Report: Toronto out on 2024 Olympic bid -- Should Calgary bid for 2026?

[getbak]

The Toronto Star is reporting that Toronto will not be submitting a bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics: http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hal...st-minute.html

Toronto will not be hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics with Mayor John Tory deciding not to enter the city into the competitive bid process, the Star has learned.

The mayor’s office would not confirm Tory’s position ahead of the deadline to submit a formal letter to the International Olympic Committee by 6 p.m. Tuesday. But two sources with knowledge of the decision say after weeks of deliberation the talks of a bid are now over.

Tory is scheduled to make the announcement standing in front of city hall Tuesday morning.

After the successful Pan-Am Games earlier this summer, there was a lot of speculation that Toronto would be submitting a bid for the Olympics. Tomorrow is the deadline for notifying the IOC of a city's intention to bid.

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With no Canadian bid for the Summer Games on the horizon, does this open the door for Calgary to put forward a bid to host the 2026 Winter Games? The Winter Olympics are a lot bigger and more expensive than they were in 1988. Is that a financial burden we want to take on?

1988 definitely put Calgary on the world's stage, and is something those of us who were here at the time will remember forever.

We have a lot of venues still in place, and should be able to reuse many of them with minor renovations. 2026 would also work well into the timing for the plans for CalgaryNext because the new arena would be ready for hockey, while the Saddledome would be available to host the figure skating and short track events.

If the bids for 2022 are any indication, the interest level in hosting the Winter Games is quite low, so a Calgary bid would likely be the favourite going in.


Would you support a Calgary 2026 bid, or is it just too expensive to host one of these things ever again?

[JBR]

No. Too expensive. If you think it's a bad thing to put some public money towards something like CalgaryNEXT, just wait until you see what amount of public dough would be needed to bid/host an Olympics. The cost of the bid alone may pay for a good portion of creosote cleanup in WV.

[Mango]

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.

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

[GirlySports]

Good move 2024 is going to Europe for sure.

2028 would be the better move.

Calgary Olympics would make money. Go for it.

[craigwd]

I'm quite saddened by this decision as I think Toronto would have had a really good chance with the new IOC guidelines. I just believe that the naysayers and council are being incredibly shortsighted.

Games can make money and the benefit goes beyond sport. The PanAms were incredible for athletes, artists, fans, infrastructure, cultural events etc and an Olympic Games would have taken that a leap further.

Of course I think another Games in this city would be very successful but the venues would require some MAJOR renovations and some big builds would be required. Plus, unfortunately I foresee the same shortsightedness harming the chances of it happening.

[Street Pharmacist]

What was the last successful games economically? Must be a very long time ago. I don't think they can really be successful anymore

[GirlySports]

London 2012 made money. Vancouver was close.

Olympics arent the money pit theyre made out to be unless youre communist or 3rd world.

Rio will lose a fortune. Pyeongchang will be fine.

[undercoverbrother]

I wonder if this should be merged with the thread in FOI discussing this topic.