• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

Calgary Flames Back Out of $634M Arena Deal

  • The Calgary Flames are pulling out of an arena deal with the city.
  • The team and city had originally agreed to split $550 million in costs, but estimated expenses had risen.
Calgary-Flames
Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

New arenas and stadiums are sprouting up across North America, but one team is reversing course.

The Calgary Flames are backing out of an arena deal, citing increased costs. The team and the city of Calgary had agreed to split the cost of a $550 million facility in 2019, but the team says that the estimated cost has risen to $634 million.

John Bean, president of Calgary Sports and Entertainment, said Wednesday that there is no viable way for the deal to go through. The team said that they would have been on the hook for $346.5 million, plus any additional costs.

  • Over the summer, the city and team each agreed to add $12.5 million to the project budget to account for cost overruns.
  • The city chipped in an additional $10 million for event management, according to Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek. The team was to pick up additional expenses.
  • An additional $16.1 million in climate mitigation and street adjustments were identified, for which the city offered to pay $6.4 million. The team balked at picking up the final $9.7 million.

A City in Shock

“On a project worth over $650 million, to have one party walk away for 1.5% of the value of the deal is staggering,” Gondek wrote.

It’s not immediately clear what this means for the team’s future. The Flames have played in their current home, the Saddledome, for 38 years.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Capitals

Capitals Fire Assistant Coach After Domestic Abuse Investigation

Assault and abuse cases are defining the start of the NHL season.

Sports Equinox 2025 Shows How Fragmented Sports TV Has Become

Multiple streaming services are needed to watch Monday’s games.

Raptors, Leafs Shift Games to Make Way for Blue Jays’ World Series..

The Maple Leafs and Raptors adjust game times during the World Series.

As the NFL, NBA, and NHL Go Global, The Masters Is Looking..

The tournament’s chairman touted new qualification measures.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.

$100M Browns Stadium Settlement Still Faces Cleveland City Hurdles

Cleveland’s city council must still approve the pact with the Browns.
October 21, 2025

Jazz to Get New Training Facility on Same Campus As Mammoth

The company is developing a sports campus in Sandy, Utah.
Joey Bosa
October 22, 2025

Joey Bosa’s L.A. Home for Sale for $3.7 Million

The Bills defensive end purchased the home last July.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

Fans can now follow their favorite golfers and experience every marquee moment at the Ryder Cup — thanks to innovation from T-Mobile.
October 16, 2025

Steelers’ Shared Stadium With Pitt Comes Under Fire for Bad Turf

The conditions at Acrisure Stadium have been subpar this season.
October 15, 2025

Bears Hit Another Speed Bump for New $5B Stadium in Suburbs

A new state bill would impose several conditions on the NFL team.
October 13, 2025

Browns, Cleveland Reach $100M Deal to Clear Team’s Move to Suburbs

The surprise truce includes financial payments and the dismissal of lawsuits.
Nov 17, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of a Cleveland Browns helmet on a time out against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Caesars Superdome.
October 7, 2025

Cleveland Takes New Shot at Blocking Browns’ $2.4B Stadium

A new lawsuit challenges a permit for the NFL team’s planned stadium.