Games would cost $4.6B

Photo: Canadian Olympic Committee

1988 Calgary Olympics

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

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

The 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., cost $7.7 billion. Calgary's estimate is lower in part because the city can re-use venues from the 1988 Winter Games, CBEC chair 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 built 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 July 24.

"I've always said I will be persuaded on this particular issue by the evidence, so I just see this as a presentation of a bunch of 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 and see if this is something we want to do."

Sion, Switzerland, Innsbruck, Austria, Almaty, Kazakhstan and Sapporo, Japan, are among cities that have also expressed interest in a 2026 bid.