[yeggator]

WEM will definitely draw people, but while it does employ a lot of people, my hunch is that you're still going to get more people on the Valley Line from Meadowlark going to Downtown (or Oliver, which is basically an extension of Downtown) than WEM on a Tuesday morning.

Sure there's the Mis, but Metro Line already has the Royal Alex and the VLSE has the Grey Nuns. And while Health Sciences does see significant commuter traffic, the number of people getting off there vs University Station most of the time is still significant.

Being able to connect seamlessly from anywhere on the Capital Line (the University in particular) to Oliver and all of its places to eat will be a huge boon for the Valley Line.

 

[dunno]

ALOT of people that work at WEM live in downtown Edmonton.

A lot of people that live around WEM work in Downtown Edmonton. Next.

 

[The_Cat]

^Then it's a win-win for both. I'm thinking WEM has more people there on weekends than downtown.

 

[TAS]

^Then it's a win-win for both. I'm thinking WEM has more people there on weekends than downtown.

It's not even close. Even on Oilers game nights it doesn't come close to WEM's busy days.

The mall receives about 32 million visitors per year; it attracts between 90,000 and 200,000 shoppers daily, depending on the day and season.

WEM has more than 800 stores. Does dt even have 1/4 of that?

 

[David A]

It's not even close. Even on Oilers game nights it doesn't come close to WEM's busy days.

The mall receives about 32 million visitors per year; it attracts between 90,000 and 200,000 shoppers daily, depending on the day and season.

WEM has more than 800 stores. Does dt even have 1/4 of that?

Unfortunately, downtown does not really have much retail to attract people, few destination stores and considerably less than 5 or 10 years ago.

Not much growth in corporate or head offices either, so really just one thing to attract people is entertainment, which unfortunately can only do so much.

Rather than having a three legged stool our current downtown strategy is to pretend one leg is good enough. That strategy will not work.

 

[dunno]

It's not even close. Even on Oilers game nights it doesn't come close to WEM's busy days.

The mall receives about 32 million visitors per year; it attracts between 90,000 and 200,000 shoppers daily, depending on the day and season.

WEM has more than 800 stores. Does dt even have 1/4 of that?

Be that as it may, it also has the largest parking lot in the world. The LRT will likely shift the modal share a bit more towards transit, but a lot of those shoppers are still gonna be driving and parking.

 

[The_Cat]

I'm guessing there could be more residential construction around WEM

 

[The_Cat]

I also imagine that there could be condos at the SE corner of 170 Street/87 Avenue.

 

[Kosy123]

WEM could be our Metrotown equivalent if the stars align.

Personally still rooting for Meadowlark to be our Brentwood lol

 

[dkazzed]

WEM could be our Metrotown equivalent if the stars align.

Personally still rooting for Meadowlark to be our Brentwood lol

Did you mean

BRE
NTW
OOD

?

 

[IanO]

I'm guessing there could be more residential construction around WEM

Who remembers the hotel, conference centre, arena and rental tower(s) proposal just east of the waterpark?

 

[Habibfazil]

Who remembers the hotel, conference centre, arena and rental tower(s) proposal just east of the waterpark?

On the south or north side of the mall. I am surprised the apartment complex just south of the miz hasn't been redeveloped yet, it would be a gold mine.

 

[IanO]

^south side of the mall

^it's a long-term plan for the owner.

 

[David A]

I am thinking those apartments predate the mall and maybe even the hospital. Now with the LRT, coming that would be an even better location for higher density residential.

 

[thommyjo]

175k in February. Or about 6000/day.

Expectations were 30k/day. Source: https://andrewknack.ca/blog/valley-line-lrt

20% of expectations is concerning, no?