2026 Olympics- Calgary votes no- 56%

[browna]

Originally Posted by Kaine

AKA, everyone that didn't agree with how I voted is wrong. Damned be the reasons!


It has been proven (scroll up for some interesting articles) about how hosting the Olympics creates relevancy for all of a few months before returning to normal or declining.

From a sport standpoint, Canmore, the Oval and Winsport/Cop still have facilities that host World Cup events in their sports. Athletes come here from around the world to train at them. They are also a part about legacy. As would a new field house which citizens would be using 35 years on.

Sure, the civic pride is here and gone for some (I still have all my 88 Olympic gear from when I was 12, and pins still on the same towel) and Germans and Japanese tourists will take few snapshots beside the 2026 mural in winter 2027 and forget about it after, but that's fine.

There is also the element of having other parts of Canada help pay for some sport and civic facilities, and infrastructure upgrades across the city. And getting shovels in the ground on those projects, not get caught up in civic planning and political tlred tape as they always seem to at the local level. Those funds also help build media and athlete housing which likely could've been lower income housing post games. Sure, there is a premium on tax payers becuase of the astromical cost of security, something that wasn't there in 1988 to worry about, but those civic projects, lasting decades into the future, would also come from that.

So, be glib and flippant with your answers, but there is more substance than just a civic pat on the back that these game could've given the city, nevermind the intangibles of a bit of hope and something to look forward to, which was certainly the case in the mid 80s.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

You clearly don't understand the concerns from the no side.

And it was not "free" money.

It's crazy. Where do people think provincial and federal tax dollars come from? They don't only take it from non-Calgary residents because the city is chipping in already.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Wormius

The article on Vancouver from the G&M you posted?

“Vancouver Olympics worth the $7-billion price tag, study says”.

“The 2010 Winter Olympics cost more than $7-billion to stage, but they were worth it because they spurred major infrastructure developments that helped transform Vancouver and Whistler, a new study concludes.”

I'd rather pay for these infrastructure developments individually than have to worry about an unnecessary spectacle around the city. I have more faith in governments alone than I do the IOC.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

You clearly don't understand the concerns from the no side.

And it was not "free" money.

Not even the plebiscite results will change some of the ridiculous "yes" opinions.

Free money. Hahah what fantasy is this

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by nik-

It's crazy. Where do people think provincial and federal tax dollars come from? They don't only take it from non-Calgary residents because the city is chipping in already.

10 to 1 BABY!!

[PepsiFree]

Any money that ain’t my money is free money, baby!

[chemgear]

Serious:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1062579400384933888



Less Serious:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1062570100388114432

[Kaine]

Originally Posted by browna

From a sport standpoint, Canmore, the Oval and Winsport/Cop still have facilities that host World Cup events in their sports. Athletes come here from around the world to train at them. They are also a part about legacy. As would a new field house which citizens would be using 35 years on.

Sure, the civic pride is here and gone for some (I still have all my 88 Olympic gear from when I was 12, and pins still on the same towel) and Germans and Japanese tourists will take few snapshots beside the 2026 mural in winter 2027 and forget about it after, but that's fine.

There is also the element of having other parts of Canada help pay for some sport and civic facilities, and infrastructure upgrades across the city. And getting shovels in the ground on those projects, not get caught up in civic planning and political tlred tape as they always seem to at the local level. Those funds also help build media and athlete housing which likely could've been lower income housing post games. Sure, there is a premium on tax payers becuase of the astromical cost of security, something that wasn't there in 1988 to worry about, but those civic projects, lasting decades into the future, would also come from that.

So, be glib and flippant with your answers, but there is more substance than just a civic pat on the back that these game could've given the city, nevermind the intangibles of a bit of hope and something to look forward to, which was certainly the case in the mid 80s.

I don't disagree.


Was any of that this posted in the quote I was responding to or was a more of a "taking my toys and going home" statement?

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

You clearly don't understand the concerns from the no side.

And it was not "free" money.

IOC is corrupt. Check.
10:1 doesn't make sense. Check.
Mixed messages from Council and BidCo. Check.
My taxes. Check.
Cost overruns of $10 billion. Check.

Now that most of the hyperbole is out of the way, yes, it was free money that we would be getting for spending the same amount anyways. We are not going to be offered billions to upgrade that much sports infrastructure.

Looking forward to the new sports complex that somewhere like Burlington or Chicoutimi will now get with that money.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Here's a fun fact.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VANOC

"On January 30, 2009, VANOC announced its updated budget for the 2010 games. The operating budget was set at CAN$1.76 billion, with a contingency of $77 million.[5] This reflected an increase of $130 million over the $1.63 billion operating budget announced in May 2007..."

Initial stated budget for Vancouver: $1.76 billion
Final cost for Vancouver: over $7 billion (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ticle15036916/)
Change: 398%

Initial stated budget for Calgary: $5.11 billion (https://globalnews.ca/news/4649771/c...2026-olympics/)
Applying that change rate, the Calgary Olympics would cost $20.3 billion. That's obviously not and hard-and-fast way of looking at things but it's a damning indicator against a "model Olympics."

Things like the Sea-to-Sky Highway and Canada Line weren't in the original budget. The Convention Centre expansion wasn't funded and chosen as the site for the media centre until after Vancouver was chosen as host.



We can only dream of such cost overruns.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

IOC is corrupt. Check.
10:1 doesn't make sense. Check.
Mixed messages from Council and BidCo. Check.
My taxes. Check.
Cost overruns of $10 billion. Check.

Now that most of the hyperbole is out of the way

Lol, how are you brushing aside concerns about "my taxes" or "IOC corruption" as hyperbolic? Those are completely legitimate concerns.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

You clearly don't understand the concerns from the no side.

And it was not "free" money.

Well, it was an investment from Calgary's end that would have seen lots more in return. We won't see that money otherwise. Now we're back to figuring out how we can take care of these facilities fully on our own again. I think these projects will eventually be funded by our taxes regardless, with less, or no, assistance.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Lol, how are you brushing aside concerns about "my taxes" or "IOC corruption" as hyperbolic? Those are completely legitimate concerns.

he's upset

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Lol, how are you brushing aside concerns about "my taxes" or "IOC corruption" as hyperbolic? Those are completely legitimate concerns.

People don't see it as corruption if it benefits them.

Also basically the entire reason for the shenanigans south of the border.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I'd rather pay for these infrastructure developments individually than have to worry about an unnecessary spectacle around the city. I have more faith in governments alone than I do the IOC.

Leaving the IOC out of it, if the City is going
to have $7b (minus security costs) of infrastructure and sports venues work done, would it not be better to have a portion of that funding to come from outside the city. Even if it’s the provinces and feds agreed upon amounts, that’s still better than Calgary covering the costs of everything piecemeal later on.

[Kaine]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

IOC is corrupt. Check.
10:1 doesn't make sense. Check.
Mixed messages from Council and BidCo. Check.
My taxes. Check.
Cost overruns of $10 billion. Check.

Now that most of the hyperbole is out of the way, yes, it was free money that we would be getting for spending the same amount anyways. We are not going to be offered billions to upgrade that much sports infrastructure.

Looking forward to the new sports complex that somewhere like Burlington or Chicoutimi will now get with that money.

No such thing. This is why a lot of people voted no, this is the same thing our wonderful mayor was spouting off about recently and it jaded a lot of people that wanted a more truthful, fact based plan for the bid.

[TheAlpineOracle]

I was no for a long time and then I started to come around to the fact that we need a boost in this city and getting a billion dollars towards that from the Province and Federal Government that we otherwise would not see was probably a good thing despite how I feel about the Olympic and the IOC in general. I think the “Yes” side took far too long to get their ducks in a row and did a piss poor job of demonstrating the benefit which led to the ultimate fail of the vote.

That said, I get a real sense that it doesn’t matter what was proposed that the “no” side would Be against it. It seems this country is against everything these days. It’s flat out depressing. People in this country no longer strive to be better, they strive to bring everyone down to their level. Honestly, I’ve had enough. I’ve always maintained until recently that I would Never move to the US. Like many in my field though there is no doubt in my mind anymore, I will be taking the opportunity to move South when the opportunitty next presents itself. This City is depressing as #### and when you combine that with being part of a country that seems willing to cut off the nose to save the face, the outlook of us ever returning to Prosperity in Calgary seems extremely doubtful to me.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Mixed messages from Council and BidCo. Check.
My taxes. Check.
Cost overruns of $10 billion. Check.

No $550M arena thrown in at the last minute without a funding structure to pay for it to aleviate these concerns. Check

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by Muta

Well, it was an investment from Calgary's end that would have seen lots more in return. We won't see that money otherwise. Now we're back to figuring out how we can take care of these facilities fully on our own again. I think these projects will eventually be funded by our taxes regardless, with less, or no, assistance.

You do realize that describing the Olympics as an 'investment' for Calgary infrastructure also entails the comparison of 'risk' that you would talk about for a typical investment, right?

Most of the 'no' side isn't against this idea. It's the idea that the risks involved would likely over run any benefit from investment. Or at least the levels of government and Bidco didn't dispel those fears with the information made public.

[oldschoolcalgary]

There's nothing stopping Calgary from putting in another bid for a future olympics...

Will there be more competition? Maybe, the way bids are going, who knows if that's the case.