Cost of another Calgary Games would be $4.6B

CALGARY The price tag for Calgary to host the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games would be about $4.6 billion, according to a committee studying a bid.

The Calgary Bid Exploration Committee told city council Monday revenue the Games generate would cover almost half the cost, but another $2.4 billion would be needed.

The 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver cost $7.7 billion. Calgary’s estimate is lower because the city can reuse venues from the 1988 Winter Games, CBEC chairman Rick Hanson said.

“Having pre-existing facilities made a significant impact,” Hanson said. “On average, you would have to look at $1.6 billion in some cases to build the facilities that are necessary for the Games.

“Because we had existing facilities, we’ve got that number well under half a billion dollars.”

CBEC and city administration will make final recommendations to council on a possible bid on July 24.

“I’ve always said I will be persuaded on this particular issue by the evidence,” Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said. “Me and council and the public will have to really cogitate over this and chew on some of these numbers.”

With fewer cities interested in bidding for Olympic Games, the IOC has tried to make it easier and less costly to do so under an Agenda 2020 program that encourages reuse of old facilities.

Calgary fits that bill having invested in its 1988 venues, which still host international events.

But gaps exist, particularly in hockey arenas. The city is negotiating with the Calgary Flames on a location and who will pay for what for a new NHL arena.

Two NHL-sized arenas are needed to host a Winter Olympics, Hanson said.

Sion, Switzerland; Innsbruck, Austria; Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Sapporo, Japan, have also expressed interest in a 2026 bid.