Should Calgary bid for another Olympics?

[stampsx2]

Should Calgary bid for another Olympics or are we happy being remembered for the 88 Olympics? Do you think Calgary even has a realistic chance in 2022 since it was just held in Vancouver? Could Calgary possibly handle a summer Olympic bid?

The city has a whole lot to be proud of and hosting the Olympics would be a good way to show it off. We've grown a lot since 88, bigger city, almost double the people, better transportation, a new arena possibly coming etc. Plus, if any town knows how to throw a party, Calgary is definitely one of them.


By the way I'm not promoting any mayors. Especially ones that make endless promises.

[Joborule]

It's a nice pipedream to have either one of them within the next 30 years or so. But I think that's all it is. And wouldn't be worth putting a ton of money into.

[Lego Man]

Is Montreal/Quebec able to host one? If not, the US might get one on the next rotation before Calgary does. I would be in favour of course. As long as they host it before 2040, i'd be satisfied. After Russia, I think asia is next in line no?

[Addick]

Calgary could definitely host another Winter Olympics and they should try to host it again. Especially if they want to reuse some of the previous games-specific infrastructure, they should try to host them in a reasonably short time frame (i.e. taking into account games rotation and such). In regards to the Summer Olympics, nothing is impossible but one needs to know their limits. The summer games wouldn't be worth the massive effort or cost.

[getbak]

This seems about right: 2024 in Toronto, then Calgary 2038 for the 50th Anniversary of the 88 Games. 14 years between games in Canada, which is a lot more frequent than most countries.

How I could see it working out:

2012 - London
2014 - Sochi
2016 - Rio
2018 - South Korea - Winter
2020 - South Africa - Summer
2022 - USA (Denver?) - Winter
2024 - Toronto - Summer
2026 - Argentina - Winter (give it a try)
2028 - Major European City - Summer
2030 - Somewhere in Scandinavia - Winter
2032 - USA - Summer
2034 - Asia - Winter
2036 - Australia - Summer
2038 - Calgary - Winter

[Hack&Lube]

No, it'd be a complete waste of time and taxpayer money to even formulate a bid.

Any 88 games specific infrastructure that we still have would be totally half a century out of date by the time enough time has even possibly passed for this even to be considered a 1% possibility.

No Winter Olympics site has ever repeated in the modern era from a successful bid.

The only time a site hosted twice in the modern era was Innusbruck because after Denver had won the 76 games, they backed out at the last minute because the Colorado voters voted against using public funds for it. Innusbruck didn't even make a bid, the IOC selected it as the fall back plan.

Even if you consider the entire history of the Winter Olympics, the only other site that repeated was Lake Placid and that was because Vancouver pulled out and nobody else ran against them in the vote for the 1980 games!

[3 Justin 3]

Calgary should put another bid in for sure. I'd gladly pay my tax money for the Olympics rather than infrastructure which takes 10 years to build and is half assed.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Even if you consider the entire history of the Winter Olympics, the only other site that repeated was Lake Placid and that was because Vancouver pulled out and nobody else ran against them in the vote for the 1980 games!

Not true... St. Moritz also hosted twice.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by SebC

Not true... St. Moritz also hosted twice.

Los Angeles has also hosted twice. And as of 2012, London will have hosted 3 times. I don't think the IOC would have a problem granting the games to a city that's already hosted them.

As for the suggestion that Calgary hosting a dozen years after Vancouver wouldn't happen.....1984 (LA), 1996 (Atlanta), 2002 (Salt Lake). 3 games in 18 years....

That said, I'm about 45% for / 55% against another bid. I'm all for associating with the ideals of sport - dedication, fair play, integrity, hard work, etc.....but these are qualities that are (more or less) trumped at the Olympics by unbridled commercialism. I don't know that I want my city associated with that any more than it already is.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

No, it'd be a complete waste of time and taxpayer money to even formulate a bid.

Any 88 games specific infrastructure that we still have would be totally half a century out of date by the time enough time has even possibly passed for this even to be considered a 1% possibility.

No Winter Olympics site has ever repeated in the modern era from a successful bid.

The only time a site hosted twice in the modern era was Innusbruck because after Denver had won the 76 games, they backed out at the last minute because the Colorado voters voted against using public funds for it. Innusbruck didn't even make a bid, the IOC selected it as the fall back plan.

Even if you consider the entire history of the Winter Olympics, the only other site that repeated was Lake Placid and that was because Vancouver pulled out and nobody else ran against them in the vote for the 1980 games!

I don't really see what any of this, save the first two paragraphs, has to do with anything. There are a limited number of cities that really have the ability or interest to host the winter games, and Calgary is among them. When you have only had 20 events you wouldn't expect a lot of repeats, but there were plenty. The cause isn't important, the same causes could arise for Calgary in say 2038 as did Lake Placid in 1980. The IOC has shown a desire to bring the games to North America, and they aren't likely to grant them to American cities over and over again so that leaves Canada. I'd be stunned if Canada doesn't host another winter games in the next 30 years. If that happens Calgary would certainly be in the mix.

Calgary's existing infrastructure will not be useful for the most part, but nothing indicates that Calgary has any interest in simply watching that infrastructure deteriorate. The only venues I really see a potential issue with are the sliding tracks and the oval, and of course the ski jumps which are already obsolete. The sliding tracks can likely be maintained, they'd have to be if Calgary wants to continue to be a world cup site, but the oval might need major updates by then. It's hard to say though, the oval is still pretty state of the art in terms of speed skating venues, will much change in another 30 years? Other venues will be updating for other reasons, there will without a doubt be a new arena sometime in the next 10 years, the nordic center has always been top class, there are numerous possible venues for skiing events, and other events are pretty much always held at temporary or converted venues.

[Rhettzky]

I think Calgary could host another olympic event 30ish years from now (50 year anniversary of '88 sounded really good to me). But I think running for mayor of Calgary in the same year as the Vancouver olympics with an olympic bid as part of your platform is idiotic. The guy is pandering for votes of the nostalgic.

[Cowperson]

If the IOC wants to pay us to host their fundraiser, I'd be all for it.

Cowperson

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by SebC

Not true... St. Moritz also hosted twice.

Lake Placid as well.

[Muta]

I would imagine that a bullet train between Calgary and Edmonton may be an unofficial pre-requisite for Calgary to be considered a serious contender for any more Olympic Games.

And I'm in favour of this.

I'd rather my money goes to an Olympic bid than interchanges on the perimeters of the city I'd never use.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by mpaca

After Russia, I think asia is next in line no?

Russia IS in Asia.... unless they have redone the continents...

[getbak]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

Russia IS in Asia.... unless they have redone the continents...

Russia spans the two continents.

The Ural Mountains are generally considered the dividing line between European Russia and Asian Russia. Sochi is on the European side of that line.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by getbak

This seems about right: 2024 in Toronto, then Calgary 2038 for the 50th Anniversary of the 88 Games. 14 years between games in Canada, which is a lot more frequent than most countries.

How I could see it working out:

2012 - London
2014 - Sochi
2016 - Rio
2018 - South Korea - Winter
2020 - South Africa - Summer
2022 - USA (Denver?) - Winter
2024 - Toronto - Summer
2026 - Argentina - Winter (give it a try)
2028 - Major European City - Summer
2030 - Somewhere in Scandinavia - Winter
2032 - USA - Summer
2034 - Asia - Winter
2036 - Australia - Summer
2038 - Calgary - Winter

That's not far off but I'm pretty sure Quebec City will get one before Calgary ever does again. Especially with good old Marcel Aubut at the helm. Don't think Toronto will ever get a summer games.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

Calgary should put another bid in for sure. I'd gladly pay my tax money for the Olympics rather than infrastructure which takes 10 years to build and is half assed.

But infrastructure and major events go hand in hand right? If we didn't have the Olympics, would we have a C-Train? If Calgary had won the bid for EXPO 2005 we would have had a full ring-road 10 years ago. Even the WEST LRT might have been done already.

If Vancouver didn't get the Olympics, would the road to Whister have ever been expanded?

Major events speeds up everything!

[troutman]

For sure. How many other cities in North America (Canada) can realistically do it?

[Pastiche]

Depends, do you want to pay for the Olympics?