Leaders of potential Games bid to be unveiled
Calgarians will learn the identity of the person selected to helm the city’s $30-million Olympic bid corporation this week.
The chair, along with whoever is appointed CEO of the group, will immediately lead the charge to build a potential bid for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games once the appointments are made public.
While council is still weighing the benefits of hosting another Olympics, work is ramping up behind the scenes to ensure Calgary would be ready to meet the International Olympic Committee’s January deadline for a bid submission.
Council, as well as Calgary’s partners in a potential bid — including the provincial and federal governments — have signed off on an appointee to chair the bid corporation, whose name will be announced Thursday.
“I’m really happy and I think everybody will be really happy with the announcement that’s coming on Thursday,” said Coun. Evan Woolley, chair of council’s Olympic assessment committee.
“This person has to have a lot of experience in being able to pull together this kind of bid, they have to know a lot about our city — I think this person will be a person of stature.”
The new chair is expected to hit the ground running with meetings scheduled this weekend in Banff with board members from the Canadian Olympic Committee.
This person has to have a lot of experience in being able to pull together this kind of bid, they have to know a lot about our city.
Tuesday’s meeting also saw councillors head behind closed doors to get an in-depth look at Games concept plans, including potential sport venues, that will be submitted to the provincial and federal governments at the end of the month.
But moments before councillors headed into the in-camera session, Coun. Ray Jones let slip a question that seemed to confirm rumours that have been circulating that Calgary is looking at Whistler, B.C., and Nakiska as possible venues.
Outside council chambers, the committee’s chair was circumspect about the rumours, adding that competitive information must be kept confidential until a decision can be made:
“We know that our ski jumps are too old, so we are looking at other potential locations,” Woolley said. “What would the costs of fixing up our ski jumps be? These are all part of ongoing conversations.”
Calgary officials are also expected to travel to Lausanne, Switzerland, later this month to attend a working session at IOC headquarters to discuss how the Games could be delivered.
Trip costs will be covered by the IOC, the city said.