On Thursday, the Calgary Flames released a report claiming they were prepared to contribute $275 million for a new arena, with additional funding -- in the ball park of $225 million -- from a Community Revitalization Levy.
On Friday, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi responded to the proposal and the events of yesterday.
“I wouldn’t say dishonesty. I would, however, say that there are perhaps some errors of omission,” Nenshi told reporters, according to Global Calgary, when asked if there had been a level of dishonesty from the Flames with their proposal.
The Flames not only released a report with financial details to their website, but they also took out ads in local newspapers. Nenshi took issue with the details the Flames released yesterday.
“What was in that ad was not actually what the last deal on the table with the city was,” he said.
“For example, yesterday you saw that the Flames’ owners are claiming that they’re putting $275 million up front. Makes it sound like a (check) is being put on the table. Certainly that has not been discussed. That would’ve really changed things had that been the discussion.
“The discussion, the last I saw, was the Flames were putting $100 million in and the rest would be a ticket tax, which they wanted the city to take out, to get for and to front. I’m not quite sure how that equals the Flames putting in money up front.”
Yesterday, the Flames added in their report that, after two years of discussions with the city about a new arena, they will no longer pursue a new arena in Calgary.
The Flames currently play at the Saddledome, which is now 34 years old.
