SACPA to discuss Calgary’s bid for 2026 Olympics

The economics of hosting a modern Olympics are difficult, especially when the latest number suggests a Calgary 2026 Games would top the $5billion mark.

Today, during the regular weekly Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs session, set for noon at the Royal Canadian Legion, speaker Tom Sindlinger will present “Lethbridge Taxpayers will be on the Hook if Calgary Gets to Host the 2026 Winter Olympics – Are there ‘Trickle Down” Benefits?’”

Sindlinger is a Canadian economist with a focus on the marketing of natural resources and transportation, and governance, and is a former elected PC member of the Alberta Legislative Assembly.

While most agree the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games were an overall success and good for the city, Alberta and Canada, they cost less than $1 billion and turned a profit.

The Alberta and federal governments have made their contribution to the 2026 Calgary Olympics conditional on a Nov. 13 City of Calgary plebiscite. The non-binding plebiscite will offer two choices — for or against Calgary hosting.

While hosting the 2026 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games will no doubt generate a lot of economic investment and activity in Calgary, the speaker will argue that all Alberta taxpayers will end up covering the expenses to the tune of several billion dollars for operations, infrastructure and paying off the “mortgage” for such Olympics.

He will also address whether or not Albertans are likely to get lasting “bang for their buck” from such expenditures.