Looking to reignite talks with the Flames for a new NHL arena, Calgary city council voted to form a committee that will try to get the team back to the negotiating table.
The Flames broke off talks last September just as a civic election got underway, calling discussions “spectacularly unproductive.”
Mayor Naheed Nenshi had kicked off his re-election campaign talking about a new arena as part of his vision for the east side of downtown.
The city and the Flames went public with what they were willing to pay for an arena before frosty silence descended on the issue.
Council voted Monday to strike an event centre assessment committee that will include three councillors. The mayor voted in favour of the motion.
Coun. Shane Keating said now that there’s been time to cool off after the election, it’s time to hit the refresh button on arena talks. A Flames spokesman said the team had no comment.
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Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
