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MakeYEGGreatAgain said:
YYC benefits from a sleepy DeadEdmonton. Don't blame Calgary. Where are the attractions that have been built in the Edmonton area to attract tourists? Where are the big corporations that have filled downtown offices with high paying corporate jobs.
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Some is our fault, some not. Many of those big corporations are based in YYC and given the high office vacancy there, some are probably struggling to fill the space they already have there so are probably not looking elsewhere now.

We don't have the mountains nearby so there is less opportunity to attract tourists, but Edmonton also doesn't seem to make much of an effort to attract tourists, mostly just relying on what has been done here for decades - the mall, certain festivals. It is getting a bit tired.
 
Airboy said:
Found this today.
Porter Airlines has announced new service connecting Edmonton (YEG) and Vancouver (YVR) starting June 15, 2026
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You sure?
I know Porter's expansion from Vancouver is pretty long rumoured, but I can't find any press release about this. You could be confusing it with YHU-YEG which was announced on Tuesday and also begins mid-June.
 
IanO said:
^bingo. When WEM is your largest attraction, it says a lot.

Fix this.
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I don't think WEM being our largest attraction is a problem,. If it was in Calgary it would also be that city's largest attraction within its boundaries, wouldn't it?

It''s more about having a variety of different attractions, which we do. And we need to continue to grow those and add more.
 
TAS said:
I don't think WEM being our largest attraction is a problem,. If it was in Calgary it would also be that city's largest attraction within its boundaries, wouldn't it?

It''s more about having a variety of different attractions, which we do. And we need to continue to grow those and add more.
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Yes, well Chinook Centre in Calgary is very popular too, although I feel they have made more effort to modernize it and Southgate here too than West Ed has. I actually prefer both to West Ed.

The problem is it also West Ed tends to be the default location for some things that in most other cities are located downtown. Now its no longer the largest and has been around a long time I feel it mostly just attracts nearby regional visitors who mostly drive here, not fly.
 
David A said:
Yes, well Chinook Centre in Calgary is very popular too, although I feel they have made more effort to modernize it and Southgate here too than West Ed has. I actually prefer both to West Ed.

The problem is it also West Ed tends to be the default location for some things that in most other cities are located downtown. Now its no longer the largest and has been around a long time I feel it mostly just attracts nearby regional visitors who mostly drive here, not fly.
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The city should try to continue to grow the attractions we have and work to attract more - WEM is a nice potential add on for people who may come/fly here for folk fest, concerts, sporting events, Fringe, playoff hockey, conventions etc.
Downtown needs more residents, which it is building towards along with students/workers. Also infill is adding a lot more people in closer proximity to dt, which gives dt greater potential.
 
Folks, WEM is a fantastic attraction than many cities wish they had. It is a strength that needs to be built upon. We have been constantly bashing it instead of improving it. We only have ourselves to blame for the state the city is in. At least lrt will be going there, which is a massive improvement. The truth will come out when the lrt opens.
 
itom987 said:
It is a strength that needs to be built upon
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Agreed! It would be nice to see some of the parkades converted to residential towers on the WEM site and maybe a second hotel.
I also like the development happening at River Cree -- to add to that I would love to see a permanent exposition in the Rossdale flats -- the WInPEx concept that I have mentioned so many times -- where the power plant is incorporated, where RE/MAX Field is expanded and roofed over with an operable structure (whereby it could not only accommodate baseball but would also allow for super-sized events like Pow-Wows, "Indian Rodeos", large-scale Ag shows, etc.). WInPEx would be a major European attraction, based upon my experience living in Europe -- it would definitely have a major positive effect on downtown. Even K-days could relocate to the river valley with outsized support for Edmonton's Summer and Winter festivals as a bonus.
 
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IanO said:
Oh, nothing against WEM, but we need to create more unique and fun reasons for folks to visit and drive YEG traffic.

Jasper, some major new investment and commitment to resorts between Hinton and the park gate etc.
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When we moved to Edmonton, we were amazed at seeing bison up close and personal at Elk Island National Park. I think there is an opportunity to Lobby the feds to invest more at Elk Island. It would be neat to develop paved bicycle loops, for instance, which would be low impact could be an attraction for the region.
 
What may attract tourists to Edmonton:
- WEM
- Old Strathcona (people always seem to forget about this for some reason)
- ICE District
- tallest building in western Canada
- summer festivals, especially the world-renowned Folk Fest
- Commonwealth Stadium (concerts, sporting events)
- Royal Alberta Museum
- Arts District (Winspear, Citadel)
- Alberta Legislature grounds
- river valley
- Hawrelak Park (just re-opened)
- O-day-min Park
- Coronation Recreation Centre (just re-opened)
- U of A, MacEwan, Norquest and NAIT campuses
- sports teams (Oilers, Elks, Riverhawks etc.)
- Elk Island National park
- Jasper National Park
- nearby lakes, beaches and resorts
 
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