Alnoor Kassam, who finished a distant second in Calgary's 2007 mayoral race, said he intends to try again in October. (CBC)

A failed candidate for Calgary mayor has told CBC News he will run again, while other possible contenders are sizing up their prospects.

Businessman Alnoor Kassam said he'll be building a campaign team and will officially launch his campaign later this year after Mayor Dave Bronconnier announced Tuesday that he won't seek a fourth term.

"Calgary needs leadership and it needs somebody with vision and I had the experience of running the last time," Kassam, who finished a distant second to Bronconnier in 2007, said Wednesday.

"Since Dave announced his departure, I've been getting lots of emails and phone calls and asking me to run and saying that they will support me, so I'm quite excited about that and it's flattering as well. So I'm thinking I will run."

Current aldermen, rumoured to be considering a run for the top job, have not yet stated their intentions.

No aldermen have declared candidacy

"In the not-too-distant future, I will make my future plans, my intentions clear," said Ald. Ric McIver. The nomination deadline for the October election is in September.

"I'm currently soliciting feedback from Calgarians about what they want to see as the future of this great city," said Ald. Joe Connelly, who is in his first term on city council.

Political consultant Stephen Carter said money is key to a political campaign, estimating it will take at least $400,000 to win the mayor's chair.

Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, said this fall's municipal election should grab the public's attention.

"You will have a bigger voter turnout. Whenever the mayor's seat is vacant, it becomes a more interesting race and that leads to greater voter turnout," he predicted.

Fewer than 20 per cent of Calgarians cast a ballot in the last municipal election.

With files from Scott Dippel and Tara Fedun