Calgary Reflects on Rejecting 2026 Olympic Bid, as Legacy of 1988 Games Fades

Calgary reflects on rejecting 2026 Olympic bid, as legacy of 1988 Games fades

A year-long debate over whether to host the 2026 Winter Olympics dominated headlines in Calgary in 2018. The idea was abandoned after the public voted the idea down in a plebiscite. Now, residents are about to watch the Games they could have hosted kick off on the other side of the world in Italy.

The 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics

https://pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/CORU9616792178.mp3 It’s February 1988. The air is thin and sharp, as volunteers zip up red-and-white jackets. Their breath is seen as they rehearse smiling and waving because soon, they’ll be hosting people from all over the world. Their city isn’t a global destination…. But this is the oil town’s coming out party and as cowboy boots squeak in the snow they know tonight is a big night. A quiet anxiety hang…