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http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/...6-winter-games

The Canadian Olympic Committee has no offices west of Toronto.

But behind the scenes in Calgary, Postmedia has learned business and community leaders have been quietly meeting for more than 18 months about preparing a bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

If Los Angeles can bid, and possibly win, a second Olympics, the decision-makers in Calgary figure they can do the same and limit costs by using at least some of the facilities still in place from 1988.

The Olympic Oval, on the University of Calgary campus, would need a major upgrade. Same goes for the bobsleigh track, which is like a kiddie waterslide in the West Edmonton Mall waterpark compared to tracks like the Whistler Sliding Centre.

But Calgary has no problem finding a mountain suitable for the Olympic downhill with the Rockies on the doorstep (the lack of an alpine venue is a major sticking point for Quebec City, as the men’s downhill is akin to the men’s 100-metres in track and field for Olympic purists.)

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi is no fan of using public dollars to build a new arena for the National Hockey League Calgary Flames or stadium for the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. The Calgary Sport & Entertainment Corporation, which owns the Flames and Stampeders, officially unveiled plans last month for a $900-million arena, fieldhouse and stadium on the outskirts of downtown.

If the new mega-facility is tied to the Olympics – and creating a lasting legacy for the community – sources say Nenshi might be open to such a proposal.