[Senator Clay Davis]

It's actually mentioned in the Herald too....in an article about hosting the Olympics is the only way to fast track LRT to the airport...

During a breakfast address hosted by the Calgary Chamber, Nenshi said a train extension to the airport, labelled a medium-term priority in the city’s 30-year transit strategic plan, could be fast-tracked if Calgary secures the Winter Games.

Nenshi told the crowd a link to the airport is low on the priority list, behind the Green Line LRT project, an extended northeast line and an expanded Bus Rapid Transit system across the city.

“And then, the airport transit will connect to the Green Line and the Blue Line across the north end of the city down Airport Trail. But, that’s not going to happen anytime soon — unless, of course, we get the Olympics,” he told the crowd.

Later in the day, Nenshi told reporters that expediting the transit priorities detailed in the RouteAhead strategic plan approved by council in 2013, including the $175-million train extension to the airport, “would be a great thing.”

“The airport transit connection is quite low on the list. But, that said, if we were to get a whole bunch of federal funding for something like the Olympics, that would actually allow us to accelerate the whole list,” he said.

Coun. Jim Stevenson, whose ward includes the airport, said the $295-million airport tunnel was designed to accommodate an eventual LRT expansion, though passenger demand for a link doesn’t currently exist.

“The possibility of the Winter Olympics is 10 years away. I’ve always said the demand would likely by there within 10 years, so maybe we can tie it all together. You never know,” he said.

While a city report pegged the cost of the CalgaryNEXT project at $1.8 billion — more than double the $890 million price tag initially put forward in 2015 — the ownership group has disputed the city’s estimate and said including remediation of the creosote-contaminated West Village, the price tag is $1.3 billion before financing.

“Both of those numbers are unattainable in this economy, so unless that project changes very significantly, I cannot see the public supporting that level of public money into that level of private investment,” Nenshi said Tuesday.

The mayor reiterated that discussions about a second plan “that requires much less public money and has much more public benefit” continue to take place.

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...t-transit-link