Post by ReJ40 on Mar 8, 2011 10:23:17 GMT -5
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH, ORIGINAL LINK AT BOTTOM
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Published Feb 17, 2011 - 5am | Updated Feb 17, 2011 - 9:55am
Colisée Pepsi temporary update: $10 million...
Ian Bussières
Le Soleil
(Québec) It would cost at least $4 million and up to $10 million for the Colisee Pepsi to become the temporary home of a National Hockey League (NHL) team, awaiting the completion of the new complex which is scheduled to be finished in September 2015.
In September, Mayor Régis Labeaume evaluated the renovations at $4 million dollars. But Wednesday, his Press Officer Paul-Christian Nolin, was much more careful.
"I would say $4 million would be the minimum. I also heard numbers that could go as high as $10 million. It all depends on how much work we actually do.", he says.
The major work would be to redo the concrete underside of the rink surface including the refrigeration system, as well as doing some minor work on some other sections of the arena that do not meet current standards. Upgrading the gym facilities and the visitors' dressing room at the Colisée would also be recommended.
Municipal Counselor Sylvain Légaré pointed out that $4 million represents the cost of the concrete underside and refrigeration system. The other elements would raise the total bill.
"There are a lot of questions to ask. Do we add Air Conditioning? It would cost more, but that might be necessary if the team makes the playoffs and play until May or later", adds Mr. Nolin, who also said that maintaining or abandoning the Olympic project could also become a factor.
"If there is no Olympic bid, it is obvious to us that we would not invest as much money in a building that we would demolish in the not too distant future. We will then wait for the final report of Equipe Quebec before elaborating on the costs of the Colisée Pepsi's upgrades", says Paul-Christian Nolin.
This week, Radio-Canada released preliminary information from the Equipe Quebec report and estimated $25-27 million dollars to update the 15,176-seat Colisée for an Olympic bid, including Air Conditioning and the accommodation of an Olympic-sized ice surface.
Not the first time
Even if the last four teams to join the NHL were in brand-new buildings, since 1991 the league has allowed 7 of the 12 new teams to play in temporary arenas that were far from meeting the criteria of the world's highest level of hockey.
The Ottawa Senators played for three and a half years at the Ottawa Civic Centre (capacity 10,585), while the San Jose Sharks played for two years at the old Cow Palace, a 50-year-old building that could only handle 11,089 fans.
The Florida Panthers spent five seasons at Miami Arena, which held 14,703 people, before moving to Sunrise. The three teams that were the end result of the mid-90s relocations (Colorado, Phoenix and Carolina) also played in temporary homes until their current buildings were built.
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www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/dossiers/vers-un-nouveau-colisee/201102/16/01-4371067-mise-a-niveau-du-colisee-pepsi-10-millions-en-attendant.php?utm_source=Bulletin%20CBP_Soleil&utm_medium=email
I am really starting to think that this could be done in the span of a summer and that Quebec City would certainly be an option for this fall. If Phoenix does fail and go to Winnipeg, this might be Bettman's way out of the Atlanta mess. Of course, any rational person would have done this by now... but who knows what will happen with Bettman in charge.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Published Feb 17, 2011 - 5am | Updated Feb 17, 2011 - 9:55am
Colisée Pepsi temporary update: $10 million...
Ian Bussières
Le Soleil
(Québec) It would cost at least $4 million and up to $10 million for the Colisee Pepsi to become the temporary home of a National Hockey League (NHL) team, awaiting the completion of the new complex which is scheduled to be finished in September 2015.
In September, Mayor Régis Labeaume evaluated the renovations at $4 million dollars. But Wednesday, his Press Officer Paul-Christian Nolin, was much more careful.
"I would say $4 million would be the minimum. I also heard numbers that could go as high as $10 million. It all depends on how much work we actually do.", he says.
The major work would be to redo the concrete underside of the rink surface including the refrigeration system, as well as doing some minor work on some other sections of the arena that do not meet current standards. Upgrading the gym facilities and the visitors' dressing room at the Colisée would also be recommended.
Municipal Counselor Sylvain Légaré pointed out that $4 million represents the cost of the concrete underside and refrigeration system. The other elements would raise the total bill.
"There are a lot of questions to ask. Do we add Air Conditioning? It would cost more, but that might be necessary if the team makes the playoffs and play until May or later", adds Mr. Nolin, who also said that maintaining or abandoning the Olympic project could also become a factor.
"If there is no Olympic bid, it is obvious to us that we would not invest as much money in a building that we would demolish in the not too distant future. We will then wait for the final report of Equipe Quebec before elaborating on the costs of the Colisée Pepsi's upgrades", says Paul-Christian Nolin.
This week, Radio-Canada released preliminary information from the Equipe Quebec report and estimated $25-27 million dollars to update the 15,176-seat Colisée for an Olympic bid, including Air Conditioning and the accommodation of an Olympic-sized ice surface.
Not the first time
Even if the last four teams to join the NHL were in brand-new buildings, since 1991 the league has allowed 7 of the 12 new teams to play in temporary arenas that were far from meeting the criteria of the world's highest level of hockey.
The Ottawa Senators played for three and a half years at the Ottawa Civic Centre (capacity 10,585), while the San Jose Sharks played for two years at the old Cow Palace, a 50-year-old building that could only handle 11,089 fans.
The Florida Panthers spent five seasons at Miami Arena, which held 14,703 people, before moving to Sunrise. The three teams that were the end result of the mid-90s relocations (Colorado, Phoenix and Carolina) also played in temporary homes until their current buildings were built.
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www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/dossiers/vers-un-nouveau-colisee/201102/16/01-4371067-mise-a-niveau-du-colisee-pepsi-10-millions-en-attendant.php?utm_source=Bulletin%20CBP_Soleil&utm_medium=email
I am really starting to think that this could be done in the span of a summer and that Quebec City would certainly be an option for this fall. If Phoenix does fail and go to Winnipeg, this might be Bettman's way out of the Atlanta mess. Of course, any rational person would have done this by now... but who knows what will happen with Bettman in charge.