Nenshi says he’s ‘more comfortable’ IOC is sincere about cheaper Olympics

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said after meeting with IOC officials in South Korea, he’s more convinced a potential Calgary 2026 Games could be cheaper than recent editions.

“Having been in the same room, I am much more comfortable that they are very sincere about this,” he said.

Nenshi made the comments at the Big City Mayors meeting in Ottawa on Thursday after his trip to the Games, which included members of the provincial government and federal governments.

“One of the goals of my trip was not just to see how Pyeongchang was doing it,” he said. “But also to sort of sit down eyeball-to-eyeball with the powers that be at the International Olympic Committee and other places and really try to understand how sincere they are about the desire to reform.”

Those reforms include making the Games less costly for host cities and host countries.

Last year, Calgary’s Bid Exploration Committee determined it would cost $4.6 billion for Calgary to host in 2026, with about half coming from public funding.

Nenshi has been clear there is no way a bid could go through without provincial and federal support, and just a bid itself is expected to cost $25-$30 million.

He also referenced the IOC’s ‘New Norm’ document, which proposes a more cost-effective Olympic structure.

“There’s a lot in there that we could work with, quick frankly if the IOC hadn’t done that, then we wouldn’t be entertaining bidding,” he said.

Last month, the IOC also pledged Calgary would receive at least $975 million in funding if it won the bid.

“Games after Games, the organizers receive higher numbers every time, and we’re very proud to contribute substantially,” said IOC sports director Christophe Dubi, pointing to Paris’ $3.4 billion budget for the 2024 Games.

However, the cost of the Pyeongchang Games is also coming under scrutiny.

On Monday, Smith College economics professor Andrew Zimbalist told CNBC’s Squawk Box that South Korea stands to lose over $10 billion, in part because of scantly-used venues, tree clearing and new infrastructure.

But Kyle Ripley, the city’s director of recreation and 2026 bid project team said local officials have been given reassurance that old facilities from the 1988 Games will be reused.

“The IOC sees the Saddledome as a facility acceptable for hosting the ice hockey and figure skating competitions,” Ripley said. “The IOC is adamant that no new facilities be built for the Games unless there is an existing need or a strong business case for the facility with or without the Olympics.”