Should Calgary Bid on the 2026 Olympics

[_Q_]

I honestly have no issue with a heavily renovated McMahon stadium. A partial roof, new concessions and washroom as well as some cosmetic improvements are a far cry from "lipstick on a pig".

[powderjunkie]

What are the main benefits to a roof? I feel like there are only a few weeks of the year where it would be really beneficial to block the sun (vs. more weeks where I'd take the warmth of the sun over being in the cold shade, even it means some sun in the eyes)? Rain and hard falling snow are also fairly rare...

[La Flames Fan]

I don't know if its been mentioned, but the bid does include a new field house, separate from McMahon Stadium.

Big Image of Facilities

Spoiler!

[Senator Clay Davis]

The fieldhouse is quite literally an amateur fieldhouse. So absolutely nothing like CalgaryNEXT, more like Repsol Centre.

[La Flames Fan]

Here's a link to the last public engagement event at Jack Singer:
https://www.facebook.com/Calgary2026...9739654136443/

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

The fieldhouse is quite literally an amateur fieldhouse. So absolutely nothing like CalgaryNEXT, more like Repsol Centre.

Much more elaborate than Repsol.
A place for hosting summer competitions as well as a place for high performance training and public fitness.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi is calling for a full investigation by the city’s integrity commissioner after municipal documents were leaked detailing the risk of Olympics-related cost overruns in the construction of an athletes’ village.

Nenshi said the leak, first reported last week, was a clear breach of council’s code of conduct and a contravention of rules under the province’s Municipal Governance Act.

“I will be asking the integrity commissioner to use his full authority to conduct that investigation, which includes a forensic audit of (council members’) devices, personal and city-owned, as well as email and text messages,” Nenshi said at Monday’s council meeting.

“So, I take this very, very seriously.”

CBC reported last week that the city was concerned about the risk of rising costs resulting from plans to locate an athletes’ village at Victoria Park. The report, based on confidential documents authored by the city’s Olympic secretariat, suggested the city could be on the hook for replacing the Victoria Park transit garage and the costs associated with remediation work that would be required at the site.

While the identity of the leaker is not public, Nenshi targeted his fellow council colleagues in comments condemning the disclosure.

“Not only do you have a responsibility under the (Municipal Governance Act) … you have an obligation, a moral obligation, to keep confidential things that council votes to keep confidential,” Nenshi said in chambers Monday morning.

Nenshi later acknowledged that a city staff member could also have been responsible for the leak. Meeting minutes show that nearly thirty senior staff members were present at the meeting where the leaked document was discussed.

City manager Jeff Fielding told Postmedia that since the city’s integrity commissioner does not have jurisdiction over administration, he will be directing corporate security to investigate “to ensure that a fulsome investigation is completed.”

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...box=1537810688

[Flamenspiel]

Originally Posted by craigwd

Much more elaborate than Repsol.
A place for hosting summer competitions as well as a place for high performance training and public fitness.

This is a spectacular building and is in a much better location then the Calgary Next Plan.

[DiracSpike]

It really seems like Nenshi's in the bag for the Olympics.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...box=1537810688

Should that even be private though? I'm generally in favour of the Olympics and hosting, but really if we're having a plebiscite it seems fair that this kind of information should be released?

[getbak]

If you watch his media scrum from yesterday, he clarifies that the report was going to be (and will be) released to the public after certain sensitive information is redacted. The stuff to be redacted will primarily be stuff dealing with the bid strategy so the other cities don't know too much.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by DiracSpike

It really seems like Nenshi's in the bag for the Olympics.

Absolutely. But I assume virtually all mayors are. Regardless of the Games and their aftermath, being a mayor who secures an Olympic bid is a huge personal feather in the cap.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...box=1537810688

Sounds like a first time councillor who doesn't yet appreciate the benefits of keeping sensitive info private (Farkas?) - also wouldn't be surprised if they already have strong suspicions on who it is. I'm sure the next report showing anything negative about that certain councillor's conduct won't be kept as private as the last one (showing many councillors indiscretions)...

Thanks to getback for a bit more background - I'll have to dig in a bit for more context.

I'm generally inclined to be pro-Nenshi and pro-Olympics (albeit not staunchly on either count) - these kind of things are making it especially difficult to maintain much enthusiasm for the Olympics...

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by getbak

If you watch his media scrum from yesterday, he clarifies that the report was going to be (and will be) released to the public after certain sensitive information is redacted. The stuff to be redacted will primarily be stuff dealing with the bid strategy so the other cities don't know too much.

And without it being leaked, we never would have known if they redacted the costs related to the bus barns. Or when the report would have been released.

It will include them now and they can claim it always would have, but there is no way to know for sure. If they truly wanted a transparent vote, they would release every known cost, every risk and every potential cost.

It wouldn't surprise anyone if the city has a bunch of these reports and is just sitting on them until after the plebiscite. Then they'll release them and claim the bid process will be transparent to voters.

[La Flames Fan]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

And without it being leaked, we never would have known if they redacted the costs related to the bus barns. Or when the report would have been released.

It will include them now and they can claim it always would have, but there is no way to know for sure. If they truly wanted a transparent vote, they would release every known cost, every risk and every potential cost.

It wouldn't surprise anyone if the city has a bunch of these reports and is just sitting on them until after the plebiscite. Then they'll release them and claim the bid process will be transparent to voters.

The bus barns were never part of the Olympic bid...they are part of the East Victoria Park/Rivers District plan - totally separate. That was a weird and frankly disingenuous connection by CBC.

[Senator Clay Davis]

And yet Nenshi is now threatening an investigation over the leak. Connection can't be that disingenuous if the biggest Olympic supporter is threatening such nonsense. It hurts the bid, clearly, and Nenshi doesn't like that. I'm starting to think he'll override the plebiscite if no wins, but it's close.

[Northendzone]

while on some levels i get nenshi's annoyance that this "confidential" information was released. i have more questions on why the information is confidential.

You are talking about spending billions of taxpayers monies (reagradless of what level is paying what amount) on this project, are you planning on keeping the public in the dark or only giving us tidbits until the plebescite.

this whole bus barn thing is the exact kind of olympic spend crap that annoys me. if the city holds the olympics and they build a village where the barn is, then yes, moving the barn is a cost of the olympics - regardless of whether or not you were thinking of moving the barn one day anyways. building a village there means you have to move it, versus, well it would be nice to move it when we can afford it.

some me the entire cost of hosting the games, because we are the ones who have to pay for it via our taxes.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by La Flames Fan

The bus barns were never part of the Olympic bid...they are part of the East Victoria Park/Rivers District plan - totally separate. That was a weird and frankly disingenuous connection by CBC.

Farkas would probably claim that municipal garbage pickup during an Olympics should be included in the bid because it will be picked up during the games.

[Strange Brew]

Seems like quite an over reaction. A full forensic investigation, turning over their phones and devices. Was someone killed?

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

this whole bus barn thing is the exact kind of olympic spend crap that annoys me. if the city holds the olympics and they build a village where the barn is, then yes, moving the barn is a cost of the olympics - regardless of whether or not you were thinking of moving the barn one day anyways. building a village there means you have to move it, versus, well it would be nice to move it when we can afford it.

some me the entire cost of hosting the games, because we are the ones who have to pay for it via our taxes.

I think we just need two categories: direct Olympic spending, and indirect/accelerated spending relate to Olympics.

In the video link for the public event, they were at least being very careful to claim that while they were excluding non-direct Olympic costs from the bid, they were also excluding non-direct benefits (talk of cannibalization, not factoring intra-provincial tourism spending that would likely happen regardless, etc.)