downtown Baccarat casino lands, either in terms of design or finances.

"We haven't asked for anything yet, and we're figuring out what the ask is," says Oilers president Patrick LaForge.

Both Nichols and Oilers owner Daryl Katz say many people are too complacent, expecting Katz to do it all.

"It's good that Daryl Katz purchased the Oilers, but him buying them and them staying here forever, we have to all take care of that," LaForge says.

Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel has said arena funding won't come out of general revenues. A city committee that looked at Edmonton's arena situation recommended that there be a 70/30 public-private split on building a C$450 million downtown arena.

The arena committee said the city could pay off the loan for building the arena through various measures, including C$11 million a year from arena revenues and a Community Revitalization Levy, where increases in the property tax base in an arena district would be used to pay off the loan.

NORTHLANDS TO STUDY NEED FOR EDMONTON ARENA
January 28, 2010
Copyright 2009 MediaVentures

Edmonton, Alberta - Northlands, the agency that oversees Rexall Place arena, has hired CSL International and Spotlight Strategies to study the potential for a new arena. The action was taken outside of the plans already being made by Oilers owner Daryl Katz who has purchased land for a downtown venue.

Edmonton Oilers team president Patrick LaForge said he will wait to see what the Northlands announcement means. "I'm trying to understand what it means. ... I don't have any comment until we have time to digest."

Northlands and Oilers representatives had been on board together pushing for a new downtown arena as recently as 2008, when both groups supported a report to the city that called for a new $450-million building to be built as part of a sports and entertainment district.

But in December 2009, the Katz Group hired AEG to advise it on the arena project. AEG is a massive U.S. sports/entertainment company that both builds and runs arenas.

Northlands, which built Rexall Place with public money in the early 1970s and has run it almost exclusively since, took that as a sign that even if it wants in on the project, the Oilers might have something else in mind.

Northlands community relations director Brian Leadbetter doesn't believe that the Katz Group has pushed Northlands to the side.

"We have been working collaboratively with the Katz Group. My understanding is that we have met with them in the past."

"I don't know what the exact time frame would have been for those last meetings. But we certainly recognize that the Katz Group has advanced a vision for the downtown arena, we support it, and we're essentially doing what we can to bring an additional level of due diligence to the work that is required to determine what Edmonton sport and entertainment event and facility needs are."

Edmonton Oilers (WHA) / Edmonton Oilers (NHL) Edmonton Gardens 1972-1974 Northlands Coliseum 1974-1979 Rexall Place 1979-Present New Edmonton Arena Future