The Salt Lake Olympic Exploratory Committee's first budget estimate shows the city "could host a future Winter Olympics for less than it cost to put on" the '02 Games, according to Aaron Falk of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE. The Salt Lake Olympic Committee’s final bill in '02 totaled $1.389B and officials "estimate the cost to do it again would be about" $1.29B. Those early numbers have officials "optimistic that the committee will vote next month to take the next step toward becoming an official bid candidate" for either the '26 or '30 Games. Since the exploratory committee’s formation in October, officials have "lauded Utah’s Olympic tradition, the quality of its competition venues, and its advantages over its top U.S. competitors, Denver and Reno/Tahoe." Until yesterday, committee members had "provided few hard numbers pertaining to the actual cost of a future bid." Officials believe another Olympic games in Salt Lake City "would cost less" because the venues used in '02 have "been maintained," in addition to other savings on labor and operations. The budget numbers "exclude federal security and transportation costs." The committee is "expected to finish its final report by the end of this month" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 1/23). In Utah, Lisa Riley Roche notes a vote on whether to recommend Salt Lake City seek another Games was postponed yesterday to "give the Olympic Exploratory Committee time to review new details." Committee co-Chair Fraser Bullock said, "It's very positive. But people need to take time to digest it. There's a lot of meat in here and a lot of numbers." Bullock said that the USOC has "not ruled out bidding" for the '26 Games, but will "have to make a decision by March 31" (DESERET NEWS, 1/23).
GAMES HEADING NORTH? In Toronto, Gillian Steward writes the Olympics have "become a bit tarnished over the past 30 years," and it seems the event "may need Calgary more than Calgary needs it." Calgary's Olympic advisory committee after months of study decided that it "could handle" the '26 Games but "stopped short on the question of whether Calgary should make a bid." The biggest "stumbling block is cost." The committee "estimated hosting the Winter Olympics would cost" C$4.6B. But the IOC is "so desperate it offered to shave some of those costs by not requiring new facilities but simply updating old ones" (TORONTO STAR, 1/23).
