2026 - should Calgary bid?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by transplant99

So...indeed the Calgary orginizing committee did make money which means it was not "utter bunk" as you claim.

You're both right. The answer, of course, lies in what narrative you wish to present. OCO88 turned a profit, and turned that profit into a massive positive legacy for both this city and our nation as a Winter Olympic entity.

OCO88's accounting did not include what the government spent, however. So the question of whether Calgary made or lost money will depend on whether or not you think the government cost was money well spent.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by getbak

New Flames arena = Main Hockey (18,000)
Saddledome = Figure Skating/Short Track (18,000)
WinSport = Secondary Hockey (3,000 - might not be big enough)
Corral (renovated) = Curling (6,000)


I believe the Oval and COP are still used for competitions in Speed Skating and Bobsleigh/Luge/Skeleton, so they shouldn't require significant work.

With all the new freestyle and snowboard events that have been added to the Olympics since 1988, I don't know if COP can be re-used. The COP Ski Jump wasn't great in 1988, and the big jump isn't Olympic "big" any more, so the old jumps would either need serious upgrades, or a completely new facility is needed. They will also likely need a new Alpine venue, so they could probably do all skiing and ski-jumping together at one new big facility.

The ski jump at COP cannot be reused. The large one was shut down completely because technological advances since 1988 has actually made that run too dangerous to operate. The smaller jump is only used for practice.

[Turner]

Flame suit on. So many better cities than Calgary that should get it.

[btimbit]

Failed bid for 2026, successful bid in 2030?

[Red John]

Originally Posted by Turner

Flame suit on. So many better cities than Calgary that should get it.

Hello again, Turned the Corner.

[Turner]

Originally Posted by Red John

Hello again, Turned the Corner.

I'm not TTC. I enjoy the stampede although the wife and I haven't been in a number of years. Love the energy the city gives off that week. Im raised Calgarian since 2 months and think Calgary is OK.

[Northendzone]

If $50 billion is now the benchmark spend - and that is today, let not forget inflation then let's just build all this infrastructure and call it a day......we'd likely be $40 billion ahead........

And by what measure was the calgary games better than any other? To me that is a stupid claim to make, because it is impossible to measure.......

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

If $50 billion is now the benchmark spend - and that is today, let not forget inflation then let's just build all this infrastructure and call it a day......we'd likely be $40 billion ahead........

And by what measure was the calgary games better than any other? To me that is a stupid claim to make, because it is impossible to measure.......

Vancouver would be a much more reasonable benchmark from the absurd endeavour that is Sochi.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The ski jump at COP cannot be reused. The large one was shut down completely because technological advances since 1988 has actually made that run too dangerous to operate. The smaller jump is only used for practice.

Definitely. Keep the small jumps for a local club for kids to learn. Build Olympic venue and permanent Canadian training facility at somewhere like Nakiska, Louise, Canmore Nordic Centre, or even Norquay.

[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

Count me as the lone dissenter in this group so far.......I think the Olympics are cool and all, but the cost......

Ta hell with that....let our children worry about it.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

No for me. It was fun, but it's just too expensive.

I can see a bid happening though. The flames want public money for facilities. The Mayor wants a sales tax and a bunch of other tax powers. If they wrap it up in a bid, everybody wins.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Turner

Flame suit on. So many better cities than Calgary that should get it.

Such as?

There's really a limited number of locations that can realistically host a Winter Games. Nagano is the southernmost host city (36.6333° N), Lillehammer is the northernmost (61.1300° N). That's a pretty narrow band of potential locations, and they're not likely to go much further north or south than those latitudes.

The number of potential locations is made even smaller when you take into account the need for a downhill ski location within a relatively close distance.

Also, the IOC likes to spread the hosting duties around to different parts of the world, and in the Americas, there really are only two countries that can legitimately host the Winter Games.

In Canada, Calgary, Vancouver, and possibly Edmonton are the only cities within a reasonable distance from acceptable skiing locations. It wouldn't really make sense to build new facilities in Edmonton when the legacy facilities in Calgary already exist so close.

[corporatejay]

Where does Edmonton have reasonable distance ski locations? Banff?

[Flame19,289]

A joint Montreal - Lake Placid bid would be intriguing... Lake Placid has the vertical drop necessary at Whiteface Mountain, and obviously has lots of Olympic infrastructure already in place. Montreal has the larger, modern facilities that would be required. Mont Tremblant would be a great locale for many of the snowboarding events.

I'd also like to see Anchorage get another shot at hosting after losing out on the 1992 & 1994 games.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Flame19,289

A joint Montreal - Lake Placid bid would be intriguing... Lake Placid has the vertical drop necessary at Whiteface Mountain, and obviously has lots of Olympic infrastructure already in place. Montreal has the larger, modern facilities that would be required. Mont Tremblant would be a great locale for many of the snowboarding events.

I'd also like to see Anchorage get another shot at hosting after losing out on the 1992 & 1994 games.

holy ####e. If you think the security costs were high for the olympics, you make it a cross border deal and you amplify that by eleventy billion.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Where does Edmonton have reasonable distance ski locations? Banff?

I am not a skier, but does the Jasper area have suitable ski hills? Although those facilities would be 3-4 hours away from Edmonton.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

holy ####e. If you think the security costs were high for the olympics, you make it a cross border deal and you amplify that by eleventy billion.

plus they always make a point to have a "host country"

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by getbak

Such as?

There's really a limited number of locations that can realistically host a Winter Games. Nagano is the southernmost host city (36.6333° N), Lillehammer is the northernmost (61.1300° N). That's a pretty narrow band of potential locations, and they're not likely to go much further north or south than those latitudes.

The number of potential locations is made even smaller when you take into account the need for a downhill ski location within a relatively close distance.

Also, the IOC likes to spread the hosting duties around to different parts of the world, and in the Americas, there really are only two countries that can legitimately host the Winter Games.

In Canada, Calgary, Vancouver, and possibly Edmonton are the only cities within a reasonable distance from acceptable skiing locations. It wouldn't really make sense to build new facilities in Edmonton when the legacy facilities in Calgary already exist so close.

I'd say the field has been narrowed even further than by the need for two large arenas. Also, the scale now means a lot of hotel rooms and accommodation. The days of Albertville or a Lake Placid are over - you need a fairly big city near big mountains. Not too many of those places. I can see a lot more repeat cities in the future of winter games.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

I am not a skier, but does the Jasper area have suitable ski hills? Although those facilities would be 3-4 hours away from Edmonton.

Google maps says marmot basin is 4:15 from Edmonton, which is about as far as banff without the same cache. I just can't see Edmonton hosting. The only thing that might makes sense to placate Edmonton is have a bunch of hockey games up there like the wjhc

[Bunk]

I'd think for venues:

- Village: The newer U of C residences and development in West Campus
- Opening\Closing Ceremonies: New indoor (possibly retractable roof) stamps stadium which doubles as a large field house long term.
- Media Centre: Expanded convention Centre
- Medal ceremony: refurbished Olympic Plaza (or a new Olympic Plaza at Eau Claire).
- Hockey: new flames arena
- Figure Skating and Short Track: Saddledome before decommissioning
- Speed Skating: Oval with some upgrades
- Alpine Skiing: Lake Louise
- Moguls, Aerials, Half Pipe: COP
- Slopestyle, Ski/Snowboard Cross: Nakiska
- Ski Jump: Canmore Nordic Centre (or Nakiska or Norquay)
- Cross Country, Biathalon: upgraded Canmore Nordic Centre
- Bobsled, luge, skeleton: upgraded COP track for more challenge
- Curling: Winsport or perhaps a totally renewed Corral (which would be a nice capacity arena to have for curling and events\concerts later).

Other infrastructure: improved transit to COP, airport rail connecting to a North Central LRT, which will presumably be built by then.