IMO, the argument over whether we made or lost money is more to distract than anything else. OCO made money and VANOC closed down debt-free. These are both facts.
Also a fact is that three levels of government spent money themselves. In the case of Calgary, that money produced a suite of sporting facilities that we have enjoyed for three decades, Olympic Plaza and the Olympic Village that became student accommodations at the U of C. We have also become a go-to destination for world level sporting events and the heart of Canada's winter sport program.
When I look at that, I find the quibbling about profit or loss to be rather pointless.
The issue for 2026 is that the costs will be far higher, and the odds of repeating those benefits are less likely. But it still comes down to what we get for our money. If we come out of a 2026 games with renovated or replaced sporting infrastructure (necessary anyway as these buildings are nearing the end of their life spans), a new Olympic Village that spurs development (west village?), and some useful transportation upgrades (i.e.: LRT Airport spur to the green line), then the cost may be justifiable.
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