Why We Need the New Downtown Arena
'I Heart' delves into what this proposed arena district could mean for our city, and why so many are against it BY EMIL TIEDEMANN I DON'T have to tell you that one of the most talked-about topics in Edmonton over the last six months has been the proposal of a new downtown arena complex that promises to "revitalize" the area. It goes without saying. Every new development in the arena debate makes headline news, as reporters scramble to get the next big lead or, God forbid, a sound bite from the man responsible for the whole ordeal, Daryl Katz (pictured below left). The billionaire businessman behind the Rexall drug store chain remained tight-lipped about the details of the arena situation only until earlier this week, when his company The Katz Group took the next step* forward in greenlighting Edmonton's most profound project to date. Edmontonians have been particularly vocal about this proposal, as every Tom, Dick & Mary extend their two cents ...