Mary Moran tapped to be Calgary Olympic Bid Corporation CEO
Calgary 2026, the group tasked with pursuing the Games, introduced its leader Tuesday
Mary Moran has been announced as the CEO of the organization tasked with investigating a potential Calgary bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
In order to take on the new role, Moran will take a leave from her job as the president and CEO of Calgary Economic Development, where she has worked since 2010.
She will assume her new responsibilities on Aug. 13.
"I'm extremely humbled and I'm honoured to stand under the cauldron of the 1988 Olympic Games and do what I can to build on the incredible vision of some of Calgary's greatest leaders of more than 30 years ago, whose effort has left a positive impact on every corner of this city and every corner of this province," Moran said at Winsport Tuesday.
"When that team decided to bid to host the 1988 Games, they put a lot of forethought into how this city would benefit 30 years later, moreso than just the 16 days the world would come to Calgary."
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Calgary 2026, as the bid corporation is known, already has established the first 16 members of its 20-member board and named Scott Hutcheson as board chair at the beginning of June.
Hutcheson said Moran is the first woman to head an Olympic bid in Canada.
Joining Hutcheson as board vice-chair is six-time Olympian Hayley Wickenheiser.
Announcement amidst doubt
The organization is responsible for continuing to explore the possibility of a bid, establishing a more precise cost estimate for hosting the Games and. if the bid moves forward, producing the bid book to be submitted to the International Olympic Committee for consideration.
The announcement comes one day after Calgary City Council voted to spend $5.1 million on the City's Olympic secretariat. Councillors emerged from a closed-door meeting with concerns over communication with other levels of government over funding commitments.
Some on council suggested those questions will need to be addressed if the bid is to survive past council's Sept. 10 meeting.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi said a vote at that meeting will determine whether the city proceeds with a plebiscite on hosting the Games or if it should scrap the idea.
Moran said she understands not everyone is supportive of a bid, but she hopes that no matter where Calgarians stand, they will take the time to look at the facts and come to an informed decision.
Her corporation's No. 1 priority is gathering information to either support a bid or show that now is not the time for Calgary to host the Games, she said.
"We will not do this at all cost," Moran said.
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