Olympics 2026 Potential Bid Thread

[VIce]

There's only one word you guys need to hear: "Firepark".

[UofC.engineer]

Originally Posted by VIce

There's only one word you guys need to hear: "Firepark".

"That's gold, Jerry! Gold."
-Kenny Bania

[UofC.engineer]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Putting lets say all figure skating and curling in Edmonton would save substantial dollars if Calgary decides to never substantially renew or replace the Saddledome. Not unheard of to have one or two events far removed, though usually they are more obscure, like equestrian at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Why would it save money? We could host the lower spectator sports at the Max bell arena, I believe the capacity is 3000. Perhaps curling or an Azerbaijan vs. Belgium hockey game.

I'm a solid no for including Edmonton on the bid. Nothing against the city, I just don't like spreading butter too thinly on toast.

[MalcolmTucker]

Another full size arena. Even if Edmonton just took curling, that saves building a new venue.

[UofC.engineer]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Another full size arena. Even if Edmonton just took curling, that saves building a new venue.

I don't know a thing about the coordination of all the arena sports. One would have to evaluate if the Saddledome and Maxbell could handle the 2 hockey tournaments, 2 curling tournaments and 5 figure skating events that occur in the two week period.

Ferrying athletes, media and operations people back and forth between Edmonton and Calgary would be a pain.

Also note, Father David Bauer Olympic Arena has a capacity of 2000.

[WhipperSnapper]

Why would you need 2 full sized arenas?

[jawagord]

Originally Posted by seamusmcduff

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loca...orth-exploring

Edmontonian here, please let us do a regional bid. We want some infrastructure upgrades too haha. Plus Edmonton-Calgary rail line, who doesn't want that?

Probably makes more sense to share the Commonwealth Games if it has the similar number of events as the Olympic Summer games then plenty of events and venues to split. Winter games you can split some hockey games out but with skiing already in Canmore/Banff/Nakiska Calgary can handle the rest. Please no high speed train boondoggle justifications!

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Another full size arena. Even if Edmonton just took curling, that saves building a new venue.

The international arena at WinSport would be excellent for curling or for some of the hockey games also. Better than David Baurer. Real top notch space IMHO.
http://www.gecarchitecture.com/sites...jpg?1325541949

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

Why would you need 2 full sized arenas?

Men's hockey, women's hockey, men's figure skating, women's figure skating, men's curling, women's curling. You likely need one large arena, a second mid-sized arena, and then a modest to mid-sized arena (the third of which would be for curling).

[CrossedTheTracks]

Originally Posted by UofC.engineer

I don't know a thing about the coordination of all the arena sports. One would have to evaluate if the Saddledome and Maxbell could handle the 2 hockey tournaments, 2 curling tournaments and 5 figure skating events that occur in the two week period.

Ferrying athletes, media and operations people back and forth between Edmonton and Calgary would be a pain.

Also note, Father David Bauer Olympic Arena has a capacity of 2000.

'88 Olympics used (says Wikipedia):
- Men's Hockey: Saddledome, Corral, Father David Bauer
- Women's Hockey: didn't exist
- Figure Skating: Saddledome, Corral, Father David Bauer
- Men's and Women's Curling: Max Bell (only had 8 teams on each side then, 2012 had 12 teams each)

[s211]

Originally Posted by jawagord

Probably makes more sense to share the Commonwealth Games if it has the similar number of events as the Olympic Summer games then plenty of events and venues to split. Winter games you can split some hockey games out but with skiing already in Canmore/Banff/Nakiska Calgary can handle the rest. Please no high speed train boondoggle justifications!

This.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by suburbia

Men's hockey, women's hockey, men's figure skating, women's figure skating, men's curling, women's curling. You likely need one large arena, a second mid-sized arena, and then a modest to mid-sized arena (the third of which would be for curling).

Can build a 7000 seater for around $50 million. Something tells me that would be cheaper than the security and logistics of hosting a few events in Rogers Arena.

[Innersoul1]

I don't think that we need to include Edmonton in the bid. Really their presence would add a opening/closing games venue and two arenas for potentially hockey/figure skating and curling. They might also push for an event like aerials and or ski jumping which might steal potential infrastructure from Calgary where we already have a concentration of Olympic training venues. Plus you add the distance which has a realistic cost.

There is a really question and that is will the NHL be involved in these games. I would lean to yes. This would mean the necessity for large venues (new or renovated to support all the ice sports). I see it like this assuming NHL involvement:

Hockey: New Building, Saddledome, Max Bell or Winsport
Figure Skating: Saddledome
Short Track: Winsport
Curling: New 8000 seat venue at the UofC or MRU.

**we have to keep in mind that curling is a big draw (pun intended) in these parts. It's an easy ticket sell and it creates the opportunity to build a medium sized venue that the city really needs

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

Hockey: New Building, Saddledome, Max Bell or Winsport
Figure Skating: Saddledome
Short Track: Winsport
Curling: New 8000 seat venue at the UofC or MRU.

**we have to keep in mind that curling is a big draw (pun intended) in these parts. It's an easy ticket sell and it creates the opportunity to build a medium sized venue that the city really needs

Given that high quality temporary ice surfaces have been possible for the NHL, and that there have been good examples of temporary sports surfaces created indoors in exhibition type spaces, I'm wondering if a good enough quality ice surface could be created within one of the BMO Centre halls? By the time 2026 rolls around, there will be 4 pillar-free BMO Centre halls of 50K sf each. If one of those was converted for a custom curling facility, and given that the Saddledome would be an additional venue next door, perhaps some of the additional BMO Centre space could be utilized as other complimentary Olympics space, IE art / culture / heritage type exhibitions exchanges / global village - that type of thing. It could be a great Olympics hub near the centre of the city.

I've also always wondered if the grandstand at Stampede Park could somehow be used for an opening or closing, or alternate event. It clearly is not as large as McMahon, but just pointing out that there are other non-traditional possibilities in Calgary, either for sports or for complimentary events.

[Socguy]

That's good thinking. The only way an Olympic bid would work is if it could be put on for substantially less than what's currently expected. Any new facilities to be constructed would need to have a firm plan for use after the games. Definitely don't want to end up in the situation of so many other hosts who end up with billions of dollars wasted on abandoned Olympic infrastructure.

[UofC.engineer]

Originally Posted by googspecial

Some legacy items from the '88 Olympics as stated here and a few articles are the Nordic Centre, COP, the C-Train etc.

What could we potentially expect from hosting 2026?
- New Competition area at Fortress?
- Olympic Plaza Redevelopment?
- Perhaps a clean-up at West Village to possibly be an Athletes Village?
- Could this be a catalyst for Train service to Banff?

Even without events in the National Park, there would without doubt be plenty visitors to the Park and Townsite during the whole event... Is it realistic to use the Olympics to build passenger train service to Cochrane > Canmore > Banff? Perhaps even a temporary station near the Hwy 40 Kananaskis Turnoff to shuttle athletes if that ends up being the location for alpine events.

My Olympic Wishlist:
-Nakiska Upgrades(As posted my Malcolm Tucker)
-Rail transport to Banff
-New 7000-10000 capacity arena at UofC
-West Village to be redeveloped as an athletes village
-A spit shine on all other facilities

Calgary is lucky that the Olympic venues from 88 are still in use today. Here are some pictures of abandoned Olympic venues from around the world:
http://imgur.com/gallery/Mk1hI

[CalgaryCheese]

I think rail transport to Banff would be great to host the olympics again, but what would the cost be?

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by CalgaryCheese

I think rail transport to Banff would be great to host the olympics again, but what would the cost be?

I have a strong feeling that Parks Canada (and nor the environmentalists) would allow new train infrastructure within Banff National Park. Now that being said, while it wouldn't be for people moving, I wonder if the current rail line could be opened up once again for passenger service from Calgary to Lake Louise, with stops in Canmore and Banff? Perhaps something like to Olympics will make people think about that once again.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by CalgaryCheese

I think rail transport to Banff would be great to host the olympics again, but what would the cost be?

Originally Posted by suburbia

I have a strong feeling that Parks Canada (and nor the environmentalists) would allow new train infrastructure within Banff National Park. Now that being said, while it wouldn't be for people moving, I wonder if the current rail line could be opened up once again for passenger service from Calgary to Lake Louise, with stops in Canmore and Banff? Perhaps something like to Olympics will make people think about that once again.

I've heard the number $500 million thrown around to get to Cochrane. So around double?

You basically have to double track with a good amount of triple track, which the right of way is wide enough, but in lots of places isn't flat, is perched on a river bank, or otherwise super constrained.

The line is a freight mainline after all.

With Banff investigating a gondola town transport system, and maybe with the same in Lake Louise, I could see major utility with it.

[UofC.engineer]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

I've heard the number $500 million thrown around to get to Cochrane. So around double?

You basically have to double track with a good amount of triple track, which the right of way is wide enough, but in lots of places isn't flat, is perched on a river bank, or otherwise super constrained.

The line is a freight mainline after all.

With Banff investigating a gondola town transport system, and maybe with the same in Lake Louise, I could see major utility with it.

Wow, nothing comes cheap these days!
I don't have traffic data but the TransCanada highway is always packed on a Friday/Sunday evening. I think a train from Calgary to Lake Louise would be wildly popular.

The Banff to Canmore bus has been very successful:

http://roamtransit.com/services/canmore-banff-regional/