Should Calgary Bid on the 2026 Olympics

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by DiracSpike

Add me to the "Calgary only" crowd.

Are we going to know the details of the bid before this plebiscite?

IIRC they'll be more details sometime in September.

[CliffFletcher]

Experts are saying the bid isn't practical unless it's a shared bid. It's just too much money to build all those new facilities.

Calgary’s pitch for a combined Alberta-B.C. Olympic bid seen as the only option

...What was once considered detrimental to an Olympic bid — proposing to spread events over multiple cities — is emerging as not just the best but the only path to staging the Games in a way that addresses a major complaint among potential hosts: the massive costs.

That strategy crystallized when Italian Olympic officials endorsed a 2026 bid designed to reuse existing facilities that included the cities of Cortina, Milan and Turin. The proposal reflects the recommendations in the International Olympic Committee’s Agenda 2020, which was introduced in 2014 to encourage more cities to bid on the Games by making them less pricey and more efficient to host.

“It’s starting to look like there’s no alternative," said Dick Pound, a long-time Canadian IOC member and a director with Calgary 2026, adding that the obvious logistical challenges of a multicity bid can be overcome...

- Globe and Mail

[Zarley]

I don't mind ski jumping in Whistler, although it's kind of unfortunate for those athletes to be isolated from the rest of the Olympic experience.

The main benefit of hosting the Olympics is receiving federal and provincial cash capital upgrades and expansions to our training facilities that are necessary regardless of whether we host. If we start spreading the events far and wide that benefit is eroded.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Experts are saying the bid isn't practical unless it's a shared bid. It's just too much money to build all those new facilities.

Calgary’s pitch for a combined Alberta-B.C. Olympic bid seen as the only option

Yeah, and that seems logical. But you what I think is impractical? Trying to win a plebiscite in Calgary and disclosing that they might host some events in Edmonton. Good luck with that.

I think that a lot of us are in favour of the bid because we want Calgary to reap the benefits, and purely selfishly the marquee events being here would be incredible. If the plan turns into something like "well Edmonton has this new arena and it's cool, so let's run some figure skating/hockey/curling there" I think that a no vote becomes pretty likely. Granted, at this point this is conjecture, but we also know that this has been floated.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by Slava

Yeah, and that seems logical. But you what I think is impractical? Trying to win a plebiscite in Calgary and disclosing that they might host some events in Edmonton. Good luck with that.

I think that a lot of us are in favour of the bid because we want Calgary to reap the benefits, and purely selfishly the marquee events being here would be incredible. If the plan turns into something like "well Edmonton has this new arena and it's cool, so let's run some figure skating/hockey/curling there" I think that a no vote becomes pretty likely. Granted, at this point this is conjecture, but we also know that this has been floated.

Unless the Olympics is a conduit for a new arena/field-house in Calgary it is a hard no from me. If they want to throw a hockey game or two at Edmonton/Red Deer I do not have an issue with that but if other cities are going to be involved I imagine they will want a larger piece of the pie.

[Bunk]

I don't mind the ski jump in Whistler - that makes a lot of sense. I don't even mind a few round robin hockey games in Edmonton. I wouldn't consider that "multi-city" as it's quite limited. Hong Kong had equestrian in 2008, London had soccer all over England in 2012. Not a big deal in my mind so long as it's not more than that kind of thing.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Website is finally live and predictably contains no meaningful information and is mostly fluff. I imagine in order to keep the bid price number down, there will be events elsewhere, because I can't imagine the true cost of a Calgary only bid will be acceptable to most.

https://www.calgary2026.ca/

[The Yen Man]

If this is a shared bid, and Calgary doesn't get a whole whack of new infrastructure from the Feds / Provincial government, then what's the point of hosting such a waste of money event?

It was already a soft no from me. A shared bid would be a HELL NO from me.

[Manhattanboy]

Everything in this City is always half-assed.

If the Committee cannot definitively say that the bid includes a new arena complex it’s a firm NO from me.

[Envitro]

I fully support Calgary hosting the Olympics again if they can clearly state what will and won't be included, and what will need to be built or renovated.

I'm a hard NO on a shared bid.

If Edmonton or Vancouver want to host the Olympic games they can submit their own proposals.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

We could just drop ski jumping entirely, considering it's a wholly irrelevant sport that exists solely because it's in the olympics and would be practiced by a total of no one if it weren't.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

We could just drop ski jumping entirely, considering it's a wholly irrelevant sport that exists solely because it's in the olympics and would be practiced by a total of no one if it weren't.

I don't think we have a choice. The IOC gets to decide what events are in the games. Which is why I think it is reasonable to just have them at Whistler. They are only a few days anyway, so they could be scheduled mid games, giving the athletes lots of time for the opening ceremonies, then to get there do their events and still come back. They may actually enjoy not being surrounded in Olympic chaos and to concentrate on getting their job done

[Wormius]

It would be a no from me as well if the end result is no new local infrastructure, because the Olympics will make use of existing venues.

It's pretty much going to be huge security costs for Calgary, and nothing gained.

What would Calgary realistically get out of this kind of deal?

Also, if you're going to re-use a bunch of venues, just host it in Vancouver again.

[soulchoice]

It will be interesting to see how the vote goes. I for one will be voting no, unless they have a solid plan/guarantee on the infrastructure which I will benefit from that will remain as a result of the games(buildings, road upgrades etc). Provided I am still living here in Calgary that is.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by Bunk

I don't mind the ski jump in Whistler - that makes a lot of sense. I don't even mind a few round robin hockey games in Edmonton. I wouldn't consider that "multi-city" as it's quite limited. Hong Kong had equestrian in 2008, London had soccer all over England in 2012. Not a big deal in my mind so long as it's not more than that kind of thing.

I would be in favour of something like that.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I don't think we have a choice. The IOC gets to decide what events are in the games.

This is true, but every host has influence they can bring to bear on the IOC as to what events are added / dropped. Generally the host country lobbies to have events added where they're likely to medal. Ski cross in 2010 definitely was weighted in our favour - ended up only being one medal but should've been two.

[Ducay]

I would be OK with some hockey games in Van and Edmonton, ski jump in Whistler, and MAYBE some sliding events in Whistler too (did they abandon their track?). But agree, if we're talking a true multi-city bid, then count me as a NO.

Putting Edmonton into the global spotlight? *shudders*

[CliffFletcher]

Events are horse-traded by IOC members. Finland backs Canada in getting curling in, so long as Canada backs Finland for ski jumping, etc. Canada starts lobbying to ditch events that other countries are strong in, and we'll see women's hockey, ski cross, etc in the crosshairs pretty quick.

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by Ducay

I would be OK with some hockey games in Van and Edmonton, ski jump in Whistler, and MAYBE some sliding events in Whistler too (did they abandon their track?). But agree, if we're talking a true multi-city bid, then count me as a NO.

Putting Edmonton into the global spotlight? *shudders*

The Whistler Sliding Centre is used more often for international races then the track at Winsport because it's faster and more technical. The IBSF World Championship will be held there in February.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Events are horse-traded by IOC members. Finland backs Canada in getting curling in, so long as Canada backs Finland for ski jumping, etc. Canada starts lobbying to ditch events that other countries are strong in, and we'll see women's hockey, ski cross, etc in the crosshairs pretty quick.

More likely some of the short track speed skating events, aerials, or something that doesn't draw relatively large TV audiences like the two examples you gave (I think) do. Of course, then you'd have to take the matter up with the Koreans.