MONTREAL — Calgary's bid for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games needs further evaluation by the local authority to the tune of CAN$2 million ($1.6 million), according to recommendations presented to the city council Monday.

The Calgary Bid Exploration Committee (CBEC) said it "remains skeptical" of a potential bid from the west Canadian town, which hosted the Winter Games in 1988.

In a series of recommendations, the panel added that the municipal, provincial and federal governments should invest in facilities for the Games given the "long term benefits for the community," according to documents presented at the meeting.

The committee said the federal government should cover security costs — while operational costs should be covered by "ticket sales, sponsorship, broadcast rights, IOC (International Olympic Committee) contributions and other earned revenues," as opposed to taxpayers.

It also called for the creation of a "financial structure" by the local authority to carry debt incurred as a result of the Games.

Council members have demanded guarantees from the federal and provincial governments about their level of involvement in an application that could require a budget of CAN$25 to 30 million.

At this stage, Alberta's provincial government has not made a decision. "They haven't said no," Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said.

Utah ski resorts giddy over Olympic bid

Utah ski officials kick off the new season energized by the growing possibility of another Winter Olympics bid and buoyed by two straight seasons of record visitation. But there's also some concern that publicity surrounding the state's strict new DUI law that goes into effect next year may keep skiers and snowboarders away by adding to the long-held stigma that visitors can't have fun in Utah.

State lawmakers voted to lower Utah's blood alcohol limit for most drivers to 0.05 percent from 0.08 percent in a move they think will save lives. The change gave the predominantly Mormon state the strictest drunken driving threshold in the country and triggered backlash from tourism groups. The law is set to take effect on Dec. 30, 2018.

Nathan Rafferty, CEO of Ski Utah, said the ski industry wants to make the roads safe but said penalizing someone for driving after having one or two glasses of wine misses the mark. Rafferty said he's going to lobby state legislators this year to tweak the law so that that it doesn't penalize lower-level DUIs the same as higher levels.

The negative press that came after the Utah law was signed doesn't help Utah as it tries to compete with Colorado, California and Canada for winter vacationers.

The American Beverage Institute ran full-page ads in Salt Lake City's two daily newspapers and USA Today, featuring a fake mug shot under a large headline reading, "Utah: Come for vacation, leave on probation."

"It just underscores that element that we're working hard to dispense with, which is that Utah is a tough place to have fun," Rafferty said. "It's one step forward and two steps back."

Spokeswomen for Deer Valley and Park City Mountain said they will focus on reminding visitors they can do a car-free trip to their resorts in Park City thanks to town shuttles, car services from the hotel and the relatively close proximity to the Salt Lake City International Airport, which is about 30 miles away.

"We're always kind of dealing with those quirks of Utah and the perception," said Emily Summers of Deer Valley Resort. "But then again we really thrive on family vacations and spring breaks where they have kids elementary-school aged." — Agencies