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Can New Zealand host an Olympics?


Hachiko

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I think its more about telling as many countries as feasably possible that they can host so that they will bid. The more bidding nations for the games the better for the IOC. NZ has a lot to spend its money on over the next years and with the budget cuts looming would be unwise to spend millions on Olympic Bids.

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New Zealand is the Norway, Sweden and Denmark of the south (all the above rolled into 1) when it comes to spending money on stuff like this. I think the RWC will give increased enthusiasm for the events industry (which is great), but it's always going to be a hard task in selling the concept of spending heaps on a sports event.

In saying that, I'll contradict myself right there and say that the country is extremely enthusiastic about this past World Cup, and event which from the outset was going to cost us money. INteresting, not sure how much events in how many countries around the world would get off the ground with that backstory.

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I'm afraid geography counts against New Zealand.

The biggest vertical drop is Mt Ruapehu at 722m, 78m shy of the FIS required vertical minimum drop of 800m.

Mt Hutt has a drop of 683m. I can't recall how they might find an extra 117m

Treble Cone is 700m and potentially could make 800m, but the snow quality would become extremely dodgy. Neither the Remarkables nor Coronet Peak are suitable.

Having worked in the ski resorts in the South Island it would not be easy to get between Queenstown and Wanaka, whilst they are not big enough for the indoor arenas.

Dunedin is 283km away - a good 3hrs drive, whilst Christchurch is 482km, a decent 5hrs in the summer.

Geography unfortunately prevents NZ from ever realistically bidding for the Winter Olympics

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:) Good to see the dust blown off this folder!

Yes NZ has surprised the world with successfully hosting the now first tier Rugby World Cup.

IOC's president gives encouragement to our younger citizens in that one day Auckland will host the Olympic Games. (a 2040 bi-centennial present prehaps?) Jac Rogge was talking about the summer event, not the winter. That would be something to consider. As mentioned above, the South Island ski resorts might be just a little to far from Christchurch to make an effective OWG bid. Of course the smaller third tier YOSGs and YOWGs would be a great starter.

What Mr Rogge was saying is that New Zealand - it's time to stand up and take notice of what, as a nation, we can achieve. With Auckland in the middle of a massive infrastructure rebuild and an economy that is surprisingly resilliant we now have no excuse for claiming size as an impediment. NZ past the 4 million mark five years ago and on current population sats, will hit 5 million in 2017.

New Zealand - yes it CAN be done!

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:) Good to see the dust blown off this folder!

Yes NZ has surprised the world with successfully hosting the now first tier Rugby World Cup.

IOC's president gives encouragement to our younger citizens in that one day Auckland will host the Olympic Games. (a 2040 bi-centennial present prehaps?) Jac Rogge was talking about the summer event, not the winter. That would be something to consider. As mentioned above, the South Island ski resorts might be just a little to far from Christchurch to make an effective OWG bid. Of course the smaller third tier YOSGs and YOWGs would be a great starter.

What Mr Rogge was saying is that New Zealand - it's time to stand up and take notice of what, as a nation, we can achieve. With Auckland in the middle of a massive infrastructure rebuild and an economy that is surprisingly resilliant we now have no excuse for claiming size as an impediment. NZ past the 4 million mark five years ago and on current population sats, will hit 5 million in 2017.

New Zealand - yes it CAN be done!

It cost New Zealand NZ$310 million to host the Rugby World Cup.

To host the Summer Olympics and assuming a similar budget to London 2012, it will cost up to NZ$20 billion ... that's 60x more.

A Rugby World Cup where most of the infrastructure is in place is one thing ... a Summer Olympics requiring huge infrastructure investment is another ... a 2nd runway at Auckland Aiport would be required at the very least for example

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It cost New Zealand NZ$310 million to host the Rugby World Cup.

To host the Summer Olympics and assuming a similar budget to London 2012, it will cost up to NZ$20 billion ... that's 60x more.

A Rugby World Cup where most of the infrastructure is in place is one thing ... a Summer Olympics requiring huge infrastructure investment is another ... a 2nd runway at Auckland Aiport would be required at the very least for example

Elsewhere in the GB threads there are discussions on Auckland's infrastructure developments and the twenty year plan. The second runway construction is a slow development project that has been underway for three years now. London's costs are because they wanted to create a whole new city area from wasteland.

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I hope New Zealand takes the courage to bid - I believe Auckland would be great for Summer Olympics and Christchurch could show how Winter Olympics can help to rebuit a city after a disaster...

My only problem with Christchurch is it's distance from the major ski-fields. Mount Hutt lacks the require ski drop of 800meters...But could still pull it off. However it would be more favourable for Queenstown to be a central hub as this is in the heart of the South Island skiing country. A Chch/Queenstown bid would work BUT would the IOC allow for it, this is the only way a Winter Olympics can be hosted in NZ.

Auckland will have that 'one day NZ will host the big one!' spector hanging over it untill NZ actually does...This requires long term planning for NZ. I'll be using a walking stick if the projected date of 2040 is anything to go by...But whats to stop NZ bidding in the 20's? (apart from Paris).

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My only problem with Christchurch is it's distance from the major ski-fields. Mount Hutt lacks the require ski drop of 800meters...But could still pull it off. However it would be more favourable for Queenstown to be a central hub as this is in the heart of the South Island skiing country. A Chch/Queenstown bid would work BUT would the IOC allow for it, this is the only way a Winter Olympics can be hosted in NZ.

Auckland will have that 'one day NZ will host the big one!' spector hanging over it untill NZ actually does...This requires long term planning for NZ. I'll be using a walking stick if the projected date of 2040 is anything to go by...But whats to stop NZ bidding in the 20's? (apart from Paris).

Queenstown has even less of a vertical drop than Christchurch. Only Treble Cone could potentially do it, and unless there is a motorway and high speed rail link built across the MacKenzie it would be possible to pair the two cities together.

They'd prefer to do Stockholm/Ostersund before NZ if they allowed that

Elsewhere in the GB threads there are discussions on Auckland's infrastructure developments and the twenty year plan. The second runway construction is a slow development project that has been underway for three years now. London's costs are because they wanted to create a whole new city area from wasteland.

Auckland would need a new Athletics stadium, multiple areas plus the infrastructure

Building on wasteland has actually made the London bid cheaper than it might have been. London had more venues in place than Auckland and it still hugely expensive. There is zero chance the NZ economy could afford a modern Olympic games in Auckland. Look at how much Athens cost and they had the main stadium in place!!

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New Zealand's economy is smaller than Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Israel, Austria and most importantly Greece's. Greece had extreme difficulties in hosting the Olympics and the others have all been dismissed as too small now to host the Olympics. All of them have populations bigger then New Zealand and are not as remote. This all adds up to New Zealand never being able to host the Summer Olympics.

As for winter, the traditionalist will always win out and there is no way in hell that the IFs would agree to a OWG in July, March, October or any other date that would be used for suitable conditions in New Zealand. It will not happen. New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Chile are not remotely important enough to the IFs to warrant a second look, let alone the actual show.

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I remember a few years ago - probably different governments at the national and city level then - there was some long term plan to slowly build up the Auckland infrastructure with a view to a possible games bid from the 2040s on. And, of course, that's the only way NZ could really hope to land and organise a summer games, through long term and gradual planning. The trouble is, I assume that old plan has fallen by the political wayside.

Pity - I'd love to see NZ as the next Oceanian host - even before Oz again.

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New Zealand's economy is smaller than Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Israel, Austria and most importantly Greece's. Greece had extreme difficulties in hosting the Olympics and the others have all been dismissed as too small now to host the Olympics. All of them have populations bigger then New Zealand and are not as remote. This all adds up to New Zealand never being able to host the Summer Olympics.

As for winter, the traditionalist will always win out and there is no way in hell that the IFs would agree to a OWG in July, March, October or any other date that would be used for suitable conditions in New Zealand. It will not happen. New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Chile are not remotely important enough to the IFs to warrant a second look, let alone the actual show.

<_< your opininon faster...don't agree but you do raise some issues.

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Auckland would need a new Athletics stadium, multiple areas plus the infrastructure

Building on wasteland has actually made the London bid cheaper than it might have been. London had more venues in place than Auckland and it still hugely expensive. There is zero chance the NZ economy could afford a modern Olympic games in Auckland. Look at how much Athens cost and they had the main stadium in place!!

Auckland will not necessarily need a new Athletics Stadium. I'd offer North Harbour Stadium, modified with an Athletics track to around 70,000 seats. Then downsized post Olympics to serve as NZ's premiere athletics facility.

The area could also serve as an Olympic Park and with that Westfield nearby, could also serve the athlete's village.

Mount Smart Stadium will be fully converted to a proper rectangular stadium at around 40,000 seats and will serve as the 2nd largest stadium (post Olympics) in the city after Eden Park (which will be at it's temporary expanded 60,000 capacity).

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Anyway, baby steps first. If NZ really does aspire to and want to build up to an Olympics, I'd say going for the CWGs and YOGs would be pretty essential stops on the way. Not just in terms of getting some of the facilities and infrastructure needed at least considered, but also in fueling the publics enthusiasm for hosting big events.

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I agree Rols.

A Youth Olympic Games bid for 2022

A Commonwealth Games bid for 2026

Then 2032 for the first full olympic bid, provided that major infrastracture projects are completed by then.

The National Governments dislike of public transport investment and love of roads could cause problems for potential bids

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:) Good stepping stones there. The Battle for the '26 CWGs between Auckland and Christchurch hosting rights aught to be good...But if a YOSG goes to Christchurch then that succession plan will work. Bidding for 32' could come up against stiff opposition especcially from America if that nation still hasen't hosted yet. I'd be reluctant for NZ to bid for 36'...there's a negitive stigma attached to it, well for now anyway.
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I would love us to host a full Olympic Games, but I can't see it happening anytime soon. Hosting a Youth Summer olympics or a commonwealth games would be a step in the right direction. The World Cup (Rugby) that was here last month was excellent. I attended 11 games including both semi-finals and the final and was impressed by the organisation.

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:) Micheal, the time scope here would be 2040...This is a good goal to set NZs sights on. It is a significant year as it will be the country's Bi-Centenary year. If we really wanted to go for something big, this would be it. But planning needs to be started now. Auckland's infrastructure programme will finish off in 2030 so most of the hard work is already underway.
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there arent many bidders for winter yog anyway...

i wish they could adjsut 2016 yog times cause its only lillehammer

the youth olympic games bids would be a good start then yes commonwealth games then winter olympics

Well, I think there's far more chance for the IOC to be flexible with the dates for a WYOG, than they would ever consider for a senior WOGs.

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I think the IOC will certainly have to be flexible, especially if they want a country that never hosted a WOG before.

Well, it has to be flexible too in the sense that it will be compatible with school calendars. Remember, the YOGs assume that the 14-18 demographic goes to school. SO it's either in the northern summer/schoolyear and/or next oppty is what's considered the northern 'spring break.' It's not like they have a 365-day liberty to fiddle around with.

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Well, it has to be flexible too in the sense that it will be compatible with school calendars. Remember, the YOGs assume that the 14-18 demographic goes to school. SO it's either in the northern summer/schoolyear and/or next oppty is what's considered the northern 'spring break.' It's not like they have a 365-day liberty to fiddle around with.

I hadn't thought of that!

Oh well, in that case, Southern peak winter season would fit in well with northern summer vacation time.

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Well, it has to be flexible too in the sense that it will be compatible with school calendars. Remember, the YOGs assume that the 14-18 demographic goes to school. SO it's either in the northern summer/schoolyear and/or next oppty is what's considered the northern 'spring break.' It's not like they have a 365-day liberty to fiddle around with.

:unsure: Ooh I didn't pick up on that either...But as Rols says, a YOWGs would work in and around August, so as to cover the 'Holidays' etc. Hosting the 'Summer' games would be awkward as they would have to be in late January thru April.

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