Should Calgary Bid on the 2026 Olympics

[dubc80]

Originally Posted by flambers

I'll vote yes for sure, then if the games occur. I would definitely like to volunteer.

Figure the experience would be a blast....

I was lucky enough to volunteer in 2010 in Vancouver and I was part of the Event Services team based out of what was temporarily called Canada Hockey Place (Rogers Arena) for the duration of the games.

I did ticket taking, security assistance, accreditation validation, crowd control assistance, etc. It was really neat to be able to go behind the scenes, and there was a definite sense of pride in being able to help the Games be a success.

The best role within the group was ushering and I was lucky enough to be stationed in section 129 for the gold medal game which is the end that Crosby scored on in the gold medal game.

One of the best experiences of my life.

It was even really neat around Vancouver as you saw everyone with Canada shirts, toques, jerseys on. Watching events on TV's in malls, restaurants, bars. All ages, races, all walks of life cheering together.

No matter your position on the games, if it does end up coming, getting involved will probably be one of the best things you can do.

As far as the vote I'm still undecided. Don't like how the whole thing has been handled and the communication/information doesn't seem to be all that clear.

[puckedoff]

I think YES vote will win, because they want the Olympics and are motivated to vote.
Those who don't want the Olympics are not that interested, and probably aren't going to go and vote at all.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

I think YES vote will win, because they want the Olympics and are motivated to vote.
Those who don't want the Olympics are not that interested, and probably aren't going to go and vote at all.

Have you read this thread? I think you're severely underestimating the No side. Especially since for the No side this is viewed as an automatic property tax increase. Generally I find the side who feels they'll be financially harmed tends to be more motivated than the side looking for "free money".

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Have you read this thread? I think you're severely underestimating the No side. Especially since for the No side this is viewed as an automatic property tax increase. Generally I find the side who feels they'll be financially harmed tends to be more motivated than the side looking for "free money".

I thought Trump wouldn't win. And here we are.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

I think YES vote will win, because they want the Olympics and are motivated to vote.
Those who don't want the Olympics are not that interested, and probably aren't going to go and vote at all.

I think you're wrong, the people on the no side when I've talked to them seem to be highly motivated to get out to vote.


This whole bid process has been so badly handled that people are actively interested which is great. But the gong show of the whole thing, possible tax increases. The chance that a group of folks who can't even get preliminary budgeting down are going to be responsible for handling a billion dollar plush enterprise will probably get a lot of no voters out.


I think this will be close, but my gut tells me that the No's will win.


To me, they should be pushing any bid off to the next games after and actually do a proper job of it next time.

[jeffporfirio]

Me and the wife are going to go vote NO on the advance polling dates, but I believe YES will win.
Especially since they are placing polling sites in all the retirement homes/communities. Old folks will mostly vote YES IMO.

[InBurkeWeTrust]

Me and my wife are a NO and will make sure to vote. A bunch of my co-workers are a NO as well

[Magnum PEI]

Most people I know volunteer, and they dont need a huge party or a free jacket to do it. They do it because there is a need.

The real intangible is civic and national pride, which is why we will be the only suckers that are willing to do this. Another huge medal haul on home soil with lots of Quebec skaters and skiers will mean another ~decade the sovereignty issue is on the back burner.

[greyshep]

The Yes side has a huge hill to climb here. At this point I would expect the results wont even be close, I wouldnt be surprised if its a 70% no vote. Virtually everything I have heard has been negative on this topic in the media.

The yes side has to do a lot of convincing in a short period of time. I have to chuckle at those who think the Yes side has a huge advantage here. Its like being guilty until proven innocent for the Yes side.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by jeffporfirio

Me and the wife are going to go vote NO on the advance polling dates, but I believe YES will win.
Especially since they are placing polling sites in all the retirement homes/communities. Old folks will mostly vote YES IMO.

If they aren't using the same polling locations as the municipal election and instead targeting specific locations where support might be higher, then it's just more of the same conflict that the city seems to have no issue engaging in with regards to forcing a specific outcome.

But it's not really unexpected since Nenshi and friends really didn't want Calgarians to have a say in the first place and Mary Moran has made her and BidCo's views on the plebiscite quite clear.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

I think YES vote will win, because they want the Olympics and are motivated to vote.
Those who don't want the Olympics are not that interested, and probably aren't going to go and vote at all.

You’re underestimating the motivation of all of the people who don’t want this added to taxes the already think they’re overpaying on.

[dubc80]

What do you guys think the voter turnout will be?

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by dubc80

What do you guys think the voter turnout will be?

around 35%

[MoneyGuy]

Higher than the municipal election.

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

If they aren't using the same polling locations as the municipal election and instead targeting specific locations where support might be higher, then it's just more of the same conflict that the city seems to have no issue engaging in with regards to forcing a specific outcome.

But it's not really unexpected since Nenshi and friends really didn't want Calgarians to have a say in the first place and Mary Moran has made her and BidCo's views on the plebiscite quite clear.

I think the targeted polling stations comment is a bunch of BS. I just had a quick look on the city site and it looks like its being treated like any other vote...aka school gyms, etc. They always try to make it accessible for seniors during municipal elections too.

[greyshep]

Yep as expected, no seniors home targeting here... But lets not let fact get in the way of a good "vote No" rant.

Full list of voting stations:

http://vote2018.calgary.ca/pdf/Vote2...ngStations.pdf

[GGG]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

If they aren't using the same polling locations as the municipal election and instead targeting specific locations where support might be higher, then it's just more of the same conflict that the city seems to have no issue engaging in with regards to forcing a specific outcome.

But it's not really unexpected since Nenshi and friends really didn't want Calgarians to have a say in the first place and Mary Moran has made her and BidCo's views on the plebiscite quite clear.

Can we not do this.

Spend 5 minutes actually evaluating whether this is occurring before reacting and using the info to slander people you have preconceived notions about. There is plenty to be actually concerned about around the bid without building starw men to fight against.

[chemgear]

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/...ryId=113351145

"There has never been an Olympic Games that has made a profit," says Robert Barney, director of the International Centre for Olympic Studies at the University of Western Ontario.

Fold in all the costs and revenues, he says, "including federal allotments, municipal allotments, provincial or state allotments, it's always been that a debt has to be paid somewhere."

The additional costs include security and infrastructure improvements not included in the Olympic budgets but provided by government.

Actually, tangible economic benefits are elusive. The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics are often hailed for finishing with a $233 million surplus. But Barney says the calculation includes only direct costs of staging the games and not the indirect costs provided by city, state and federal governments. The same is true, he says, for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary in Alberta, Canada, and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Organizers of both games claimed multimillion-dollar surpluses, but neither included massive federal spending when adding up costs.

"No reasonable person thinks that the direct benefits of hosting the Olympic Games or any other mega event cover the costs," concludes Andrew Rose, an economist at the Haas School of Business at the University of California in Berkeley.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/...cs-since-1964/

Not only are they expensive, but Olympic Games don’t stay on budget. Between Grenoble 1968 and Nagano 1998, the sports-related cost overrun averaged 230%. Since the new millennium, this has fallen to 75% - hitting a low of just 2% at Beijing 2008.

However, recent Games in London and Sochi have reversed this trend. London’s costs overran by 76%, while Sochi’s by an enormous 289%.

[Johnny Makarov]

I'm voting yes so i can rent my house out for $8000 for 2 weeks.

[jeffporfirio]

Originally Posted by greyshep

Yep as expected, no seniors home targeting here... But lets not let fact get in the way of a good "vote No" rant.

Full list of voting stations:

http://vote2018.calgary.ca/pdf/Vote2...ngStations.pdf

Full list of voting station in Senior care facilities:

http://vote2018.calgary.ca/pdf/care_facilties.pdf

I would think all these all folks have nothing to do, and will probably all vote YES