Arena plan requires Flames to build relationship with city

The CalgaryNEXT proposal has been out of the limelight for four months, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been anything happening behind the scenes. (Courtesy CalgaryNEXT)It has been more than four months since the notion of building a new National Hockey League arena in Calgary has been discussed publicly by any of the stakeholders.

However, such silence should not be confused for inactivity or apathy.

Nor is it a product of boardroom battling.

In fact, by all accounts, significant progress is being made in terms of the relationship between the city and the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp. (CSEC), both of which are gaining a better understanding of the merits and the drawbacks of the…