2026 Olympics- Calgary votes no- 56%

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I'm not, thank goodness, but I can look at precedent. Did you hear about how much costs have been ballooning in Tokyo? And you can say all you want about Calgary being a more "conservative city" but the IOC of today will not make this the same Olympics that Calgary experienced in 1988. I'm quite confident that we'd go over budget by a significant margin.

You can't compare the Summer Olympics or Tokyo to Calgary and the Winter games. My house in Tokyo would be worth $12 million dollars.It would prob cost them a billion dollars just to buy the land to build a stadium.

[BurningYears]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics were projected to cost $7 billion at the time of their approval.

They now are projected to cost $25 billion. https://globalnews.ca/news/4531547/t...osts-increase/

The IOC is dangerous and we cannot allow ourselves to affiliate with them. This isn't a one-off, either -- costs at Rio and Sochi ballooned way out of proportion.

Looking for a job at the Sun I see.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Very questionable and very debatable.

Putting Calgary's name out there on the global scale would boost tourism a lot more than an entertainment centre. People come here from Europe and the US to go skiing or hiking. The Olympics are like a massive advertisement for our city and the proximity of the mountains. An entertainment district does none of that.

It goes both ways I guess I was in LA last year I wasn't there because they hosted the 84 and future 28 Olympics. I went to LA Live.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Would have loved to have this same vote on the downtown library, or Farrell’s bridges.

I'm so sick of this attitude. What about a vote for the billion dollar ring road I'll never use? Or a vote on the airport tunnel to nowhere? Or why didn't we vote for the BRT I don't plan to use? How about voting on the Macleod Trail/162nd ave interchange? Or the crowchild trail bridge repair? I'd personally like to vote for the $50 million/year we spend on snow clearing. There are literally hundreds of things the city spends money on - billions - that DO NOT benefit me, but I'm OK with them because that's what it means to be part of a #####ing city. We have different needs and we help each other out.

Then we get one, measly $25 million dollar bridge, that I and thousands of others use every single day and people still complain about it? I'd love to play the per capita game or per tax dollar game. Trust me, I'd come out way ahead - I'd buy a second pedestrian bridge.

If we voted on everything, and only voted for what directly benefited us, nothing would ever get built. Ever.

[chemgear]

Would it be offside to ask a mod if it is possible to break down the poll numbers of Users who have just joined in the last year (or six months).

I'm genuinely interested at the bots/false accounts that might have been deployed here.

[Kaine]

Originally Posted by Hes

City needs to save face. I bet the Arena and entertainment district is done now. This may work out good for the Flames.

They have never needed to save face or cared one bit about wasting tax dollars like they have in the past. That won't change now.


An arena deal will continue to be "in the works" if it gets done any time soon it won't be to save face unless our Mayor somehow figures it will cement his "legacy".

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

It goes both ways I guess I was in LA last year I wasn't there because they hosted the 84 and future 28 Olympics. I went to LA Live.

LOL. LA is one of the most well known cities in the world. It doesn't need advertising or exposure like Calgary does. Terrible comparison.

[killer_carlson]

You don't get many opportunities to have global attention on your city in a positive way.

I'm disappointed with the results.

I also dont anticipate that Trudeau will be offering Calgary much of anything now.

[Corral]

The common folk push back on the elites. This was easy to predict

Even amateur sports is beyond the financial reach of most. There is nothing in these olympics for most people. The so called trickledown effect is total bunk to the person who can’t afford to put their kids in organized sports or pay thousands for season passes to these facilities.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

There is a significant difference between games held in the West, and games held in the East. There would be overruns, but “10s of billions” is extremely hyperbolic, don’t ignore Vancouver or London.

Is Rio not in the West? Because that's a more recent example than either of the two you mention and yet it ballooned to an enormous cost that I certainly would not be willing to swallow as a taxpayer.

Also, what are these differences you mention? This question comes out of genuine curiosity.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by kevman

I'm so sick of this attitude. What about a vote for the billion dollar ring road I'll never use? Or a vote on the airport tunnel to nowhere? Or why didn't we vote for the BRT I don't plan to use? How about voting on the Macleod Trail/162nd ave interchange? Or the crowchild trail bridge repair? I'd personally like to vote for the $50 million/year we spend on snow clearing. There are literally hundreds of things the city spends money on - billions - that DO NOT benefit me, but I'm OK with them because that's what it means to be part of a #####ing city. We have different needs and we help each other out.

Then we get one, measly $25 million dollar bridge, that I and thousands of others use every single day and people still complain about it? I'd love to play the per capita game or per tax dollar game. Trust me, I'd come out way ahead - I'd buy a second pedestrian bridge.

If we voted on everything, and only voted for what directly benefited us, nothing would ever get built. Ever.

I'd like to join your inner city biodome. Apparently you are off the grid in the middle of the city, impressive.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by kevman

I'm so sick of this attitude. What about a vote for the billion dollar ring road I'll never use? Or a vote on the airport tunnel to nowhere? Or why didn't we vote for the BRT I don't plan to use? How about voting on the Macleod Trail/162nd ave interchange? Or the crowchild trail bridge repair? I'd personally like to vote for the $50 million/year we spend on snow clearing. There are literally hundreds of things the city spends money on - billions - that DO NOT benefit me, but I'm OK with them because that's what it means to be part of a #####ing city. We have different needs and we help each other out.

Then we get one, measly $25 million dollar bridge, that I and thousands of others use every single day and people still complain about it? I'd love to play the per capita game or per tax dollar game. Trust me, I'd come out way ahead - I'd buy a second pedestrian bridge.

If we voted on everything, and only voted for what directly benefited us, nothing would ever get built. Ever.

That's the point that some people are making. Sarcasm isn't being detected well however

[Dion]

Originally Posted by BurningYears

Looking for a job at the Sun I see.

I think he wants the Dingers (Rick Bell) job

[RoadGame]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics were projected to cost $7 billion at the time of their approval.

They now are projected to cost $25 billion. https://globalnews.ca/news/4531547/t...osts-increase/

The IOC is dangerous and we cannot allow ourselves to affiliate with them. This isn't a one-off, either -- costs at Rio and Sochi ballooned way out of proportion.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/20041426

The London 2012 games were delivered under budget and the same advisors who helped bring that about were supporting BidCo.

Man the No side really worked themselves into a lather. What a shame.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by BurningYears

Looking for a job at the Sun I see.

Was Francis not in favour of the yes side? I'm pretty sure he was

[nieuwy-89]

Unfortunate results. Very short-sighted by Calgarians. Lost a chance to become a relevant City again. Calgary is post-apex.

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

At the end of the day, people elect their officials to make the best decision for the city...In theory, they would be the best informed on such subjects.

Once the city abdicated that responsibility and gave it over to the citizens to make that choice, they had to be convinced that the numbers were actually legitimate... based on the votes, they did not.

Well unfortunately the province tied their hands here. They made the $700M conditional on a YES vote to cover themselves politically, even though council had made it clear they did not feel a plebiscite was the way to handle this.

Province screwed Calgary council over hard.
1) they came in with less money than was expected
2) they would not backstop overruns like B.C.
3) they came out with their number early and alone rather than with the city and feds
4) they made itheir funding conditional on a plebiscite that council did not want.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Is Rio not in the West?

Not really, no.

Basically NATO, Australia and New Zealand make up 'the West'.

[H2SO4(aq)]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Of this whole process, I was really disappointed by Nenshi continuing to make the laughable 10 to 1 return on investment claims to the end as part of his public sell job. It's pretty sad to see such a transparent falsehood being peddled by our mayor.

Well after all, math is hard....

[Ozy_Flame]

So JT and Notley basically offer Calgary free money to help upgrade/build 11 facilities and we say no.

That was probably the only time we're going to get offered free money to see actual tangible benefits in the City, and we said no.

Now that money from Sport Canada is probably going to get spent elsewhere in the country since Calgary doesn't want it.

And Calgary is still on the hook to upgrade/build most of those facilities, but we have now chosen to do it alone.

I honestly don't know what to say other than I am disappointed right now, but honestly not really surprised.