Calgarians will get a clearer picture Monday about how realistic another another Olympic bid is for the city.
The Calgary Bid Exploration Committee (CBEC), formed last September, is set to present its interim report outlining the exploration into the possibility of bidding for “Calgary 2026.”
The Calgary 2026 bid would be a pitch for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The public had the chance in February to give their input on whether they thought it was a good idea for the city to host another Olympic Games, as the CBEC asked for Calgary and Bow Valley corridor residents to give their perspective on the economic, environmental and financial impacts.
A Mainstreet/Postmedia poll released in March showed more than 60 per cent of Calgarians supported a bid.
Calgary was last home to the Winter Olympics in 1988.
Many of the venues built for the 1988 games are still standing, and could be used again, like the Olympic Oval. Others, however, like the ski facilities, would need some modifications and upgrades.
Some experts have pegged the total cost of the Olympic bid and hosting the Games at about $5.3 billion. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver cost $7.7 billion.
The city of Calgary gave the planning committee $5 million, much of which Mayor Naheed Nenshi said would be used to come up with a “hosting plan.”
The CBEC is expected to have a final report in July. After that, the committee will decide whether to move forward with a formal bid, which would have to be made by some time next year.
— With files from Global’s Reid Fiest.
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