[News] UPD: Calgary City Council approves exploratory bid study for 2026 Olympics

[stamps]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

You say this, and yet the legacy of the Olympics gives us more publicly usable spaces than a new arena gifted to billionaires would. Amateur sport getting support is a good thing.

I'd love to see the Olympics here and I do think they offer a good legacy for the city, but the numbers don't make sense for Calgary right now. I'd also love the Flames to stay put in a new arena, but not for what they're asking for right now. Right now, I don't think the money works for either of these.

I agree that funding amateur sport is important , we should do it ... the mayors attitude towards our owners who have ties to this city and have created a lot of wealth here for themselves and this city is rather disheartening ... at the same time the attitude towards an Olympic games that the IOC would make hundreds of millions on via our games is the exact opposite ... with no guarantee of not losing a lot of money ...

[getbak]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Do you know that for city projects sometimes money comes from the city, sometimes from the province and sometimes from the federal government?

With regards to a hockey arena vs Olympic venues which one do you think has federal money being put into our city? And therefore which one do you think Nenshi is most likely to get behind?

Also, here's a crazy idea... Hockey arenas are Olympic venues. The most expensive venue likely to be built for an Olympics will be the arena. Guess what will happen with that arena after the Olympics are over?

It's not an "either-or" situation. It's an "also-and" situation.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by getbak

Also, here's a crazy idea... Hockey arenas are Olympic venues. The most expensive venue likely to be built for an Olympics will be the arena. Guess what will happen with that arena after the Olympics are over?

It's not an "either-or" situation. It's an "also-and" situation.

Yep, which is why it would be crazy for Nenshi or the Flames to not wait for this Olympic process to run it's course first.

[northcrunk]

Can we just stop wasting money on this now?

They are sending the committee as well as the Mayor and a couple MLAs to S Korea on our dime to 'study' the Olympics. ####ing corrupt.

The city is fine making the Midfield folks homeless and calling them hold outs for not accepting a $40k loss on their homes while they take a $250,000 vacation. They can all kiss my ass.

The City of Calgary is paying for two MLAs to attend the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics in South Korea alongside three city staff, and potentially Mayor Naheed Nenshi, as part of efforts to evaluate a potential 2026 Olympic bid.

http://calgarysun.com/news/local-new...2-2670f0686473

[pylon]

It seems absolutely asinine that The City is entertaining an Olympic bid, which will be a guaranteed money loser in the billions, and not just frikking give the Flames an arena instead.

At least with the Flames you can justify 30 years of some sort of return. Transit, parking, business that will thrive off the team staying, renewed development around the arena. If they were so dumb to build an Arena 100% all-in, and gifted it to the Flames, it's gonna cost all of us less than what the city will lose by trying to host a modern day Olympic Games. All so Nenshi can have that feather in his cap.

I would guarantee if it went to a public vote, given the choice, more Calgarians than not, would forgo the Olympics, if it meant keeping the Flames for 30 years. The Flames over their history have cumulatively contributed more to the identity and pride of this City than '88 ever did. Woohoo! Eddie the Eagle! Heidi and Howdy! Elizabeth Manley copying every other athlete and biting a silver medal (supposed to bite the gold ones BTW.) Jamaicans being totally not Jamaican! That's about the highlight reel right there. I'll take 82 games a year, every year if my taxes are funding something. Not a guaranteed multi billion dollar money pit.

It's no wonder Edwards won't talk to these assclowns. If I was him, I'd be doing anything I could to sell or move the team.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by getbak

Also, here's a crazy idea... Hockey arenas are Olympic venues. The most expensive venue likely to be built for an Olympics will be the arena. Guess what will happen with that arena after the Olympics are over?

It's not an "either-or" situation. It's an "also-and" situation.

Not if your proposing on using the brand new arena of your most hated rival to save money. Which is being floated out there. Oh, and also let's use Whistlers facilities too!

What a gong show.

[Bunk]

^ On the flip side, why doesn't Edwards and the ownership group just pay for it themselves? It's not for lack of available wealth. How many $billions does one actually need? If it's such a money making enterprise to have a new arena surely the investment will pay off over time in any event.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Bunk

^ On the flip side, why doesn't Edwards and the ownership group just pay for it themselves? It's not for lack of available wealth. How many $billions does one actually need? If it's such a money making enterprise to have a new arena surely the investment will pay off over time in any event.

because rich people didn't get rich by making poor financial decisions?? Seriously if i could get the government to pay 1/2 my mortgage I'd damn well try too.

[DiracSpike]

The only places in Canada where a privately funded arena is feasible are Toronto or Montreal. The Flames and City need to work together and both are going to have to contribute money that they won't get back to get this deal done.

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by DiracSpike

The only places in Canada where a privately funded arena is feasible are Toronto or Montreal. The Flames and City need to work together and both are going to have to contribute money that they won't get back to get this deal done.

Doesn't that say something about the long-term feasibility of a business/enterprise/league/industry...

Perhaps the NHL should change it's business model before we gift 1/31 of the owners a free stadium?

[DiracSpike]

Originally Posted by Cappy

Doesn't that say something about the long-term feasibility of a business/enterprise/league/industry...

It says something about the NHL, yes. It also says something about how big a city has to be to justify having a building.

Originally Posted by Cappy

Perhaps the NHL should change it's business model before we gift 1/31 of the owners a free stadium?

It'd be nice if that happened, clearly player salaries are way too high. However, "gifted" implies the city is paying for all of it. It's unreasonable to expect either side to pay for all of it.

I'm just stating what needs to happen, not justifying any of it. If people don't want the city to contribute any kind of assistance that's fine, they're certainly entitled to that opinion and there's merit to it. But that has to come with the realization that the Flames need public money to build a new arena, and without a new one they will be sold and relocated, eventually. That's just the reality of the situation.

[CPK80]

Here is a good look back on the Van Olympics; The Olympics that we should be comparing not Sochi or Rio.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/02/t...olympic-games/

And for someone who travels to Vancouver 4/5 times a year and knows many people that live there. I don't hear any regret from hosting. And just a reminder this Olympics happened just after one of the Worlds largest financial crisis.

[Kipper_3434]

I wish this thread was locked away in the off topic forum.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Dan02

because rich people didn't get rich by making poor financial decisions?? Seriously if i could get the government to pay 1/2 my mortgage I'd damn well try too.

So is it the municipal government’s responsibility to make the owners 100% whole and more? Of course I believe the public should play some role based on the nature of the facility, but this is obsenstivly a private for profit enterprise.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

I wish this thread was locked away in the off topic forum.

Do you have to click on it because it's in the FOI forum? I'm confused.

[transplant99]

Its a remarkable dichotomy on behalf of Nenshi. No way we are funding a new arena, but lets host an Olympics that will cost 10 times that of an arena, and that will require an arena to be built!

I guess its all part of his master plan and being the smartest guy in the room. I mean afterall, his history shows it. 400 cities worldwide somehow managed to exist with Uber, but not Calgary...oh no. Its way to dangerous....well until it wasn't anymore. Oh and it was fine to use in other cities by his highness.

Every team in the CFL has a better/newer/legitimate stadium. Not Calgary though fellas...no way. Too expensive, and they are privately owned. No public money for that my friend. Never mind talk of afield house/stadia has been around for 20+ years, it's not his problem and he isn't going to go to bat for the amateur sports that could use such a facility and need it...badly.

It's amazing what he values as important for the city, and what he doesn't. I have a feeling this next 4 years is going to be a time that Calgarians end up really wondering what it was that made them re-elect this guy.

An Olympics is a really good legacy project though....no question about that.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Its a remarkable dichotomy on behalf of Nenshi. No way we are funding a new arena, but lets host an Olympics that will cost 10 times that of an arena, and that will require an arena to be built!

I guess its all part of his master plan and being the smartest guy in the room. I mean afterall, his history shows it. 400 cities worldwide somehow managed to exist with Uber, but not Calgary...oh no. Its way to dangerous....well until it wasn't anymore. Oh and it was fine to use in other cities by his highness.

Every team in the CFL has a better/newer/legitimate stadium. Not Calgary though fellas...no way. Too expensive, and they are privately owned. No public money for that my friend. Never mind talk of afield house/stadia has been around for 20+ years, it's not his problem and he isn't going to go to bat for the amateur sports that could use such a facility and need it...badly.

It's amazing what he values as important for the city, and what he doesn't. I have a feeling this next 4 years is going to be a time that Calgarians end up really wondering what it was that made them re-elect this guy.

An Olympics is a really good legacy project though....no question about that.

A) the deal he supported did include public money - speaking of dichotomies- yours is a false one, not supporting 100% public funding does not equal no public funding. The Mayor has stated repeatedly the City didn’t table a final offer and will return to the table whenever the Flames want to.

B) hosting an Olympics is contingent on a good deal from the IOC to make sure it’s financially sustainable. This has been made clear many times.

C) Calgary has Uber. Capitulating to every demand, particularly a company like Uber is not in the public interest. It took a little longer, but a good deal is better than a bad deal done quickly.

D) the City doesn’t have much to do with McMahon. Owned by the University and therefore the Province. The City could participate, but certainly not the obvious choice to lead on a project that’s not really their jurisdiction.

[Tyler]

This thread really shows you who actually reads the news and who only reads Facebook

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Bunk

D) the City doesn’t have much to do with McMahon. Owned by the University and therefore the Province. The City could participate, but certainly not the obvious choice to lead on a project that’s not really their jurisdiction.

What does the current location of McMahon have to do with anything? The city can build a new stadium anywhere else in the city.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by stamps

Paying property tax will more than recoup the city's contribution over 35 years I think is what the Flames are getting at , so essentially the Flames do end up paying for the whole thing plus ... the user fee's collected are really Flames revenue so that third is being defined as Flames contribution by the franchise ... I bet the indirect funding from the city (17th ave extension and under passes etc) would also be covered by the property tax so that is probably where Ken King gets his 120% the Flames end up eventually paying .... I can see why the Flames would turn this down ... there has to be some middle ground here ...

We’ve been over this. Paying property tax is not “repaying the city”.