Alberta Minister wants 2030 Winter Olympics bid to centre around Calgary

Alberta’s Minister of Culture Ron Orr said that the Canadian province is “open to” hosting the 2030 Winter Olympics, with discussions in place to bid for the Games.

Orr was full of praise for Calgary’s facilities and feels the city is well-equipped to host the Olympics again but insisted that he doesn’t want to go into conversations that “may be happening”.

“I can say from the government’s point that the question certainly has been raised,” he was quoted as saying by CBC.

“We have engaged in some initial processes and we’re exploring it.

“There is a small group of individuals who have put together some proposals for our future opportunity, and we will certainly be looking at those as they come in … so yes, it’s possible.”

Calgary previously hosted the Winter Olympics in 1988.

The city tried to bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics but it did not go through after a plebiscite rejected the idea.  

Eventually, Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy was awarded the hosting rights for the next Winter Games in 2026, scheduled to be held from February 6 to 22.  

It is understood that the Calgary Chamber of Commerce was not involved in preliminary discussions regarding the bid.

However, its President Deborah Yedlin said they would back the bid if the idea moved forward.

“We will support an Olympic bid because it’s something that’s important for the city, we need a renewal of our sports infrastructure,” said Yedlin, as reported by CBC.

Yedlin added that the city is still benefitting from the legacy of the 1988 Games.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek was not backing the idea of Calgary staging the 2026 Winter Olympics and called it “destructive” for the city.

While she did not comment on the city’s wish to bid for a potential Winter Games in 2030, Gondek admitted that Orr’s comments came as surprise to her.

“I don’t know what Minister Orr is talking about,” she said.

“I’m looking forward to the provincial government engaging with us as the so-called site.

“I don’t know anything more about it, [but] I’m really interested in what’s happening.”

Vancouver in Canada is also trying to bid to host the Games in 2030 along with Sapporo in Japan and Salt Lake City in the United States.