Don’t book hotel yet — two reasons for pause

Security costs in an unstable world: The 2010 Vancouver Organizing Committee declared that it broke even with total revenue and expenses just shy of $1.9 billion. But the costs of security are not included in that calculation. Estimates suggest the Canadian taxpayer paid $900 million to secure the Games in Vancouver and Whistler. University of Alberta sociology professor Dominique Clement warns that number could climb much higher come 2026 — especially if a major terrorist attack occurs in the lead-up to the opening ceremonies. “One of the tricky things about bidding for an Olympics is that it’s a long process — almost a decade long — and you cannot predict what’s going to happen,” Clement says. “Security costs can skyrocket if there’s a major event that happens right before it. And the world is so interconnected now that it doesn’t really matter if the event happens in China or Europe or South America or right here in our backyard.”

Political support: According to Hula, Olympic bids almost always live or die based on the backing of the public and respective governments. Calgary can’t go this alone. Federal and provincial funding are essential. “I look forward to hearing very much of Mayor Nenshi’s engagements and consultations with the citizens of Calgary, with the province of Alberta,”Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters last month. “We’re always open to opportunities to showcase how extraordinary Calgary is, how extraordinary Canada is, to the world.” Provincially, Premier Rachel Notley’s government is pegged to run a $10.8-billion deficit in 2017. The NDP might look more favourably on the proposal if Edmonton, which originally hoped to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, also hosted some Olympic events to share the benefit with more Albertans. “Think of the Olympics as an expensive piece of jewelry or a very expensive sports car,” Clement says. “It’s nice to have. It’s enjoyable while you’re using it. It’s something to take pride in. But it’s not something you need.”