It has long been billed as the greatest show on Earth.

　　它一直被认为是地球上最伟大的节目。

　　Both the summer and winter versions of the Olympic Games are multi-billion dollar spectacles that bring together the world’s top athletes and draw masses of media coverage.

　　夏季和冬季奥运会都是数十亿美元的盛世，汇集了世界顶级运动员并吸引了大量的媒体报道。

　　So when residents in the Canadian city of Calgary voted on whether to bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics last week, you might have expected an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

　　因此，当加拿大卡尔加里市的居民上周投票决定是否申办2026年冬奥会时，你可能以为大家都会积极响应。

　　But instead their verdict was clear: thanks, but no thanks.

　　但出乎意料的是，他们的决定很明确：谢谢，不用，谢谢了。

　　Their rejection, motivated by fears about high costs and questions about the economic benefits, came after three other cities all withdrew from bidding earlier this year.

　　由于担心奥运会带来的高成本和经济利益问题，在其他三个城市今年早些时候都退出竞标申请之后，这个加拿大城市也否决了申办权。

　　This is part of a bigger problem that experts say could threaten the very future of the Olympic Games: fewer and fewer cities around the world want to play host.

　　这指出了一个更大的问题，专家说这可能会威胁到奥运会的未来：世界上越来越少的城市想要成为东道主。

　　Just consider the numbers: the 2004 Summer Games, which were ultimately held in Athens, attracted 11 bids but the 2024 event garnered just two.

　　对比一下这些数字：最后在雅典举行的2004年夏季奥运会吸引了11个竞标，但2024年的奥运会只获得了两个。

　　So what’s behind this trend? Chris Dempsey knows more than most about why there is increasing scepticism.

　　那么这个趋势意味着是什么? Chris Dempsey比大多数人更了解为什么会有越来越多国家不愿意申办奥运会。

　　He spearheaded the opposition to Boston’s bid for the 2024 Olympics, a movement that started in his living room in early 2013 after a conversation with some friends.

　　他率先反对波士顿申办2024年奥运会，这是在2013年与一些朋友在客厅交谈后决定的，此后反对申办奥运会成为了一股潮流。

　　"We saw that a group of very wealthy and powerful [people] had gotten together and decided that a bid would be a good thing for Boston," he says. "But we were concerned about the cost."

　　他说：“我们看到了一群非常富有和有权力的人聚在一起，认为申办奥运会对波士顿来说这是一件好事。但我们担心成本问题。”

　　"At first, the polling showed that Bostonians were very open to hosting the Olympics," he explains. "But when they started reading the fine print - that’s when they decided that the bid wasn’t in their best interests."

　　“起初，民意调查显示波士顿人非常愿意举办奥运会，”他解释道。 “但当他们开始阅读细则时，就发现申办对他们来说是不利的。”

　　He says the financial burden of hosting the Games was the primary concern, along with a resentment of outsiders telling the city what would be best for it.

　　他说，举办奥运会的经济负担是他们首要关注的问题，同时他们也对外界对这个城市该如何发展指手画脚表示不满。

　　"[We] wanted to be heard and to chart the future of our city. I think in Calgary they felt the same way," he says.

　　“我们希望有人能够听到我们的声音，并打造自己城市的未来。我认为在卡尔加里，他们的感受是一样的，”他说。