A District Designed to Expedite Calgary's Recovery
The Culture + Entertainment District will be Calgary’s next great city neighbourhood, the next chapter in downtown life, and an engine of development and tourism in a dynamic, evolving city.
The C+E will become – and has always been – a place of inspiring people and big ideas. As the Master Plan continues to evolve from a vision on paper to a multi-dimensional reality, The C+E Blog will periodically feature guest writers and thought-leaders— experts in the fields of placemaking, community-building and development to highlight how The C+E is shaping Calgary’s future.
In the first in a series of articles from Tourism Calgary, Cassandra McAuley, Vice President, Communications & Stakeholder Engagement, shares some thoughts on the role The C+E will play in Calgary’s recovery below.
A district designed to expedite Calgary’s recovery
By: Cassandra McAuley, Vice President Communications & Stakeholder Engagement, Tourism Calgary
Life in January 2021 is already much different than only a year ago when our critical tourism industry was celebrated for contributing over $2.5 billion annually to Calgary’s economy from over 7 million annual overnight visitors. To support this activity, one in 10 Albertans made their living in the tourism industry.
Ten months into the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the tourism industry – and all subsequent sectors – are facing a drastically different reality. While necessary for public health and safety to collectively slow the spread of the virus, closed borders, gathering restrictions and lock-downs forced the cancellation of events, the closure of businesses and put severe limitations on travel. Now, as vaccine distribution has begun locally, nationally and internationally, we must turn our attention to rebuilding a critical industry.
When comparing the rebuild of Calgary’s tourism industry to that of other destinations, The Culture + Entertainment District that’s beginning to take shape stands out as a competitive advantage that will expedite our recovery in tangible and exciting ways. Why? Because Calgary is a city with hosting in its DNA. Great hosts require both the love of hosting and great hosting infrastructure. With over 100 years of hosting the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, the Winter Olympics and hundreds of events every year, we already have an abundance of love for hosting. The C+E will take this to the next level by providing the infrastructure Calgary needs to host events of the future, for Calgarians and for visitors.
In 2017, Tourism Calgary unveiled Ultimate Hosts. Ultimate Host City; Calgary’s Destination Strategy. This long-term, stakeholder-led and endorsed framework presented recommendations to ensure our city continues to develop and remain relevant and vibrant for residents and visitors. Community-building projects within The C+E District like the BMO Centre Expansion and new Event Centre are key to actualizing multiple Destination Strategy recommendations, including supporting the attraction and hosting of events year-round.
In looking to the future and the return of large-scale events, Tourism Calgary is inspired by data that shows people are still driven by the desire to gather and feel like they are part of a community – even in the age of COVID-19. Designed to meet current and future needs, Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District and its associated infrastructure will provide a central and walkable hub that can accommodate safe and engaging gatherings, while expanding Calgary’s capacity to host the world for memorable events and moments.
The C+E will also serve to bolster iconic experiences like the Calgary Stampede, while paving the way for new experiences that contribute to quality of life, pride-of-place and well-being of the city through economic stimulus, job creation and participation opportunities.
As we continue to navigate the immense challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has presented for the tourism industry, we are energized by the perceived benefits of The C+E that are clearly reflected in Calgary’s local, national and international brand; the economy; the core of our city and our quality of life aspirations of being a vibrant and active city.
Tourism Calgary’s partnership with CMLC, Calgary Stampede and The City of Calgary have supported the alignment of strategies and advancement of collective goals to support economic impact, public safety, job creation and Calgary’s quality of life.
In this quarterly blog series, Tourism Calgary will dive into the programs, initiatives and strategies they are championing to support the success of Calgary’s C&E District and the development of our city for the benefit of Calgarians and visitors.
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