Olympics 2026 Potential Bid Thread

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by CrossedTheTracks

If you believe that spending municipal tax money on the games is a good use of money, that's a valid opinion that you're entitled to.

I'm pretty amazed the city is able to do this for the price of a couple large interchanges. Sure beats three times this amount demanded by the #FlamesBillionaires to subsidize their for-profit businesses! Further, in this case it is real economic impact because the funds come from outside the city, whereas the arena focus-pocus was built on false economics highlighting money that was already in Calgary as being a new benefit to us. Those economics were on worse than shaky ground. But alas I digress.

For those who don't get that a new top-rate field house, mid-sized arena, 11 upgraded facilities, $1B in salaries for Calgarians, billions in economic impact (from funds coming into Calgary), and substantial new housing is all-in worth $390M from the city need to re-wire their calculators.

Originally Posted by CrossedTheTracks

If you believe that spending other people's provincial and federal tax money on the games is a good use of money, well, you can have that opinion too.

If you believe other levels of government should not direct a portion of their funds to a region of the city doing things at an international level, particularly a city that's been a bit down on its luck, go protest them. Reality is, most of the folks who've been complaining of what we generally term as "transfer payments" going elsewhere are the same ones up in arms that cumulatively, "Canada" will support Calgary. The irony is palpable, and it is false logic. You might as well put up billboards saying, Canada, please give our money to Quebec. It is a laughable position. Calling a spade a spade.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Yeah, the reason to have the games is to have the games. It is super hard to quantify the worth of earned media and recognition of existence. An 8 year media biltz where every article about the olympics includes a 1 paragraph explainer of what calgary is, and where we want to go, is a huge branding opportunity. But yeah, hard to quantify that vision and sharing it, into real world numbers.

It is a massive intangible benefit that can only be estimated post-games, and it would be into 10 figures in value. A massive push to our tourism industry, which is a critical component of a new diversified Calgary economy. Your point is very well made and well taken.

[milomilo]

Are you on the payroll of yescalgary2026? You're not doing a very good job.

[suburbia]

Robert Livingstone, producer and sport journalist for www.GamesBids.com specializing in the Olympic bid process Tweeted:

https://twitter.com/enotsgnivil/status/1057726314134863873

I've said it before, and I'll say it again because it's still true:: The #Calgary2026 Olympic Games bid is the most transparent in history. But as @maryhmoran just told City Councillors, that's a compettitive disadvantage. In the past, taxpayers knew very little at this stage

https://twitter.com/enotsgnivil/status/1057727141872369664

2/2 Even today in Calgary City Council, I've never seen a more comprehensive technical discussion about a potential bid, in public, streamed worldwide, ever. This is actually quite inspiring. #IOC take note - #Calgary2026

You can read about him and his site here:
https://gamesbids.com/eng/about-gb/

[Rollerstud98]

I hope we get the games, I will try and get some short track speed skating tickets if I can. I was there in 2002 when that Australian guy won the gold after the entire race he was very far behind and in the last corner the rest of the racers all wiped out and he skated in easily for Olympic gold. I was sitting right in front of his family and that was pretty cool seeing them react to him winning that medal. Completely unexpected for him to even make the medal round let alone win the gold lol. Another thing that stands it about that for me was watching the news later and being that we were in the states all they were saying was that the race should be run again to give the favoured American his chance to win. Almost an Eddie the eagle moment lol just with a better finish

[CrossedTheTracks]

Originally Posted by Rollerstud98

I hope we get the games, I will try and get some short track speed skating tickets if I can.

Shameless plug: you don't have to wait until 2026! World Cup short track is on at the Oval this weekend, Nov 2-4: https://oval.ucalgary.ca/worldcup

[Rollerstud98]

Did not know this. Are you connected to short track?

[CrossedTheTracks]

Originally Posted by Rollerstud98

Did not know this. Are you connected to short track?

Kind of. One of my kids is in speed skating, with the Calgary Speed Skating Association; mostly short track. I'm at the Oval... a lot

[suburbia]

Great video.

And good on the greatest Calgary Flame ever, Jerome Iginla, to speak truth, along with Lanny McDonald and Conservative leader Jim Dinning.
• Video Link

[suburbia]

Great messages here:
• Video Link

[DoubleK]

Was anyone around in 1988?

How were the financials for that bid presented, if they were at all?

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Was anyone around in 1988?

How were the financials for that bid presented, if they were at all?

Not sure how they were presented then, but according to GamesBid.com that tracks bids globally, our 2026 bid for this point in the process is the most transparent of any they have seen by far:

https://gamesbids.com/eng/winter-olympic...-is-the-most-transparent-ever-heres-why/

you’ve had more information and for much longer than any other city heading into an Olympic bid referendum at this stage.

For context, I would say you have as much data now as Vancouver voters had heading into their plebiscite that was held just weeks before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was to render its final verdict on the 2010 Winter Games bid. With final plans already in IOC hands, and an evaluation team at headquarters in Lausanne packing their bags to visit the venues up close, 64 percent of voters approved that bid.

Enabled by the IOC’s new open dialogue process, I strongly believe that from so many perspectives – Calgary 2026 is the most transparent Olympic bid in history.

It is an extensive open letter actually, and well worth a full read (click the link about).

[DoubleK]

Thanks for that. I'll have to take a look at home, that link is blocked.

[suburbia]

Another voice of credibility I think we need to be open to listening from is John Furlong of Vancover 2010 fame. He has stated on the record, "This is the first Olympic budget I have ever seen that has as much protection in it. We didn't have anything like the contingencies in there that you have. So clearly a lot of pretty smart people have gone into this and they've wiped out all the potential for trouble with a very health contingency."

The above was to Global News.

Furlong's assessment was also covered by CBC.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-2026-vancouver-2010-john-furlong-1.4890262

Furlong, who co-led the 2010 bid and organizing committee, says not only does Calgary own previous experience hosting a Winter Olympics that Vancouver didn't have, he envies the $1.1 billion in contingency funds in Calgary's draft host plan.

"If you'd handed me that budget, I would have slipped out the back door and said 'thank you very much. I'm on my way,"' Furlong told The Canadian Press on Friday.

"I have never seen a budget that has this much contingency in it. I think that's a direct learning from Vancouver."

Unfortunately, a very major factor in all of this is that Paul Godfrey's group is not covering the views of people like Jim Dinning or John Furlong, and instead stoking the arena fires (yes, Paul is of the same business group that not only owns Post Media, but are affiliated with owners of the Calgary Flames, Calgary developers, etc.). So a clean and successful plebiscite will need to be preceded by many voices sharing the actual details and numbers and value propositions. It is truly jaw dropping that the leveraging cost to Calgary here is only about 1/3rd of the subsidy the Flames owners were demanding for their billionaire owners to have their own arena.

Really glad Jerome Iginla and the like have also stepped up and introduced some fresh air and reasoning into the conversation.

[rotten42]

Let's just ignore Suburbia's constant delusional pom-pom raves here and take a look at this:


According to recent work from researchers at the University of Oxford, every single Olympic Games since 1968 experienced substantial cost overruns. Every. Single. One.


https://business.financialpost.com/opini...the-olympic-winter-games-can-you-feel-it

[CrossedTheTracks]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Was anyone around in 1988?

How were the financials for that bid presented, if they were at all?

Goodness... you'd probably have to hit the microfiche records to get a good picture of that. The question is not who was around in 1988, but who was around in 1980/81 when the bid was developed and succeeded. I was around, but very young at the time.

This report gives some interesting footage from the time: https://www.cbc.ca/archives/fourth-time-lucky-in-1988-for-calgary-olympic-bid-1.4882274

Funnily enough, it implies that a key positive attribute of Calgary's bid was its promise to spend much more than our two competitors! "The Calgary team also promised their Games would have a budget of $450 million — more than either of their competitors had pledged to spend."

For comparison of that number to how it turned out -- a couple of years ago, Trevor Tombe pieced together actual costs as $932 million (see: https://twitter.com/trevortombe/status/768152398560763904), which I assume are 1988 dollars, or perhaps the nominal dollars as they were spent over the 7 years. I'm not going to attempt to compare that to $450 million in 1981 dollars, I'm sure I'd do it wrong!

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by rotten42

Let's just ignore Suburbia's constant delusional pom-pom raves here

Pointing out what former conservative finance minister and what head of the Vancouver 2010 games have said is far from a pom-pom rave. The fact you cannot respond to the facts they've stated is telling.

Originally Posted by rotten42

take a look at this:

According to recent work from researchers at the University of Oxford, every single Olympic Games since 1968 experienced substantial cost overruns. Every. Single. One.

https://business.financialpost.com/opini...the-olympic-winter-games-can-you-feel-it

So I looked at the old article you've tracked down, and then reviewed the Oxford article that it was referencing. Here is what the Oxford article states is the big issue:

“If one would want to make it as difficult as possible to deliver a megaproject to budget, then one would (1) make sure that those responsible for delivering the project had never delivered this type of project before, and (2) place the project in a location that had never seen such a project

The Calgary bid responds to that in spades. That's why we are not doing it in Canada's equiv of Sochi.

Further, regarding the Oxford study:

It focuses on sports-related costs (i.e. construction of the venues)

Which in large part Calgary avoids completely, which is also why Calgary's bid is the lowest risk of any Olympics bid in history.

I think John Furlong's words were telling:

"This is the first Olympic budget I have ever seen that has as much protection in it. We didn't have anything like the contingencies in there that you have. So clearly a lot of pretty smart people have gone into this and they've wiped out all the potential for trouble with a very health contingency."

And Jim Dinning was particularly on the ball:
• Video Link

Can you clarify which aspects of Jim Dinning's statements you think are false, and how specifically you'd counter his position of expertise and credibility?

[rotten42]

sure...can't make the budget numbers. Cut security costs. Still can't meet the budget number. (their security budget is half of what Vancouver's was)...cut the affordable housing/athletes village funding. Make claims about an insurance policy that most experts doubt they can get...who cares? Call it fact and but it in the accounting.

This is a going show and the Calgary taxpayer is going to get screwed.

[rotten42]

Oh...and who can believe a damn thing that BidCo says:


Tuesday
BidCo: The feds will cover security costs


Friday
BidCo: Sports Minister: We will not cover any cost overruns

Saturday
BidCo: Oh, they are confused. The Sports Minister didn't mean security cost overruns

Sunday
Public Safety Minister: The sports minister was correct, we will not cover ANY cost overruns including security cost overruns.


BidCo: still in denial.

[rotten42]

Originally Posted by suburbia

I think John Furlong's words were telling:

"This is the first Olympic budget I have ever seen that has as much protection in it. We didn't have anything like the contingencies in there that you have. So clearly a lot of pretty smart people have gone into this and they've wiped out all the potential for trouble with a very health contingency."

And Jim Dinning was particularly on the ball:
• Video Link

Can you clarify which aspects of Jim Dinning's statements you think are false, and how specifically you'd counter his position of expertise and credibility?

Forgive me if I don't really think Furlong is giving his unbiased opinion:

2003

January 9

The Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation presents an official Bid Book to the IOC, a 460-page document that expands on the Bid Questionnaire submitted in 2002.

The venue budget is $470 million and operating budget is $1.3 billion.

2006

February 3

VANOC CEO John Furlong releases an updated Olympic venue budget, with a venue cost of $580 million.

Furlong blames the increase from the original $470 million figure on rising construction costs and a shortage of skilled workers in the Vancouver building industry.

2007

July 27

Internal RCMP documents are made public, showing the security budget is too small. The Vancouver Integrated Security Unit was given $175 million to provide security at the Games, but it says it could require five times that amount.

August 17

Construction problems and requests by the IOC to house more athletes in Whistler have tripled the cost of the Whistler Athletes Centre. A provincial government report is released saying VANOC must use half of the $53.5-million provincial contingency fund to cover costs.

October 22

Rona gives $5 million for the Whistler Athletes Centre. Originally estimated to cost $16 million, the centre is now pegged at $46 million.

2008

April 17

The Richmond Oval announces that algae and fungus are growing in the roof of the structure, and that $2 million in repairs are needed. The $178-million structure is now triple the cost of the original $60-million estimate.

October 3

Former federal Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day says security for the Games could cost between $400 million and $1 billion, up from the 2002 estimate of $175 million.

December 15

VANOC gives a budget update saying it is running a $65-million budget deficit, but remains hopeful that books will be balanced in the lead-up to the Games.

2009

January 9

Mayor Gregor Robertson announces that Vancouver taxpayers might have to pay the entire cost of the Athletes Village development. The total cost of the development is now $875 million, $125 million over budget.

January 12

Vancouver city officials seek emergency powers to borrow up to $458 million to finish the construction of the Athletes Village. The federal government says it will not provide support for the project.

January 30

VANOC releases recent revisions to the budget, showing an increase of $127 million.