Rob. 2046 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Because of savings made in the build-phase of the project (about £900m below budget), a lot more money has been made available for other parts of the Olympics. Sadly a lot of this money is going towards increased security, but we also learn this today: London 2012 Olympics: budget for ceremonies doubled to over £80m The Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson revealed that the Government will contribute an extra £41m to stage the Games ceremonies, taking the total ceremony costs to over £80m. He said a meeting of the Prime Minister, the Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt and himself had decided that they needed to maximise and promote London to the four billion television viewers after being presented with a range of ceremonial components. "This is a great national moment and it is about seizing this great ceremonial and economic moment to benefit the economy and the public and tourism in the long run," Robertson said. Link Link to post Share on other sites
Lee 127 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 I am smiling from ear to ear. Link to post Share on other sites
adrianme17 127 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Because of savings made in the build-phase of the project (about £900m below budget), a lot more money has been made available for other parts of the Olympics. Sadly a lot of this money is going towards increased security, but we also learn this today: London 2012 Olympics: budget for ceremonies doubled to over £80m The Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson revealed that the Government will contribute an extra £41m to stage the Games ceremonies, taking the total ceremony costs to over £80m. He said a meeting of the Prime Minister, the Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt and himself had decided that they needed to maximise and promote London to the four billion television viewers after being presented with a range of ceremonial components. "This is a great national moment and it is about seizing this great ceremonial and economic moment to benefit the economy and the public and tourism in the long run," Robertson said. Link i think this makes total sense - it is a lot of money and times are tough - but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for UK plc to advertise itself to the world! for the 1st time i have to congratulate this government! Link to post Share on other sites
Lee 127 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 This now puts the London budget close to the budget of Beijing. It is now 3 times the budget of Vancouver. Link to post Share on other sites
daveypodmore 520 Posted December 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 amazing news!!!!!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
baron-pierreIV 1700 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 (edited) What exactly is "...to over..." GBP80 mil? But per London's bid papers, Ceremonies, Imagery & Cultural items were all lumped with a GBP92 mil budget. So does the latest development mean only GBP41 or so was actually allocated for Ceremonies? I bet quite a bit of the new funds will go to an elaborate Lighting scheme--since that will really be difficult with a lightweight roof that cannot do a Beijing. I really imagine if Sochi will stay below that $128,400,000 figure now? Edited December 5, 2011 by baron-pierreIV Link to post Share on other sites
Rob. 2046 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 (edited) This now puts the London budget close to the budget of Beijing. It is now 3 times the budget of Vancouver. Not really no, this is for all four ceremonies. So does the latest development mean only GBP41 or so was actually allocated for Ceremonies? Yes, until today the ceremonies budget was £40m. Here's a more detailed article: http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/london-2012/0515942-london-2012-cameron-orders-budget-games-ceremonies-and-security-be-doubled Main points are that Cameron approved the doubling of the ceremonies budget after seeing the plans, and that this is still much cheaper than Beijing who spent £65m on the opening alone (the £80m is for all four ceremonies in London, by comparison)!! Edited December 5, 2011 by RobH Link to post Share on other sites
baron-pierreIV 1700 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Good!! They should now buy 500 more copies of a FAMOUS BOOK (see below) to guide them through their paces! Link to post Share on other sites
Lee 127 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Not really no, this is for all four ceremonies. Yes, but I expect London will spend the greatest proportion, like Beijing, on the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Does anyone know how much Beijing spent in total across all ceremonies? That information seems harder to find. Link to post Share on other sites
daveypodmore 520 Posted December 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 (edited) I keep reading David Cameron doubled the budget after seeing the original plans. So is it, he was so underwhelmed he realised they needed more money or was he so blown away he wanted to give them exactly what they needed to realise their plans. I guess we will never know. God I hope its the latter Edited December 5, 2011 by daveypodmore Link to post Share on other sites
baron-pierreIV 1700 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 (edited) Yes, but I expect London will spend the greatest proportion, like Beijing, on the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Does anyone know how much Beijing spent in total across all ceremonies? That information seems harder to find. Lee, it should be appearing in the 2012 testament of THE GOOD BOOK!! But anyway, here it is...of the "$150,000,000 Beijing spent for all FOUR AND medal ceremonies, I estimate by what I saw that their regular Opening must've cost $62 million alone. Plus if you add in some $6 mil for professional fees - $24 mil split 4-ways: and the $25 million underground and LED stages used primarily just for the regular Opening, then Beijing's regular opening would've cost around $93 million. Edited December 5, 2011 by baron-pierreIV Link to post Share on other sites
baron-pierreIV 1700 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 I keep reading David Cameron doubled the budget after seeing the original plans. So is it, he was so underwhelmed he realised they needed more money or was he so blown away he wanted to give them exactly what they needed to realise their plans. I guess we will never know. God I hope its the latter Oh, I am sure Boyle & crew presented what the original budget allowed for. But then spoken in between the lines were: well, we could really blow everyone away with X lbs more. Heatherwick envisions so-and-so for a knock'em-dead lighting. But the budget will only buy us a bare-bones scheme. I imagine this is how the exchange must've gone on... Cameron: How much more to FULLY realize your visions? Boyle: Maybe another GBP 25 mil? LOCOG Exchequer: well, we are under budget some GBP900 million. There is room to spare. PM (to Boyle): Let's double what you have. Will another 41 mil do it? Boyle, Daldry, etc.: That should do it. Smashing, Prime minister!! PM: And we want to see visitors to the UK double starting in 2013! Boyle; The additional 41 million will surely do that!! Smiley faces all around; case closed! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
daveypodmore 520 Posted December 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Its just like u were in the room : ) Link to post Share on other sites
Brekkie Boy 73 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 i think this makes total sense - it is a lot of money and times are tough - but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for UK plc to advertise itself to the world! for the 1st time i have to congratulate this government! It's so painful isn't it to commend David Cameron for anything, but absolutely the right decision. I've no complaint about a single penny spent on the Olympics - the nation is long overdue a treat and I genuinely believe that in the last few years the promise of London 2012 has been a bit of hope on the horizon for the nation. And let's face it, the country would still be in the **** and cuts being made left right and centre with or without the Olympics. Link to post Share on other sites
bgdrewsif 28 Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 I am expecting something impressive from London considering that the UK does ceremonial events like no other country can. This is good news indeed. Lets just hope that it doesn't get spent on more unfolding double decker busses like at the handover in Beijing... that was awful... the best part of the handover was the singing of God Save the Queen. Good!! They should now buy 500 more copies of a FAMOUS BOOK (see below) to guide them through their paces! Baron, you must have attended the Donald Trump School of Marketing and Shameless Self-Promotion. j/k Link to post Share on other sites
daveypodmore 520 Posted December 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Looks like you were right Baron. This is from the Telegraph: “This money will not be spent on fireworks, it will not be money going up in smoke, and it will be an important investment in the economic future of the country.” For some time there had been creative tensions between the designers behind the ceremonies and Olympic officials because their grand creative ideas couldn't be contained within the initial modest budget of £40 million. This led to the officials presenting the more grandiose plans to the Government for serous consideration on the understanding that the Government would contribute the extra costs if they were adopted. Olympic sources told The Daily Telegraph the Prime Minister had personally insisted on including the elaborate elements of the ceremony that were just options. They said the extra cash would not be used to pay for the top line talent - many of whom are donating their services - but for production and technical enhancements. A Downing St source said that Mr Cameron had been actively stepped in to change the plans for the ceremonies but had approved the suggestions when they were presented. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8936486/London-2012-Olympics-David-Cameron-steps-in-to-double-budget-for-opening-and-closing-ceremonies.html Link to post Share on other sites
Athensfan 1081 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Lets just hope that it doesn't get spent on more unfolding double decker busses like at the handover in Beijing... that was awful... the best part of the handover was the singing of God Save the Queen. I may not agree with you in a certain other thread, but I totally agree with your assessment of the handover. It was horrendous. I have faith that Daldry and Boyle will do well. They're both exceptionally talented. Link to post Share on other sites
kevzz 146 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Underworld to create opening ceremony music http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16068946 Link to post Share on other sites
Lee 127 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Underworld to create opening ceremony music http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16068946 I like that....a lot! Link to post Share on other sites
baron-pierreIV 1700 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 OMG!! Unspun (Productions); Underworld; Cold Play; Adele? -- gosh I hope the whole thing isn't undone before it even takes off! Link to post Share on other sites
daveypodmore 520 Posted December 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 YAY for Underworld : ) Link to post Share on other sites
Lee 127 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 (edited) OMG!! Unspun (Productions); Underworld; Cold Play; Adele? -- gosh I hope the whole thing isn't undone before it even takes off! Coldplay and Adele have not officially been asked to perform though. I am sure they were just rumours. I have always said that if we are going to have a big named artist in the opening ceremony it just has to be Florence and the Machine. Her voice is so epic and it just soars. She would be perfect. Imagine this at the opening http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np9rZM93R8w Edited December 7, 2011 by Lee Link to post Share on other sites
baron-pierreIV 1700 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Coldplay and Adele have not officially been asked to perform though. I am sure they were just rumours. I have always said that if we are going to have a big named artist in the opening ceremony it just has to be Florence and the Machine. Her voice is so epic and it just soars. She would be perfect. Imagine this at the opening http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np9rZM93R8w Yes, quite impressive. Trouble is, it's really hard to mix resonant voices like that in an open stadium; I guess that's why pre-recorded works better...so they can balance the repro in the stadium. But it still amazes me how Sissel could sing so crystalline-ly clear in that freezing Lillehammer night!! Link to post Share on other sites
adrianme17 127 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 I like that....a lot! really good news - not surprising considering all the work that they have done with Boyle. Link to post Share on other sites
Lee 127 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 (edited) Yes, quite impressive. Trouble is, it's really hard to mix resonant voices like that in an open stadium; I guess that's why pre-recorded works better...so they can balance the repro in the stadium. But it still amazes me how Sissel could sing so crystalline-ly clear in that freezing Lillehammer night!! You are right. I always think back to how awful Leona Lewis sounded in Beijing and her voice is absolutely incredible. It also seems that many big venues struggle with the portrayal of sound to television. I was at the Eurovision Song Contest final and the sound in the stadium was so much better than what came across on tv. They also struggled with the sound during the semi-finals and I couldn't understand how they could get the sound so wrong when everything else had been done so perfectly. Edited December 7, 2011 by Lee Link to post Share on other sites
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