Over the coming days, MyMcMurray is profiling and publicizing the four shortlisted companies that the Municipality has selected for the downtown arena project. Their responses to a Request for Expressions of Interest were tabled as part of the provincial hearing on expropriation.
Two companies with plenty of experience building arenas have joined forces to bid to build the downtown sports and entertainment centre.
EllisDon Construction and Fengate Capital’s joint venture – known as Integrated Team Solutions – is one of four shortlisted candidates for the project.
EllisDon built Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton and the Skydome in Toronto, as well as major junior hockey rinks in London and Kingston, Ontario.
“Since its establishment 60 years ago, EllisDon has gained significant experience in the construction of downtown redevelopment projects, which have significant positive impact in those respective communities,” reads the company’s response to the municipality’s Request for Expressions of Interest in the project.
It says it would use local construction company Casman on the project.
“As Fort McMurray’s local Design Build firm, Casman will bring invaluable local knowledge of the site and Project stakeholders,” it reads.
Its selected architecture firm designed the Rogers Arena in Vancouver and the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, while it would use SMG for the rink’s operation.
“SMG is the “gold standard” in public facility management,” says the submission. “No municipality or outside management company can match the breadth and range of our capabilities.”
The group says the arena should go downtown, and it would design it for 7,000 seats.
“The downtown core of Fort McMurray is an ideal location for the future location of the Entertainment District,” the report reads, “as it offers the required visibility and volume of traffic that will be required to maintain the expected high level of use.”
It would also design ped-ways and tunnels to access nearby facilities.
“The design and function of the facility will closely reflect the K-Rock Centre [in Kingston]”, the company says. “Similarly, the proposed facility will reflect attributes of Prospera Place in Kelowna, B.C.”
April 12, 2013
