ThinkHQ/Metro News Poll
A proposal to build a new $890 Million arena/stadium/field house on the west-end of downtown Calgary faces an uphill struggle as far as the court of public opinion is concerned. Our January ThinkHQ/Metro News Poll found that while Calgarians are largely aware of and attentive to CalgaryNext, a majority do not support the plan as it stands today.
- Fully 86% of Calgarians are aware of the CalgaryNext plan, and most (61%) say they are following the news about the proposal at least “fairly closely”.
- A slim majority (52%) of those interviewed say they disapprove of the proposal, compared to 39% who offer some degree of support. That said, opposition to the plan is considerably more intense than support – only 13% of Calgarians say they strongly approve of the CalgaryNext plan vs. 30% who strongly disapprove.
Two of the biggest stumbling blocks for CalgaryNext lie in perceptions about the facilities it is designed to replace, and the proposed funding model.
- Only 30% of Calgarians said they feel the Scotiabank Saddledome should be replaced, compared to 36% who feel it is fine as it is, and 25% who believe it should be renovated. Meanwhile only 1/4 (26%) say they feel McMahon Stadium is in need of replacement today.
- The CalgaryNext proposal calls for significant public investment, and this aspect of the plan is particularly disliked by Calgarians. Almost 2/3 of those interviewed (64%) disapprove of the funding model as proposed today vs. only 27% who approve. Four-in-ten (40%) Calgarians are strongly opposed to the funding plan.
- Calgarians are not necessarily opposed to some degree of participation in the project by different levels of government, however they tend to believe that the vast majority of the costs should be borne by Flames/Stampeders ownership and the fans that use the facilities themselves.
Click the link to view detailed findings and methodology: Metro Poll CalgaryNEXT January 2016