QUEBEC — A Quebec City newspaper is reporting the provincial capital will make a bid for the 2022 or 2026 Olympic Games.
According to Le Soleil on Saturday, Quebec Premier Jean Charest and Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume are expected to name Quebec Remparts president Claude Rousseau to the head of what is being dubbed “Team Quebec.”
The committee’s mandate will be to ensure the provincial capital region has top-of-the-line sports facilities to attract high-level competitions in the run-up to its eventual Olympic bid.
Rousseau refused comment to Le Soleil newspaper.
A press release from the premier’s office was sent to the media Friday inviting them to an announcement Monday morning relating to the provincial capital.
Rousseau is a former Bell Canada executive who left the communications company in 2008 and joined the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team the same year.
In October, both Charest and Labeaume said they hoped to see the Olympics come to Quebec City and the mayor recently unveiled plans for a $400-million arena that would seat 18,000 spectators.
The province will also be promoting itself as an Olympic destination in Vancouver next year with a cultural pavilion near the Olympic village featuring Quebec artists and athletes.
Quebec City already made two unsuccessful attempts to net the 2002 and 2010 Games.
(Le Soleil, The Canadian Press)
