Calgary Flames arena plan set to be unveiled

The big question is: who's going to pay?

A plan for a new arena for the Calgary Flames, dubbed Calgary Next,will be announced tomorrow, but the details are thin at this time. The complex is expected to include a hockey arena, a football stadium for the Calgary Stampeders and a fieldhouse for amateur sports.

The Conference Board of Canada's chief economist,Glen Hodgson,says it could cost as much as $700million, and these projects are usually built with a mix of public and private money.

"It really comes down to the passion of the community, but also the economics of the project," he said."I mean there may be cases where the blending of public and private becomes a model which makes it sustainable."

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley isn't necessarily opposed to the idea of using public funds for the project, which is expected to be located on the west end of downtown Calgary.

"Our view certainly when we were in opposition around the Edmonton arena was that no, that's not the first priority for government funds.But you know what? I'm going to keep an open mind," she said while in Calgary yesterday, referencing the large-scale Ice District project.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi has maintainedthe city should not fund a private arena.

There will be an announcement to season ticket holders tomorrow, with a separate announcement for media at 2:30 p.m. MT.