Quote:
Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz
And my point stands with many, many more counter examples.
I'll grant that Calgary and Vancouver are good examples of how to host a games, but those are definitely not the norm, and there are no gaurantees that the 2026 games would go as well as those other games.
If there were assurances in place that the IOC would make up the difference should the games run a deficit, then great, but until I see that, I'm not going to support a bid for what could be a very costly event.
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What counter examples though? Sochi? Rio? Athens? Those are government bodies with absolutely no fiscal responsibility and absolutely no vision in how to fund the Games / build these facilities for legacy purposes in a sustainable manner. They should never be used an an example of how to host an international event. Vancouver and Calgary hosted financially successful Olympic Games which benefited the communities they were held in.
Calgary going forward, in particular, does not need to build a brand new highway (on a difficult coastal terrain, no less), and does not need to build a completely new rail / underground train system. The most critical piece of civic infrastructure will be an LRT airport connector, and that's likely it (plus the Green Line, is already being funded outside of any Olympic funding). That cost will be less than what Vancouver spent. The link I provided had VANOC state they came out debt-free. Why can't Calgary do that?
Admittedly, one thing I would like the IOC to cover in the cost of security. That's one area of spending that they should be taking on the full risk.