Should Calgary Bid on the 2026 Olympics

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Why in the world would they do that?Why spend money when they dont have to?

Because it doesn't happen otherwise? I mean... the IOC came out and said the Dome was fine for Hockey and Figure Skating so the city doesn't have to build a new high capacity arena at all. So the City goes to CSEC and says "we're getting X money from the feds/prov we'll spend Y of that on a new arena if you agree to this deal... if you don't that's fine we'll use the money on something else and make do with what we have".

Frankly though, I hope none of that matters... I don't want the games. Even if we do them on a budget they'll still cost to much.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Halfpipe and slopstyle would very likely be held at COP. Not sure if COP could do moguls.

I think you put moguls, aerials, and Big Air where the ski jumps are now. Ski jumps are useless now.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Shazam

They'd have to make brand new tracks. Not sure there's enough hill. The ones there are considered beginner now.

Calgary's Olympic sliding track is getting a makeover after three decades and a quarter of a million bobsled, luge and skeleton runs.
A $20-million renovation scheduled for the summer of 2018 will dramatically alter the upper section of the track at Canada Olympic Park, which has been the home of Canada's sliding teams since it was built for the 1988 Winter Games....


Calgary is currently exploring a possible bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The sliding track project was going ahead regardless, Heck said, but it would dovetail nicely with a bid should it happen.
"The beautiful thing about it is, and I don't want to trivialize $20 million, but you'll end up with a modernized, world-class track for a fraction of the cost of a new one, which would be one hundred and forty or fifty million dollars," Heck said.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...lion-1.4056516

If this thread has taught me one thing, is that people have already formed opinions and have knee-jerk answers to problems that have already been solved.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by CPK80

Or the City could contract it out to a 3rd party to operate who can use it for concerts/e-sports/other events and charge more then the $1 that they charge the flames now for the Saddledome.

Chris

Except no one will take on that responsibility in a city this size without an anchor tenant...so again, why would the Flames invest in an arena they have no say in when they can just let taxpayers dollars pay for the whole thing, and then negotiate a friendly lease?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Because it doesn't happen otherwise? I mean... the IOC came out and said the Dome was fine for Hockey and Figure Skating so the city doesn't have to build a new high capacity arena at all. So the City goes to CSEC and says "we're getting X money from the feds/prov we'll spend Y of that on a new arena if you agree to this deal... if you don't that's fine we'll use the money on something else and make do with what we have".

Frankly though, I hope none of that matters... I don't want the games. Even if we do them on a budget they'll still cost to much.

Impossible. Way to many events for that to be the case. Its good enough to host ONE of them, they happen simultaneously.

If there is no new arena involved, there is no Olympics.

Here is the Pyeongchang competition schedule. They had 3 full sized arenas.

https://www.olympic.org/pyeongchang-...n-schedule.htm

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Think COP could handle that with spectators? I didnt think it could, though admittedly thats just from my looking at things. Moguls and big air maybe...but again room for those who want to attend?

The moguls and aerials end in the landing area for the ski jumps. They'd get to use that amphitheatre. They could probably make enough room for spectators there to have the most for any moguls event.

They'd be able to set up stands for the Halfpipe as well.

And no MacPhail wouldn't work for curling as it is set up currently. No where near enough seating. Perhaps the IOC doesnt really care about that though?

There are lots of curling clubs in Calgary that could handle them as well, but again with very limited seating.

You can't go saying that MMC doesn't have enough seating then talk about curling clubs in the city that could handle them. 4000 at MMC might not be ideal, but it should be good enough. They hold the Grand Slam events there, and it would certainly be cozy, but would still work.

Originally Posted by Shazam

There is no way halfpipe could be done at COP. COP is tiny. My 9 year old skis from the top for crying out loud.

Maybe moguls at best.

They've built Olympic spec halfpipes there for years.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Impossible.

and yet true...

https://globalnews.ca/news/3981850/i...city-director/

... I realize you (for some reason) desperately want the Flames to get some more leverage here but really they don't.

[bossy22]

COP couldn't hold slopestyle. It isn't big enough.
The halfpipe would work. Ours is 22 ft, same as the x-games. But I don't know the length.
COP currently holds moguls, but talking with a couple of the national team athletes, it's the worst course on the circuit. Something about the angle change in the middle, so that would have to be fixed. There isn't anywhere for Big Air.
The ski jumps are useless. I'm pretty sure a crap ton of money was paid in 2015 to maintain it and only the small jumps are used for training a few athletes. I would have to find that article. The top of the large jump houses powerwatts.
Also, parking at COP is horrible. I guess you could had a parking lot west of winsport and shuttle people.

Nakiska could easily take on Slopestyle, and Moguls. They already do ski cross nationals there, and could probably add big air out there as well.
For downhill skiing, it would be ideal at Lake Louise.

[Hemi-Cuda]

I'm sure the IOC has always been corrupt, but it's never been this blatant our out in the open. I don't know how anyone can advocate giving them billions of dollars after watching the debacles unfold in Russia and Brazil

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

The moguls and aerials end in the landing area for the ski jumps. They'd get to use that amphitheatre. They could probably make enough room for spectators there to have the most for any moguls event.

They'd be able to set up stands for the Halfpipe as well.


You can't go saying that MMC doesn't have enough seating then talk about curling clubs in the city that could handle them. 4000 at MMC might not be ideal, but it should be good enough. They hold the Grand Slam events there, and it would certainly be cozy, but would still work.



They've built Olympic spec halfpipes there for years.

I was not saying that clubs could host the curling BECAUSE of their seating limitations. They could handle the games however. Same at Winsport unless the IOC is OK with 3500 seating.


Seriously, I am just asking as there is a huge shortage of large event venues for this kind of stuff in the city itself, and it will be a hurdle for the bid committee to overcome.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Parallex

and yet true...

https://globalnews.ca/news/3981850/i...city-director/

... I realize you (for some reason) desperately want the Flames to get some more leverage here but really they don't.

I dont care about leverage one way or the other, but since you took it down that road, i wont bother with you any longer.

But that would probably define Nenshi's negotiating skills in a microchasm.

Spend somewhere around 5 -9 Billion dollars ...and still come out of it without one of the two biggest needs going into it.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...lion-1.4056516

If this thread has taught me one thing, is that people have already formed opinions and have knee-jerk answers to problems that have already been solved.

I did say I wasn't sure.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by transplant99

i wont bother with you any longer.

But that would probably define Nenshi's negotiating skills in a microchasm.

Hmmmmm...

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I dont care about leverage one way or the other, but since you took it down that road, i wont bother with you any longer.

But that would probably define Nenshi's negotiating skills in a microchasm.

Spend somewhere around 5 -9 Billion dollars ...and still come out of it without one of the two biggest needs going into it.

Ah but does Nenshi get a statue of himself out of the whole thing? Probably.

Nenshi is the kind of guy that gets the deluxe undercoating on his car and thinks that he swindled the dealership.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I'm sure the IOC has always been corrupt, but it's never been this blatant our out in the open. I don't know how anyone can advocate giving them billions of dollars after watching the debacles unfold in Russia and Brazil

Because if we get a great games, a bunch of useful infrastructure, an influx of tourism dollars, and some temporary jobs for a good price, then I don't give a fata about IOC corruption.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by rvd123

If you can't turn a profit, the easy answer is no.

Incorrect. An Olympic Games is not purely an operational event. It also leaves behind infrastructure. You have to expect to spend more money than you receive. The crux of the whole issue is if that "price" is worth the infrastructure and influx of tourism dollars to the economy. In other words, is it a good investment.

I will once again parrot GGG's excellent point. The key to successful Olympics is getting infrastructure you want/need for a good price. The worst case scenario is getting infrastructure you don't want/need for a bad price (e.g. a massive soccer stadium in the middle of nowhere in Brazil). The less bad but still bad scenario is getting infrastructure you want/need at a bad price.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I've already said this, but why tout infrastructure when the current bid has none? That nearly $6 billion price tag (I'm factoring in the inevitable 20% overrun since it's a given) has nothing but hosting the games. And even that is well short of being covered. So where's the extra couple billion people want for infrastructure coming from? Until we see that piece of the puzzle, there's no point touting what infrastructure legacy there will be. At present, there is none.

[puffnstuff]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I was not saying that clubs could host the curling BECAUSE of their seating limitations. They could handle the games however. Same at Winsport unless the IOC is OK with 3500 seating.


Seriously, I am just asking as there is a huge shortage of large event venues for this kind of stuff in the city itself, and it will be a hurdle for the bid committee to overcome.

Seating for curling at 2018 games was 3000.
Scarcity of seating means they can charge more for tickets. My feeling would be theyd rather have a full house of 4000 than a half empty 15000 seat arena.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Red

I have two teens at home. Everywhere we go there is a ton of people and lineups. Sure, we don't need a skeleton run or bobsleigh one. But there is so much more to it than that.
Point being, without 88 olympics we wouldn't have most of these facilities. Who knows how we can re-purpose whatever we need to build? All I know is that if you have to be bused in to Sunshine or can't park at COP there is an obvious demand for winter sport facilities. It really is that busy.

I,would,say the parking lot at cop is busy around winsport mostly because of the hockey rinks, and soemwhat due to the offices, gym and sliding center. I don’t believe the rest of the lot is busy or needs to be expanded.

As for taking a bus to sunshine, as of now, I believe parks Canada is preventing Sunshine from expanding the lot. And they would likely be reluctant to let lake Louise expand for similar reasons.

[Fuzz]

Brewster is running buses already to Sunshine and Louise. If you missed my post earlier, the deal would be that everyone would be bused in, so no expanded parking and keep the traffic down. Lake Louise has an expansion plan and it sounds like it has made good progress with parks, and they expect to be allowed to hold the downhill should the Olympics come. I'd expect the usual protests though...