The International Olympic Committee announced on Tuesday that seven candidates have officially stepped forward to explore bids for the 2026 Winter Olympics Games and Calgary is among them.
The IOC says the following National Olympic Committees (NOC) have confirmed interest in hosting the games:
- Austrian Olympic Committee (Graz)
- Canadian Olympic Committee (Calgary)
- Italian Olympic Committee (Cortina d’Ampezzo/Milan/Turin)
- Japanese Olympic Committee (Sapporo)
- Swedish Olympic Committee (Stockholm)
- Swiss Olympic Association (Sion)
- Turkish Olympic Committee (Erzurum)
“We are immensely satisfied that seven national Olympic committees have decided to enter into the dialogue stage. This is obviously very exciting, not only because of the interest, but because we’ll have the opportunity in the next few weeks and few months to work together,” said Christophe Dubi, executive director, International Olympic Committee.
The IOC has made some major changes in the bid process to make it more cost effective to host the games and says it will work with the seven candidates to develop their bids.
The organization will provide a gift of $925 million USD to the host city to help out along with a number of other cost-saving initiatives.
"We can really be partners in this first stage, looking into the details of the projects. Look at ways to optimize also the value propositions because in the end, and this has to be very clear, we want different types of projects, we want games that do adapt to the cities and not the cities having to adapt to the games. And this means, to be able to speak about the new norm into more details because you should not forget we have a hundred recommendations adopted by the session, which will have, to some extent, be reflected in the project that will be presented by the cities themselves,” said Dubi.
In a statement on the IOC’s website, President Thomas Bach, said the goal of the IOC is to select the best city to host in 2026.
“I warmly welcome the NOCs’ and cities’ interest in hosting the Olympic Winter Games. The IOC has turned the page with regard to Olympic candidatures. Our goal is not just to have a record number of candidates, but ultimately it is to select the best city to stage the best Olympic Winter Games for the best athletes of the world,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
A Calgary bid would cost $30 million, which would be shared by all three levels of government, and It is estimated that it would cost about $4.6 billion to host the games here.
The venues in Calgary that were left after the 1988 Olympics still meet IOC standards and officials have said that the Saddledome is sufficient for hockey and figure skating events.
“You start from incredible assets and strength in Canada and I won’t be shy to repeat that you have not only the venues but you have the expertise included in the last games that you have organized. And what it takes now is to make sure that the budgets that are being presented are extremely strong, down to the very last detail," said Dubi.
On March 20, city council voted eight to six to create an Olympic bid corporation to move the city's bid to the next level.
“I’ve tried to be open minded about the Olympic bid. I’m getting more concerned as this thing moves along about the lack of communication from the province and from the feds about the strings they’re tying to money now and imposing it on the municipality,” said Ward 13 councillor Diane Colley-Urquhart. “I think that we’re running short on time. I’m somewhat frustrated by the province expecting us to run a plebiscite in a short period of time so I don’t know, I’m questioning my support for this thing as it continues to unfold.”
Cities will be invited to bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics by the IOC in October.
“You have to let us work now at the administration level, with the seven interested NOCs, and we’ll see better in the summer the different value propositions and at that point in time, I think it will be more mature to envisage the October deadline. Until then, it’s hard work with the seven in order to understand in detail their projects and make sure, that as I said before, we can integrate the new norms and make sure we optimize these projects,” said Dubi.
Invited candidates must then submit a formal bid proposal by January and a host city will be selected by the IOC Session in September 2019.
For more on the city’s potential Olympic bid click HERE.
