In just under a month, Calgary will vote on whether or not to bid on the 2026 Winter Olympics. While hosting in 2026 would bring outside cash into the equation, a victory for the “no” side in November’s plebiscite won’t kill the chances for a new home for the Calgary Flames.
How did we get here?
Way, way back in the spring of 2005 – as the National Hockey League’s lockout was dragging onward – the Flames quietly began chatting with stakeholders about potentially building a new home for the hockey team. At the time the then-Pengrowth Saddledome was slightly over 20 years old and the thought process was likely that there was plenty of time in the lease and the lifespan of the building to come to a thoughtful arrangement on a new barn.