Calgary 2026 puts $5.23B price tag on Games

CALGARY — A draft plan for Calgary to host the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games states the total cost will be approximately $5.23 billion.

But that figure was calculated in 2018 dollars and did not include the potential rate of inflation over the next eight years until the Games.

Calgary 2026 bid corporation chief executive Mary Moran told city council Tuesday the total could be $5.99 billion in ’26 dollars. By comparison, the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., cost roughly

$7.7 billion.

Calgary 2026 said the required public investment from taxpayers — the city, province and country — would be about $3 billion.

The remainder would be paid for privately via ticket sales, corporate sponsorship and a contribution from the International Olympic Committee in cash and services.

How much each level of government would contribute has yet to be announced. Ottawa’s policy for hosting international sporting events allows for a contribution of up to 50 per cent, or $1.5 billion in this case, of public sector costs.

A new field house, which has long been a priority for Calgary, and a mid-size arena seating up to 6,000 were the only new venues proposed in the plan. A curling venue has yet to be identified, although Edmonton is being considered.

Existing facilities from the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary and Canmore, Alta., as well as the ski jump in Whistler from the 2010 Games would be used again in

’26.

“Our responsibility is to develop and promote a responsible bid,” Moran said. “We’re about 4½ years in advance of when most bidcos have this level of budgeting detail.

“We’re very confident with the number we’ve put forward to the community. We’re anticipating we will use eight existing venues and only build two new venues, which is a different approach than what most cities take.”

The economic impact on Alberta’s gross domestic product was estimated at $2 billion.