[Rumour] Burke freeing up King's time for Olympic bid

[DeluxeMoustache]

Didn't see this anywhere. King was on Bob McCowan's show today. I didn't hear the interview but the teaser before he was on was speculation that Calgary is contemplating bidding on the 2022 Olympics.

Connection to the Flames that Burke is potentially liberating some of King's time as King would be involved in such a bid over the next 2 years.

Anybody hear the interview or have any info?

[Ped]

No info, but is this even realistic?

Tokyo in 2020 will be the first repeat city in awhile and it will have been 56 years between Olympics for them. The last one was LA in 1984 and it was a 52 year wait for them.

I can't see them going back to Calgary after 34 years.

[byronkentgraham]

http://www.calgaryherald.com/touch/s...tml?id=8876202

Rumour looks to have some legs.

[MrMastodonFarm]

As a guy who wasn't born and raised in Calgary, and has no real memories of the 88 Olympics anyways that would be amazing. It would be huge for the city to host the Winter Games again.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Ped

No info, but is this even realistic?

Tokyo in 2020 will be the first repeat city in awhile and it will have been 56 years between Olympics for them. The last one was LA in 1984 and it was a 52 year wait for them.

I can't see them going back to Calgary after 34 years.

There were only 3 bids for the 2018 Olympics, Annecy, Munich and Pyeongchang.

Pyeongchang won it.

Albertville, a half hour away from Annecy, hosted the Winter Olympics in 1992 after Calgary. I would assume would likely use a lot of the same mountains and other venues but don't know France geography at all. But even then didn't get many votes.

Could easily come down to Munich vs Calgary if they decided to make a bid. Geneva has a bid in for 2022 as well.

[Zarley]

Originally Posted by Ped

No info, but is this even realistic?

Tokyo in 2020 will be the first repeat city in awhile and it will have been 56 years between Olympics for them. The last one was LA in 1984 and it was a 52 year wait for them.

I can't see them going back to Calgary after 34 years.

St. Moritz hosted in 1928 and 1948, so it's not without precedent.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Ped

No info, but is this even realistic?

Tokyo in 2020 will be the first repeat city in awhile and it will have been 56 years between Olympics for them. The last one was LA in 1984 and it was a 52 year wait for them.

I can't see them going back to Calgary after 34 years.

A couple things...

The Winter Olympics have a much smaller number of potential host cities then the summer Olympics. The Summer games can be held in most of the world, the Winter games just can't be done in a tonne of places. You need a city with a good sized population that can carry out a major games but still be able to carry out all the cold winter competitions. That narrows the field considerable and has the potential for much more repeat cities then the Summer games.

Even if Calgary fails in its bid for 2022 games it sets a good precedent of interest and would be a good first step if we continued with a bid for 2026.

[MissAvery16]

Sweet, first i've heard of this

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

A couple things...

The Winter Olympics have a much smaller number of potential host cities then the summer Olympics. The Summer games can be held in most of the world, the Winter games just can't be done in a tonne of places. You need a city with a good sized population that can carry out a major games but still be able to carry out all the cold winter competitions. That narrows the field considerable and has the potential for much more repeat cities then the Summer games.

Even if Calgary fails in its bid for 2022 games it sets a good precedent of interest and would be a good first step if we continued with a bid for 2026.

Yep. I wouldn't underestimate the strict evaluation for the Winter Olympics. Quebec City has already faced issues with their bidding process because the mountain area they wanted to use wasn't approved.

A slight possible advantage is that the United States does not intend to make a bid until after the 2022 Olympics. If you believe that continental rotation does play a part in the evaluation then it will be at least 12 years since North America would have seen the Olympics which I believe is it's longest drought since the war. Canada, maybe not Calgary, could have a leg up not only the actual evaluation but the "political" aspect because of this. However, if they don't get it Colorado is expected to make a big push for 2026 I believe and that could mean a long wait.

As it stands today, only 1 bid is confirmed for the 2022 games and it's in Kazakhstan. Munich is expected to make another bid, and 2022 happens to be the 50th anniversary of the massacre, while Oslo just voted in favour of a 2022 bid so they enter the contest now. So it's not like Calgary would be going up against hundreds of cities, maybe less than a handful.

[getbak]

There was another thread in Other Sports: http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=130222


I doubt Calgary will win if we do bid, especially if Munich also bids. There hasn't been a Winter Games in Western Europe since 2006, and it will be a full decade since any Olympics in Western Europe (and after two straight in Asia). I think 2022 will be Munich's to lose.

On the other hand, the IOC likes to reward perseverance, and you usually have to lose a couple of times before you win one (Calgary/Banff lost three times prior to 1988). Sochi lost in 2002, Pyeongchang lost to both Vancouver and Sochi before finally winning 2018. A losing bid in 2022 could set Calgary up for a successful bid in 2026 or 2030.

A lot will also depend on Toronto's aspirations to host the Summer Games. The COC might decide to hold off on any Winter bids until Toronto is successful.

Also, Quebec City has Olympic dreams too, but they don't have a a suitable mountain for the downhill events (their proposed hill was rejected by the FIS, which is why they're not bidding for 2022).


Gazing into my crystal ball: I say Toronto gets either 2024 or 2028, then Calgary gets serious for another Winter Games and the stars align for the 50th Anniversary in 2038 (and we'll all feel old).

[DeluxeMoustache]

^^ Thanks. Didn't see that thread. Poster Tyler said King didn't say much though hunted at being interested. Application deadline being November this year, hopefully we hear about the intent one way or another soon. Obviously an intention to bid would involve more fanfare than a quiet leak by Kinger on a radio program.

Calgary did crack the top 5 cities for livability worldwide on the Economist survey this year. It would be nice to see.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by Ped

Tokyo in 2020 will be the first repeat city in awhile

London just hosted the Olympics for the third time.

[TurnedTheCorner]

While I can 't see another bid succeeding, it would be amazing if it could be pulled off. The Olymipics were a magical time here.

[Husky]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

As a guy who wasn't born and raised in Calgary, and has no real memories of the 88 Olympics anyways that would be amazing. It would be huge for the city to host the Winter Games again.

Heck no. While it would be fun to be part of, financially the olympics are a huge sore for hosting teams. They typically lose money hand over fist.

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by Husky

Heck no. While it would be fun to be part of, financially the olympics are a huge sore for hosting teams. They typically lose money hand over fist.

Calgary in 88 made money. I believe it was the first winter olympics to do so.

It results in huge federal investment into the area, and calgary needs that as well.

[puckluck2]

Just curious who is usually responsible for bidding on the Olympics? Seems strange that Ken King would be involved.

[IgiTang]

As KC points out, 88 olympics were the only winter games to ever be profitable. With much of the infrastructure in place and the Alberta economy booming, this is a no brainer bid. And could present potentially the most profitable Winter Olympics yet.

[Poe969]

Honestly, I think it would be great to see this happen and I think King is the right guy to help make it happen, heck the guy got us to believe in the Flames for the past few years lol.

[Table 5]

I don't think anyone would expect to make money this time around, but it would be a great excuse to upgrade all our existing infrastructure, and probably get some really awesome public transit improvements.

Chances are the new Saddledome, and rumored McMahon, project would already be built and used (and maybe Ken King wants to justify these projects to be part of an Olympic bid?), but we'd get to upgrade COP, the Oval, and some sort of new Olympic Plaza. And a good chunk of the money could come from the Federal Govt...and when does Calgary ever get that?

Olympics are never cheap anymore, but they are a fantastic way for a city to do all the things they want to do on FFWD. The Canada Line in Vancouver to/from the airport, and redoing the Sea-to-Sky highway, were fantastic upgrades for that city...I doubt they would've been done as fast, or at all, without the Olympics.

2022 does seem early for Calgary...but if you don't try, you won't get.

[Husky]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Calgary in 88 made money. I believe it was the first winter olympics to do so.

It results in huge federal investment into the area, and calgary needs that as well.

25 years ago. Cost of infrastructure in this city is stupid high compare to back then.