The Future is Yet To Come...

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National Vision and Support to SaveTheColiseum.ca

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Like the successful movement to save the Old Royal Alberta Museum (RAM) for the benefit of the community, a similar case can be made for SaveTheColiseum.ca — a development strategy that provides a detailed layout of proposed features and long-term benefits for Edmonton and beyond.

A Vision for an International Tourism Hub

The proposed development plan reimagines the Edmonton Coliseum as an International Tourism Hub that integrates medical, educational, arts, music, and cultural community facilities. This innovative reuse approach would save billions of dollars in new construction and demolition costs, while preserving a vital piece of Edmonton’s history.
Many of these same development concepts can also be applied to the revitalization of the Old RAM.

Financial and Community Benefits

Restoration and reuse estimates for the Coliseum range from $15 million to $30 million, depending on code requirements, intended use, and space leasing. Once restored, the building’s future value is projected at $1.2 billion — a significant contrast to the current plan to demolish it, which would cost taxpayers over $100 million and result in little more than an empty parking lot.

Adding insult to injury, this demolition plan could contribute to an additional 5% increase in annual property taxes.
SaveTheColiseum.ca proposes a better alternative:

  • Return the $35 million set aside for demolition to property owners.

  • Reallocate the $37.5 million provincial contribution toward restoration of the Edmonton Coliseum.

This would transform the facility into Edmonton’s Event Centre, while also enabling the creation of 2,500 affordable housing units downtown — giving a much-needed boost to Edmonton’s urban core by increasing foot traffic, supporting local businesses, and attracting new investment.

Smarter Urban Development

Unlike the current Exhibition Lands redevelopment plan, which envisions only 250–500 affordable units, SaveTheColiseum.ca’s proposal more than doubles that number to 1,000–2,000 affordable housing units in rapid-build complexes similar to those in Griesbach.

In addition, the plan includes five Las Vegas–style resort hotels, each supporting the surrounding affordable housing complexes by providing ongoing services, employment opportunities, and economic activity.

Building Canada Strong

We believe both the Old RAM and the Edmonton Coliseum must be saved and repurposed. Furthermore, community leagues across Edmonton should be allocated the $30 million they need to properly maintain their facilities.

Our hope is that Edmonton’s new City Council, along with provincial and federal partners, will recognize the financial savings, historical value, and national significance of this project. Together, we can make the preservation and adaptive reuse of these buildings a key component of a national economic plan to Build Canada Strong.