[News] UPD: Calgary City Council approves exploratory bid study for 2026 Olympics

[Flamefan1]

Also, all of the hockey and ice events need to happen in Calgary, none north of Calgary except perhaps a couple of exhibition games.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Zarley

There's also the strategic implications with respect to marketing Alberta as a destination that are impossible to quantify.

One key consideration is the Chinese tourism market. Interest in winter sports in China is rapidly increasing and this will be on the heels of Bejing 2022. It could be an excellent opportunity to showcase Calgary and Banff as a destination.

this to me is a reason not to host. Have you been to Banff lately? It's starting to lose its' appeal given how ridiculously busy it is all the time, and holy #### is it annoying.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

this to me is a reason not to host. Have you been to Banff lately? It's starting to lose its' appeal given how ridiculously busy it is all the time, and holy #### is it annoying.

It's obviously not losing any appeal if it keeps getting busier

I don't fully agree with hosting the Olympics as a means to the end of increased tourism however increasing tourism would go a long way to diversifying the economy in the wake of the oil patch slowdown.

[Cappy]

http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/c...ount-olympics/

Jason Markusoff with a good article on the proposal today. By the sounds of it, the 4 billion doesn't include a new arena or many other infrastructure upgrades. This is about as low cost as you can get for an Olympics in Canada and it's still a huge price tag with little economic payoff.

Based on the report I would say the committee did a great job trying to limit costs and not offer massive vanity projects. But it's still tough to swallow

[Zarley]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

It's obviously not losing any appeal if it keeps getting busier

I don't fully agree with hosting the Olympics as a means to the end of increased tourism however increasing tourism would go a long way to diversifying the economy in the wake of the oil patch slowdown.

Exactly. Tourism is an excellent way to diversify our economy that has the added benefit of being counter cyclical thanks to our petro dollar. If the Olympics can bring additional transportation infrastructure (train service to Banff, gondola transit in the townsite) to handle higher tourist volume, it will be a huge positive for the province.

[stamps]

No to a shared bid with Edmonton ... BIG NO ...

[stamps]

Yes to a Calgary Canmore bid ... BIG YES !!!!

[Eric Vail]

The only way that Calgary is getting a new stadium seems to be with an Olympic Bid. Too bad it will cost 5 billion or so...

[stamps]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

The only way that Calgary is getting a new stadium seems to be with an Olympic Bid. Too bad it will cost 5 billion or so...

We need a new arena and stadium , hosting the Olympics is as good a reason as any to move forward with getting these projects done ... I fail to see being in an economic downturn as a reason to not move forward , unless of course you want the city of Calgary to just fold up its tent and fade away ... Just because the Olympics have been a failure elsewhere does not mean it will be here ...

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

this to me is a reason not to host. Have you been to Banff lately? It's starting to lose its' appeal given how ridiculously busy it is all the time, and holy #### is it annoying.

Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by HappyGilmore

Wot? Do you think the renovations/new venues will just appear for free what about security cost ? Also free?

IOC will pick up the security cost, cheap out on all renovations basically (and nothing new, arena doesn't count). If no one else bids and Calgary actually chooses to promise to spend any significant amount of money, that's pretty moronic. Let the corrupt IOC go back to another dictatorship if they don't like it, dictatorships really suit them well.

Originally Posted by stamps

No to a shared bid with Edmonton ... BIG NO ...

Originally Posted by Flamefan1

Also, all of the hockey and ice events need to happen in Calgary, none north of Calgary except perhaps a couple of exhibition games.

It's very likely the only way to get provincial money will be throwing a bone to Edmonton. Are you willing to have no chance to host just to cut them out? Nevermind that since the goal here is to make as much money as possible, choosing to forgo a venue you can sell out or close to it at 18,000+ so you can have games at a venue with around 3,000 instead, is pretty dumb financially.

[stamps]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

IOC will pick up the security cost, cheap out on all renovations basically (and nothing new, arena doesn't count). If no one else bids and Calgary actually chooses to promise to spend any significant amount of money, that's pretty moronic. Let the corrupt IOC go back to another dictatorship if they don't like it, dictatorships really suit them well.




It's very likely the only way to get provincial money will be throwing a bone to Edmonton. Are you willing to have no chance to host just to cut them out? Nevermind that since the goal here is to make as much money as possible, choosing to forgo a venue you can sell out or close to it at 18,000+ so you can have games at a venue with around 3,000 instead, is pretty dumb financially.

If that's the only way then forget it .

[stamps]

Edmonton is not part of the region , they are not invited ... If the province will not support a Calgary Canmore bid exclusive of Edmonton then forget it .....

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Have you been to Banff lately? It's starting to lose its' appeal given how ridiculously busy it is all the time, and holy #### is it annoying.

If Banff is getting a bit dowdy, it's because it's in a national park, with severe restrictions on development. I wouldn't expect that to change with an Olympics. Canmore is essentially the tourism hub of the region now.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by stamps

Edmonton is not part of the region , they are not invited ... If the province will not support a Calgary Canmore bid exclusive of Edmonton then forget it .....

so you'd forgo someone else paying for a new arena and perhaps a stadium, a LRT line and housing because 2 or 3 hockey games were in Edmonton?
it's one thing to hate Edmonton, but there is a point when you have to put on some big boy pants and at least act grownup.

[Southside]

What's this Edmonton nonsense? He'll no. It's a Calgary bid. Eff off Edmonton.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Zarley

Exactly. Tourism is an excellent way to diversify our economy that has the added benefit of being counter cyclical thanks to our petro dollar. If the Olympics can bring additional transportation infrastructure (train service to Banff, gondola transit in the townsite) to handle higher tourist volume, it will be a huge positive for the province.

THose things arent the included in the Olympic bid. Neither is the fieldhouse or new Arena. There is no Airport transit link. The forecast is for the government to spend 2.4 billion to get 2.6 billion in economic activity. That's throw the money out the window and let people spend it on what they want level of activity.

The proposal per the Maclean article has 1.2 billion in Capital spending for 2.4 billion dollars on infrastructure that isn't on my priority list. It looks like the plan being proposed is the worst case outcome. Spend too much for infrastructure we don't need.

Forego the Olympics and just spend 1.2 billion on infrastructure we need.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

so you'd forgo someone else paying for a new arena and perhaps a stadium, a LRT line and housing because 2 or 3 hockey games were in Edmonton?
it's one thing to hate Edmonton, but there is a point when you have to put on some big boy pants and at least act grownup.

Read the Macleans article posted above.

The new arena, stadium and airport lint are not included in the infrastructure number.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by GGG

Read the Macleans article posted above.

The new arena, stadium and airport lint are not included in the infrastructure number.

I was thinking the Olympics would likely make those things more likely to happen with funding from more levels of government.

I don't get the attitude from some that if Edmonton even gets a sniff of a sport, then they don't want the Olympics. seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

I was thinking the Olympics would likely make those things more likely to happen with funding from more levels of government.

I don't get the attitude from some that if Edmonton even gets a sniff of a sport, then they don't want the Olympics. seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Typical Edmonton looking for some kind of handout without doing the real work.

Calgary doesn't need Edmonton. It's an entrepreneurial and business minded town. If the Olympics make sense they'll do it, if not they'll say no. There are a lot of reasons Calgary punches for its size, it doesn't need advice.