[Rumour] Calgary preparing for 2026 Winter Olympics bid. May open door to CalgaryNEXT funding

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Goodness. How do these cities spend $1bn on security? Seems so excessive.

The worst part is the initial budget called for only $200 million to be spent on security. These things never come in on or below budget, so whatever total cost is quoted can pretty much be guaranteed to be the low end of what it will actually cost.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

The worst part is the initial budget called for only $200 million to be spent on security. These things never come in on or below budget, so whatever total cost is quoted can pretty much be guaranteed to be the low end of what it will actually cost.

*ahem*, $175 million...

It was BC Place that was supposed to be ~200 million.

[CliffFletcher]

Folks, there's a reason why sensible democracies like Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway are backing out of Olympic bids. This isn't 1988 anymore. The cost of these global events is enormous, and becoming attractive only to dictatorships and authoritarian oligarchies. I get that ignoring the bad and hoping for only the good is part of the makeup of being a sports fan. But we're talking billions and billions of dollars here. Don't let the prospect of two weeks of happy feels saddle your kids with a public fiscal hangover that will last decades.

The Bidding For The 2022 Olympics Is A Disaster Because Everyone Figured Out That Hosting Is A Total Waste

Researchers have known for years that hosting large sporting events like the Olympics always costs more than expected and always yields less revenue and useful long-term infrastructure than estimated. Now voters and politicians in countries with democratically elected governments are starting to realize the same thing.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Folks, there's a reason why sensible democracies like Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway are backing out of Olympic bids. This isn't 1988 anymore. The cost of these global events is enormous, and becoming attractive only to dictatorships and authoritarian oligarchies. I get that ignoring the bad and hoping for only the good is part of the makeup of being a sports fan. But we're talking billions and billions of dollars here. Don't let the prospect of two weeks of happy feels saddle your kids with a public fiscal hangover that will last decades.

The Bidding For The 2022 Olympics Is A Disaster Because Everyone Figured Out That Hosting Is A Total Waste

I wonder if this is the end of the Olympics as we know them.

Most sports have a yearly "World Championship".

[Bandwagon In Flames]

The thing is, Calgary is a very viable place to host the Olympics. The infrastructure is already in place and while renovations may be needed, that's still much cheaper than building from scratch.

There are new rules in place allowing pre-existing facilities to be used for the Olympics. That rule was implemented specifically because of places like Calgary, where the only thing holding them back was requiring brand new facilities be built when suitable options were already in place.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Folks, there's a reason why sensible democracies like Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway are backing out of Olympic bids. This isn't 1988 anymore. The cost of these global events is enormous, and becoming attractive only to dictatorships and authoritarian oligarchies. I get that ignoring the bad and hoping for only the good is part of the makeup of being a sports fan. But we're talking billions and billions of dollars here. Don't let the prospect of two weeks of happy feels saddle your kids with a public fiscal hangover that will last decades.

The Bidding For The 2022 Olympics Is A Disaster Because Everyone Figured Out That Hosting Is A Total Waste

While I agree for the most part, I think where a lot of it breaks down is the use of existing infrastructure.

Sochi is a perfect example, they picked a terrible place and had to build everything from scratch and then no one actually lives there so its all wasted afterwards.

Those dictatorships and oligarchies are trying to show that they have money to spend and are more interested in bringing people in to show off than they are in anything else.

If Calgary decided we wanted to host the Olympics again the primary focus would have to be on what we wanted left after the party is over.

If we sunk money into COP, Winsport, a new arena, West Village redevelopment, road infrastructure, rail/transit infrastructure, etc, and all of it was left over then I could see it being potentially viable.

Assuming it doesnt go grossly over-budget as these things are prone to do.

I guess in my mind I think to myself:

If we want to do all of these projects, it will cost the City $1B. If we get them done via an Olympic bid then we'll also get other sources taking small chunks out of that bill but we get to keep the stuff and it all happens a lot sooner.

So even if the event takes a loss but the City gets some assets it could still be beneficial.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I wonder if this is the end of the Olympics as we know them.

I think we are seeing the twilight of the Olympics (along with the World Cup). These mega-events have simply become too big and too costly. With the growing track record of cost over-runs and corruption, and chronic security concerns, public support for hosting is cratering. The Winter Olympics will probably go first, as it needs to be held in a winter climate, but democracies aren't interested in hosting any more.

[SuperMatt18]

The issue has less to do with the events but more to do with the locations picked.

The Olympics and World Cup are only not feasible because they decide to host the events in countries that it makes no sense.

Salt Lake, Vancouver, L.A., London were successful places because they had some of the necessary facilities, which made it easier to build the facilities that were needed at a smaller lift.

Same thing with hosting the World Cup in France (98) or Germany (06).

But when you start going to remote places like Sochi where you need to build everything from scratch. Or host a World Cup in Brazil and build a stadium in the rainforest then it becomes ridiculous and too expensive.

For two reasons: You have to build everything from scratch, and all the facilities and infrastructure is a waste because it isn't needed on a regular basis.

A place like England, Germany, could easily host the World Cup (or even Olympics) every 4 years because they have all the state of the art facilities already. Could even do it in the U.S. will all the state of the art football stadiums they have.

As Locke mentioned you could argue that everything that would get fixed with a Olympic bid could be argued that it needs to get done eventually anyways.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I think we are seeing the twilight of the Olympics (along with the World Cup). These mega-events have simply become too big and too costly. With the growing track record of cost over-runs and corruption, and chronic security concerns, public support for hosting is cratering. The Winter Olympics will probably go first, as it needs to be held in a winter climate, but democracies aren't interested in hosting any more.

I have a distant memory that athletes place a higher honour on a World Championship gold and an olympic gold.

[polak]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Folks, there's a reason why sensible democracies like Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway are backing out of Olympic bids. This isn't 1988 anymore. The cost of these global events is enormous, and becoming attractive only to dictatorships and authoritarian oligarchies. I get that ignoring the bad and hoping for only the good is part of the makeup of being a sports fan. But we're talking billions and billions of dollars here. Don't let the prospect of two weeks of happy feels saddle your kids with a public fiscal hangover that will last decades.

The Bidding For The 2022 Olympics Is A Disaster Because Everyone Figured Out That Hosting Is A Total Waste

If it makes a profit or breaks even, or even just loses a small amount, yet it spurs infrastructure upgrades and revitalization projects and helps partially fund that then I don't see how it's a waste? Yes if we screw up, than it can be a disaster, but if it's done right?

Pay 1B to revitalize the West Village out of the cities pockets, or pay 1B to build a Olympic Village there with the help of extra funds from a successful bid?

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by polak

If it makes a profit or breaks even, or even just loses a small amount, yet it spurs infrastructure upgrades and revitalization projects and helps partially fund that then I don't see how it's a waste? Yes if we screw up, than it can be a disaster, but if it's done right?

Pay 1B to revitalize the West Village out of the cities pockets, or pay 1B to build a Olympic Village there with the help of extra funds from a successful bid?

Cliff is a TML homer who hates everything related to Calgary or the Flames. Don't ask me why he frequents CP forums apart from stepping up for Dion Phaneuf any chance he gets.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

Cliff is a TML homer who hates everything related to Calgary or the Flames. Don't ask me why he frequents CP forums apart from stepping up for Dion Phaneuf any chance he gets.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Heathen.

[Aeneas]

Cliff "big tuna" Fletcher?

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I have a distant memory that athletes place a higher honour on a World Championship gold and an olympic gold.

Definitely not the case.
Olympic champion is the pinnacle goal of all high performance athletes I know.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Folks, there's a reason why sensible democracies like Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway are backing out of Olympic bids. This isn't 1988 anymore. The cost of these global events is enormous, and becoming attractive only to dictatorships and authoritarian oligarchies. I get that ignoring the bad and hoping for only the good is part of the makeup of being a sports fan. But we're talking billions and billions of dollars here. Don't let the prospect of two weeks of happy feels saddle your kids with a public fiscal hangover that will last decades.

The Bidding For The 2022 Olympics Is A Disaster Because Everyone Figured Out That Hosting Is A Total Waste

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

I would have liked it if the article didn't cherry pick the two biggest debacles of the last two decades.

Nagano and Sydney were completely weird as well.

However, I would imagine that we fall closer to the Vancouver profit/loss number and learn from the successes and mistakes there, no? I think a huge part of the Calgary bid is that Calgary intends to continue to use most venues/upgrades well after the games and not erecting costly temporary venues to host games.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by craigwd

Definitely not the case.
Olympic champion is the pinnacle goal of all high performance athletes I know.

As I said, I am going from memory, which is getting worse and worse.

It seems to me they say it this way:

• World Championship: High/tighter criteria to get in, threshold is set by the international governing body.
• Olympics: A lower threshold to get in, often set by the country's own association.

This was a guest speaker in a class I took at Uni, which was many years ago.

In short, you don't get guys like Eddie the Eagle at World Championships of Ski Jumping because he can't qualify.


Again this is from memory.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

As I said, I am going from memory, which is getting worse and worse.

It seems to me they say it this way:

• World Championship: High/tighter criteria to get in, threshold is set by the international governing body.
• Olympics: A lower threshold to get in, often set by the country's own association.

This was a guest speaker in a class I took at Uni, which was many years ago.

In short, you don't get guys like Eddie the Eagle at World Championships of Ski Jumping because he can't qualify.


Again this is from memory.

Maybe, but most WCs happen every year which makes the Olympics more special. The qualifying is certainly less stringent in the Olympics, but winning the gold is arguably harder.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Sorry I most definitely got you and Big Tuna mixed up for some reason.

I recall you as the old cranky man of CP. More accurate?

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The issue has less to do with the events but more to do with the locations picked.

The Olympics and World Cup are only not feasible because they decide to host the events in countries that it makes no sense.

Salt Lake, Vancouver, L.A., London were successful places because they had some of the necessary facilities, which made it easier to build the facilities that were needed at a smaller lift.

Same thing with hosting the World Cup in France (98) or Germany (06).

But when you start going to remote places like Sochi where you need to build everything from scratch. Or host a World Cup in Brazil and build a stadium in the rainforest then it becomes ridiculous and too expensive.

For two reasons: You have to build everything from scratch, and all the facilities and infrastructure is a waste because it isn't needed on a regular basis.

A place like England, Germany, could easily host the World Cup (or even Olympics) every 4 years because they have all the state of the art facilities already. Could even do it in the U.S. will all the state of the art football stadiums they have.

As Locke mentioned you could argue that everything that would get fixed with a Olympic bid could be argued that it needs to get done eventually anyways.

yes

London 2012 made money. Vancouver was close.

Olympics arent the money pit theyre made out to be unless youre communist or 3rd world.

Rio will lose a fortune. Pyeongchang will be fine.