winter olympics winter olympics officially known olympic winter games french les winter olympics multi sport event celebrated calgary alberta canada february host city selected sweden italy events took place calgary skiing events held mountain resorts west city record nations competed athletes participated soviet_union won medals followed montreal canada failed win gold medal official medal event host nation finnish ski dutch speed individual medal leaders capturing gold medals apiece games remembered heroic failure british ski eddie eagle edwards winter olympic début jamaica national team subjects major feature films participation games calgary games time expensive olympics held organizing committee turned record television sponsorship revenue net surplus maintain facilities built olympics develop calgary region heart canada elite winter sports program purpose built venues continue original functions helped country develop nations winter olympic competition canada medals won calgary games winter olympics hosted canadian soil host city selection bid winter olympics canada seventh attempt hosting winter games calgary fourth previous bids representing montreal vancouver failed attempts coda host games coda dormant losing bid olympics revived leadership bid games calgary earned right bid behalf canada defeating rival challenge group representing vancouver defeated organizing group lamented lost calgary big ticket games calgary bid proposed spend nearly times vancouver group expected pay host olympics coda spent years building local support project selling city residents secured million funding federal provincial governments civic leaders including mayor world attempting delegates driven arrival city begun constructing olympic later named olympic prior vote action demonstrated calgary determination host games positively influenced delegates city finalists opposed swedish community italian town hosted winter olympics vote held september west_germany session 11th olympic congress eliminated round calgary won right host games vote announcement coda victory sent delegates residents calgary celebration winter olympics awarded canada second games overall following summer olympics montreal venues calgary primary outdoor facility site opening closing ceremonies time years venue hosted events existing venues served secondary facilities hosted demonstration events short track speed skating father olympic arena hosted ice hockey matches played host figure skating events support size standard ice surface calgary olympics able convince arena exchange million payment games primary venues purpose built significant cost olympic primary venue ice hockey figure skating located park facility expected cost million cost pushed facility nearly million olympic oval built campus fully enclosed metre speed skating venue world necessary protect possibility bitter cold temperatures ice melting winds seven world olympic records broken games resulting facility earning praise fastest ice earth canada olympic park built western outskirts calgary hosted ski jumping freestyle skiing expensive facility built games costing million facilities built west calgary foothills rocky_mountains percent funded cost million located near community built intention year round recreation destination facility hosted cross country skiing combined events meet controversial facility built province paid million construction cost alpine skiing facility hour west calgary initially criticized location relative lack snow requiring artificial snow making machines installed initial lack technical difficulty officials proposed modifications courses ultimately met praise competitors preparations television calgary olympics earn significant television revenue base lake games generated million worldwide generated million broadcast rights overwhelming majority television revenues came abc agreed pay million american television rights times million paid winter olympics deal time highest paid sporting event allowed organizers announce games debt free paid million canadian rights act host broadcaster western european nations paid million combined alterations olympic program efforts ensure value broadcast partners premier events including ice hockey figure skating scheduled prime time games lengthened days previous ensure weekends coverage significant advertising revenue sporting events resulted abc significant financial losses games calgary organizers appreciated fortunate timing signing deal king described timing contract abc passing sun moon right time calgary abc lost estimated million broadcast rights winter olympics later sold cbs network million reduction compared calgary controversies series ticket related scandals plagued organizing committee games approached resulting widespread public anger demand tickets high particularly premier events sold year advance residents promised percent tickets olympic officials sponsors later forced admit percent seats events gone organizing committee subsequently mayor running closed shop admitted failed properly communicate obligations supply officials sponsors priority tickets events preceded manager charged theft fraud sent modified ticket request forms americans asked pay united_states funds canadian return company post office box organizing committee organizers attempted respond public concern asking sponsors consider reducing orders paying million add seats king noted calgary games offered record million tickets sale times available lake percent going start winter games record million tickets sold figure eclipsed previous winter games combined community city strong tradition annual relied heavily volunteers run olympics people signed fill positions matter doctors lawyers executives offered clean dropped horses opening ceremonies residents participated program opening homes visitors world renting rooms stay hotel felt necessary event community driven decision allowed city welcoming spirit manifest games designed evoke images western smiling cowboy themed polar bears popular canada played team students sister brother pair appearances month lead games introduction closing ceremonies games retirement conclusion calgary games pair appearances iconic signs welcoming travelers calgary nearly decades replaced finances held price million calgary olympics cost stage previous games summer winter high cost anticipated organizers aware outset bid facilities constructed venues constructed primarily public money designed lasting use games planned home canada national winter sports teams despite high costs anticipated million surplus organizing committee counted expenditures excluded government spending games major economic city fallen worst recession years following collapse oil grain prices mid-1980s report prepared city january estimated games create man years employment generate million salaries wages post games report estimated olympics created billion economic benefits canada 1980s percent alberta result capital spending increased tourism new sporting opportunities created facilities torch relay olympic torch relay began november torch lit greek runner began called longest torch run history flame arrived newfoundland atlantic_ocean days later days traveled west canada passed major cities north west pacific_ocean victoria british_columbia returning east alberta finally calgary torch covered distance kilometres greatest distance torch relay olympic history sydney games sharp contrast montreal games relay covered kilometres relay sponsor issued entry forms allowing citizens chance people carry torch kilometre organizers initially expected receive entries inundated million forms called response sign olympics fired imagination canada relay called share flame saw torch travel boat relay subject peaceful protests members supporters nation stops ontario alberta protest ongoing land claim disputes band crown discontent exhibit calgary called spirit sings featured numerous artifacts stolen native land identity final light olympic closely guarded secrets relay began representing canada past ended carrying torch representing nation current handed torch year old aspiring figure selected represent future light choice perry unusual departure games typically lit famous individual group host nation constructed maple aluminum torch designed remain lit despite adverse conditions canadian winters modeled calgary tower constructed entirely canadian materials designed light relay runners carry comfortably install peak lit duration games replica constructed olympic venues calgary event highlights events contested sports disciplines winter games began february million opening ceremony featured performers aerial parade nations release canadian composer performed instrumental theme song winter games vocal counterpart feel internationally recognized canadian folk country musicians featured performers governor general opened games behalf estimated billion people watched ceremony weather dominant story games strong winds brought daily temperatures high havoc schedules outdoor events events delayed winds deemed unsafe competitors organizers artificial snow making equipment ensure skiing venues properly prepared time olympic history alpine events held artificial snow games marred death austrian ski team doctor february collision sent crashing snow machine crushing killing instantly incident ruled accident individual competitors olympics finnish ski dutch speed won gold medals italy won gold skiing events career olympic medals route alpine win medals winter games defended gold medal women figure skating capturing second gold calgary won gold medal metre race speed skating went win silver medal team sprint cycling event summer games person olympic history win medals olympic games year soviet_union won gold hockey scandinavian neighbours finland sweden took silver bronze respectively canada failed win official gold medal host olympic games canadians won gold medals demonstration events including medals short track speed skating canada official performances came figure skating won silver medals promoted media battle competition american rival event games won gold medal tenth point viewed medal contender greatest performance career come fraction gold medal winning score american speed personal tragedy poignant events games metre race mere hours sister jane died gold medal favourite chose compete felt sister wanted viewers world witnessed heartbreak fell crashed outer wall quarter heat metre race days later world record pace fell failing finally won gold medal games popular athletes games british ski eddie eagle edwards gained placing metre events finishing points closest competitor respectively edwards heroic failure instant celebrity went earning year games making hour appearance afterward left embarrassed spectacle created altered rules following calgary eliminate nation right send athlete set minimum competition standards future events regardless president edwards unorthodox sporting legacy commemorated feature film eddie eagle jamaican team making nation winter olympic debut popular calgary team pair americans recruited individuals strong ability jamaican military form team finished man event 30th place competitors launched jamaican team worldwide fame pair crashed man event met cheers crowd pushed finish line odyssey movie cool largely fictionalized comedy games participating national olympic committees record national olympic committees entered athletes calgary olympics appeared previous winter games athletes participated events men women fiji guam guatemala jamaica winter olympics debut calendar following calendar winter olympic games blue box indicates event competition qualification round held day yellow boxes represent days medal awarding finals sport held number boxes representing number finals contested day medal table legacy prior calgary winter olympics viewed second rate event compared summer counterpart point considered eliminating entirely cities bid winter games challenges faced generating revenue bid games coda convinced generate revenue turn profit ensure lasting legacy winter sport development organizers followed lead counterparts los_angeles summer olympics attracting large television contract united_states host city benefit change strategy corporate sponsorship calgary games attracted support dozen major canadian multinational corporations generating millions dollars revenues program changes calgary grow appeal winter games sponsors extension days added extra weekend coverage additional programming time filled television friendly demonstration events popular canada exposure freestyle skiing short track speed skating gained calgary influenced growth popularity led medal sports impact calgary hosting games helped fuel significant increase calgary reputation world stage reporter covered city olympic odyssey bid closing ceremonies noted change attitude city population time believed populace began giant complex typically canadian replacing new level confidence games approached helped city grow regional oil gas centre best known destination international political economic sporting events study prepared organizing committee vancouver olympics claimed calgary hosted national international sporting competitions facilities constructed olympics games enduring popularity calgary attributed efforts everybody games aside sense community fostered level volunteer support organizers included public ways people given opportunity purchase brick names engraved build olympic plaza medal ceremonies held remains popular public park event site city downtown members community attempted bring second winter games city calgary offered winter olympics scandal resulted speculation salt_lake_city unable remain host city effort bid games canada behalf losing vancouver calgary sun online poll found respondents support city hosting second olympics canada development winter sport nation financial disaster montreal olympics ability generate television sponsorship revenues government support ultimately million surplus claim surplus frequently challenged counted revenues expenses include government funded facilities accounting surplus turned funds split canada olympic park million coda reformed following games manage olympic facilities trust fund subsequently grown worth million consequently primary facilities built olympics remained operational original intended purpose years games concluded calgary heart winter sport canada coda known established nation leader developing elite athletes quarter canada olympic athletes calgary region quarters trained alberta canada winter sport power nation medals calgary second best total winter olympics seven won lake games canada won increasing number medals successive olympics culminating medal performance included winter olympic record gold medals previous record holders soviet_union norway
1988 Winter Olympics