1972 Denver Winter Olympics referendum Innsbruck, Austria would be selected as the replacement city, hosting the Winter Olympics for the second time. 1972 Denver Winter Olympics referendum The Denver Winter Olympics Referendum was held in 1972 following the awarding to Denver of the 1976 Winter Olympics. However, a 300% rise in costs and worries about environmental impact led to Colorado voters' rejection on November 7, 1972, by a 3 to 2 margin, of a $5 million bond issue to finance the games with public funds. It was the only time a city awarded the Games rejected them. Richard Lamm was an obscure state legislator when
1988 Winter Olympics in Montreal in 1976, Canada again failed to win a gold medal in an official medal event as the host nation. Finnish ski jumper Matti Nykänen and Dutch speed skater Yvonne van Gennip were individual medal leaders with each winning three gold medals. The games are also remembered for the "heroic failure" of British ski jumper Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, and the Winter Olympic début of the Jamaica national bobsled team, both of which would be subjects of major feature films about their participation in the games. The Calgary games were at the time one of the most expensive Olympics