Toronto?

[Kenadian]

I agree with Henderson's assessment. Being twelve years after London, 2024 is almost certainly stamped for Europe. Durban's chances (and South Africa's for that matter) are pretty much only based on sentiment and a maligned desire to put a five ringed dot on the map of Africa. It would be nice to see African games some day, but I'd rather Africa focus its resources and energies on their big bag of real problems, not a party for the world's elite.

For 2028, Toronto certainly won't have an easy fight, but the case for going to North America in 2028 will be stronger - 32 years after Atlanta, 12 years after Rio, and 18 after Vancouver. The USOC's bid will be a huge threat, though. As would an emotional plea from Africa.

[intoronto]

I don't think Toronto will have a good shot in 2024. Its likely going to the USA or Europe. However if Toronto doesn't bid and the USA wins that would be regret. I think bidding for 2024 is smart even if it doesn't look a win is possible. By doing this it helps a bid in 2028 and so on.

[ofan]

About what intoronto said, the risk in not bidding for 2024 is if the US wins, Toronto is even worse off. I think the smart thing to do would be to bid for 2024 and provide extra competition to split votes and not allow the US to win, setting up potentially a US vs. Canada vs. South Africa (if they lose in 2024 and it goes to Europe) race in 2028.

[intoronto]

About what intoronto said, the risk in not bidding for 2024 is if the US wins, Toronto is even worse off. I think the smart thing to do would be to bid for 2024 and provide extra competition to split votes and not allow the US to win, setting up potentially a US vs. Canada vs. South Africa (if they lose in 2024 and it goes to Europe) race in 2028.

I'd think the USA would go for 2026 if it lost out 2024. 2026 is probably going to end up away from Europe regardless.

[Lord David]

Would waiting for the last day before the deadline be a good idea? Paris and maybe a US city will bid.

Better going against a US city again than have them win and have no shot for 2028.

Or what's worse is opening the door for Quebec 2026.

[FYI]

Durban's chances (and South Africa's for that matter) are pretty much only based on sentiment and a maligned desire to put a five ringed dot on the map of Africa. It would be nice to see African games some day, but I'd rather Africa focus its resources and energies on their big bag of real problems, not a party for the world's elite.

Isn't virtually every bid winner "only based on sentiment". That's what won it for places like Athens, Beijing, Rio & PyeongChang (& one could argue London, too).

And many other winning countries have their own bag of big problems, but that hasn't stopped the IOC from giving places like China, Brazil & Russia the Games. And especially in Russia's & China's case where they spent the most ever on their respective Olympics, yet you have millions & millions living in downright poverty in those countries.

If we wanna take the moral high ground here, then this applies to all countries, not just South Africa. Every country has their own set of troubles, especially nowadays. At least the South Africans are being pragmatic about it, & aren't expected to give the grandiose party that Beijing & Sochi have/will give.

[mistercorporate]

Tokyo's recent win was not based on sentiment. Far from it.

[StefanMUC]

Tokyo's recent win was not based on sentiment. Far from it.

It was: The sentiment was fear that the other options would be even bigger messes than the one that Tokyo might be.

[mistercorporate]

You're using the word sentiment out of the context of this conversation lol

[FYI]

Did I even say that Tokyo 2020 won on sentimental appeal. No I didn't. That's why I said "virtually", & didn't mention Tokyo in the list of cities that did win on that angle. Each race has their own set of dynamics, & for 2020, sentimentality wasn't on the agenda. What was is which of those three bidders would be the most reliable & safest choice, in a race where all the candidates had serious handicaps to overcome. Yeah, talk about taking things outta context.

[yoshi]

Random thought - a Toronto Olympics would lead to the biggest GB meetup in history The site would come home!

[mistercorporate]

you guys have gamesbids meetups?? I'm so down for this ...

[yoshi]

Well I haven't, but I was here during London 2012 lurking, & saw that a few members (CAF, Rols, think there were more) met up in London & shared a flat.

[dave199]

The city's economic development committee will be voting on whether to continue its pursuit for the 2024 Olympics on Monday. One thing I agree with Michael Thompson is it will be challenging to get all levels of government on the same page at this time. Hopefully with elections coming this year that will change.

http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2014/01/14/olympic_bid_back_on_toronto_council_agenda.html

Initial cost figures by Ernst & Young has Toronto spending $3.3 billion to $6.9 billion.

[dave199]

Here is the actual report on the feasibility study for Toronto 2024. 239 pages of it

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/ed/bgrd/backgroundfile-65721.pdf

[dave199]

The Portlands will still be the site of the Olympic village (2008 bid). Glad to hear! Assumptions are Olympic stadium is 70,000-80000 capacity. A brand new subway line downtown (High scenario) would be required.

[Gucci]

Finally this is available for public viewing!!

Based on Toronto's competitor profiles, the city views Paris and an American bid as its strongest competitors over any South African bid.

[FYI]

Big mistake to underestimate the South Africans. Especially when the USOC & the French don't. The South Africans are very much in their respective estimations. I wouldn't count out the Italians, either.

[mistercorporate]

Until the USOC and French Bid Committee releases their proposals or estimates, one cannot be so presumptous as to claim to know who they are underestimating. The fact is we don't know what anyone really thinks at this stage.

[dave199]

Other Canadian Cities Potentially Hosting the Olympics in 2024

Based on a review of available public media sources, EY has concluded as follows:

►

Quebec City had initially planned on submitting a bid for th

e 2022 Olympic Winter Games. However, it is no longer

interested in hosting the 2022 Games and has withdrawn its name from consideration.

►

It appears that no other Canadian city has expressed an in

terest in hosting either the 2022 or 2024 Olympic Games.

Based on the factors above, it appears that the City would have no significant competition in obtaining COC approval to submit

a

bid for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Other Non-Canadian Cities Considering Hosting the 2024 Olympic Games

On September 7, 2013, Tokyo, Japan was announced as the Host City for the 2020 Olympic Summer Games. The table below sets

out the hosts of the Olympic Summer Games since World War II.

Of the 19 Summer Olympic Games listed above, 8 have been held in Europe. The Summer Olympic Games are held in Europe every

2 or 3 Olympic cycles, although there is no guarantee this would happen in the future. If the Games were awarded to the City,

this

would be the largest post-War stretch without a Summer Olympic Games being held in Europe i.e. a minimum of 3 Olympic Games

in a row without one being held in Europe.

In media releases immediately following the winning bid announcement, the following were provided as key elements of the bid

submitted by Tokyo:

►

Japanese stability was an important aspect of the bid and it was seen as a “safe pair of hands”;

►

The Tokyo bid was financially the most appealing given its reasonable scope;

►

Japan does not have significant doping concerns compared to the other nations; and

►

Japan’s bid presentation was very well received by the IOC de

legates and is thought to have been a significant deciding

Based on media searches conducted by EY, we have identified

a number of cities that may be considering hosting the 2024

Olympic Games. However, given the early stage of bidding for the

Games, EY cautions that this list is preliminary only and that a

large number of changes are likely. A summary of each city can be found in Appendix “F” to this Olympic Report:

Istanbul, Turkey

Madrid, Spain

Paris, France

Berlin, Germany

Kiev, Ukraine

Durban, South Africa

Nairobi, Kenya

Guadalajara, Mexico

St. Petersburg, Russia

Doha, Qatar

A U.S. City

The following U.S. cities are considering a bid:

►

Boston

►

Washington

►

Los Angeles

►

New York

►

San Francisco

►

Dallas

►

Philadelphia

While Toronto has many people with extensive bid experience, and the benefit of the Toronto 2008 bid documentation and

planning, there is no certainty that Toronto can mount a winning bid. While there are a number of countries which will consider a bid for 2024, the likely competitors will be one of the European cities which lost for 2020 and a U.S. city. The most significant competition for Toronto would likely be a U.S. city as the summer games have not been held in North America since 1996. A U.S. city will be strong competition for Toronto, especially if it is in the Eastern Time zone as a host city in the Eastern Time zone will have a significant impact on television ratings/revenues. We note that Atlanta won in 1996 beating Toronto by one vote; however, there were many issues with the handling of the Atlanta games which may play in Toronto’s favour.

In addition, a review of the pattern of continental rotation for the summer games indicates that the summer games have never gone more than 12 years without a summer games in Europe. As the 2016 games are in Rio de Janeiro and the 2020 games will be in Tokyo, the historic pattern of summer Games would seemingly favour a European bid for 2024. However, there is no certainty that this will occur.

Finally we note that:

►

If Toronto does not bid for 2024 and the Games are awarded to a U.S. City, it is likely that Toronto will not have a reasonable chance of winning until at least the 2036 Summer Games;

►

The bidding process is uncertain and winning can result from good campaigning or by mistakes/weaknesses from the other bid cities; and

►

It is possible that most of the bid costs can be covered through corporate sponsorships, although significant work will be required to obtain such sponsorships. Sponsorships ahead of the Games being awarded were common with the bid by Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. For example, Telus was a sponsor of the bid committee but did not ultimately win the right to sponsor the organizing committee once the Winter Games were awarded to Vancouver.

Profiles of Potential Competing Cities:

Washington, DC, USA

We have identified the following considerations

in respect of a potential bid by Washington, DC:

►

Washington, as home to the seat of U.S. government, may have significant advantages in terms of security costs as much of

this is already embedded in the city’s infrastructure.

►

Having the Games in the U.S. capital could be seen as being a significant positive by the IOC. However, given the U.S.

reputation around the world, this could just as easily work against a bid from the U.S.

►

The level of violent crime in Washington is significantly higher than that of Toronto. However, given that the 2016 Games

were awarded to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this may not be a significant factor.

►

Washington does not have significant experience in running la

rge scale games. A successful Pan Am experience could be a

significant advantage to the City.

►

Washington, based on its U.S. location, may be seen as more attractive in terms of television revenue.

►

Washington has excellent transportation links internationally, although Toronto is also strong in this area.

►

The last Olympic Summer Games in North America were in Atlanta, another U.S. city, and this could work against a bid from

Washington.

Boston, United States

We have identified the following considerations in respect of a potential bid by Boston:

►

Boston has undertaken legislative actions to enable it to bid for the 2024 Games, although final approval is still to be

approved.

►

Many of the same considerations in respect of Washington’s geog

raphic location also apply to Boston. It is also close to a

large number of U.S. media outlets, which would presumably enhance coverage of the Games.

►

Boston, like Washington, has never organized a large sporting event on the scale of the Games. As such, a successful Pan

Am games for Toronto could be a significant advantage.

City of Toronto

Feasibility Study in Respect of Hosting the 2024 Olympic Games

107 | Subject to the terms of reference on pages 2, 3 and 4.

Los Angeles, United States

We have identified the following considerations in respect of a potential bid by Los Angeles:

►

The mayor of Los Angeles has formally expressed an interest in hosting the 2024 Olympic Games.

►

Los Angeles has hosted the Olympic Games twice before, in 1932 and 1984. The 1984 are one of the most successful

Games to date from a profitability perspective.

►

Having the Games a third time may work against a bid from Los Angeles. However, having successfully organized a Games

before could work against the city.

►

The fact that Los Angeles is on the west coast of North America could lessen television revenue. However, it could be

possible to schedule events such that this impact is minimized for the larger population on the east coast.

►

Los Angeles is a geographically large city that is well develope

d. This could work against a Los Angeles bid as the venues

may be some distance apart and the IOC has recently chosen cities that hold “compact” Games.

Dallas, United States

We have identified the following considerations in respect of a potential bid by Dallas:

►

Dallas has formed an exploratory committee to study the feasibility of hosting the 2024 Games.

►

There are a large number of stadia in the Dallas area, which could be attractive for the Games. However, as most are

currently designed for other sports, they would need to be renovated to be usable for the Games.

►

Dallas has an extremely hot, humid summer climate. This wo

uld compare unfavourably to a Toronto bid, as it could be

prohibitively hot to hold some outdoor games. As an exampl

e, the local Major League Baseball team does not play during

the day due to the excessive temperatures.

►

Dallas has identified Fair Park, an area just outside downtown, as the principle Olympic venue.

►

Dallas has hosted the FIFA World Cup as part of the United States’ tournament in 1994, so it does have large organizing

experience. That being said, single World Cup games are signif

icantly different than a two week Olympic Games. 1994 was

also another era in terms of security, so this will need to be addressed if Dallas is to bid.

Philadelphia, United States

We have identified the following considerations in respect of a potential bid by Philadelphia:

►

The Mayor of Philadelphia has expressed an interest in hosting the 2024 Games.

►

Philadelphia is in a very densely populated area of the United States which will be very useful when it comes to ticket sales.

►

Philadelphia does not have significant experience in organizing large scale events, although there are a large number of

professional sports teams in the area.

►

Philadelphia shares the geographic criteria of both Boston an

d Washington and benefits from the same positives as those

two cities.

►

Philadelphia has previously bid on Olympic Games, although

it lost out to Chicago in the bidding for the 2016 Games.

►

Philadelphia compares well to Toronto in terms of international transit links.

Guadalajara, Mexico

►

Guadalajara has previously hosted a well-run Pan Am Games (i

n 2011) and has experience in organizing large scale events.

►

Significant upgrades to municipal infrastructure were

undertaken and transportation links are up to date.

►

The last Games in Mexico were in 1968 which could be an ad

vantage over a Toronto bid, as Canada has had several Games

since that time.

►

Given that Guadalajara is not in the Eastern time zone, it may be less attractive for television sponsorship. However, the

time difference is not that great and could likely be overcome.

Nairobi, Kenya

►

In August 2012, the Prime Minister of Kenya indicated that Na

irobi would be putting forth a bid to host the 2024 Games.

►

The Olympics have never before been held in Africa

and this may be an attractive venue for the IOC.

►

Infrastructure and transit links in Nairobi do not compare well to Toronto, nor does Nairobi have significant infrastructure to

be able to host the Games.

Durban, South Africa

►

The South African Olympic Committee has begun a feasibility study to examine the impacts of hosting the Games in

Durban.

►

Durban has experience organizing large scale events, as it was host to World Cup matches in 2010.

►

As part of the World Cup, the main stadium in the city was renovated, but the capacity is only 54,000, so work would need

to be done to expand it for the Olympics.

►

Similar to Nairobi, Durban may be an attractive location for the Games given that they have never before been held in

Africa.

►

Hotel rooms in Durban do not compare favourably with Toronto’s 36,000 rooms.

►

Toronto’s transportation infrastructure is better than that of Durban.

Doha, Qatar

►

Doha has previously bid on Olympic Games and has indi

cated a willingness to bid for the 2024 Games as well.

►

The summer climate in Doha is not conducive to the Games

being held in their traditional time period, as daytime

temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius. The 2022 FIFA World Cup has been awarded to Qatar and there has been

significant outcry given to the local climate.

►

Doha is a very wealthy per capita nation, although the population

is less than 2 million people overall. Consideration should

be given to whether a nation of this size has the ability to host a successful Games.

►

Given the upcoming World Cup, it is expected that Qatar will ha

ve sufficient infrastructure by 2024 as the World Cup is prior

to this date.

Baku, Azerbaijan

►

Baku has submitted bids for both the 2016 and 2020 Olympic

Games, but failed to become a Candidate City both times.

►

Infrastructure and transit links in Baku do not compare favourably with those offered by the City.

►

Bake has hosted the FIFA Under 17 Women`s World Cup and is

due to host the 2015 European Games. Such experiences

could be leveraged in an Olympic bid.

►

Most venues would need to be constructed, and the city`s previous bids have contemplated a very compact Games,

something the IOC favours.

Casablanca, Morocco

►

A large 80,000 seat stadium is currently under construction in Casablanca. It has been suggested by officials in the city

that it could be used for either the 2024 or 2028 Olympic Games.

►

However, despite prior announcements, there has been very little additional information made available.

►

Casablanca’s close proximity to Europe could make it an attractive option.

►

If Casablanca were to host the Games, it would be the first African city to do so, which may be attractive to the IOC.

Taipei, Taiwan

►

The President of Taipei has indicated, as recently as 2011 that Taipei would be bidding for the Games.

►

The political situation between Taiwan and China could be a major issue for the IOC to deal with.

►

The IOC may also want to avoid an Olympic Games so close to China, who hosed the Olympic Games in 2008.

►

Television revenue would be impacted for a Taiwanese bid, as the country is not close to either North America or Europe,

the two largest television markets in the world.

City of Toronto

Feasibility Study in Respect of Hosting the 2024 Olympic Games

111 | Subject to the terms of reference on pages 2, 3 and 4.

Busan, South Korea

►

Busan’s chances for the Games will likely be negatively impacted by the fact that South Korea is already hosting the 2018

Winter Olympic Games as the IOC may not want 2 Olympi

c Games within the same country only 6 years apart.

►

Busan has previously hosted several large events, including

World Cup matches, the 2002 Asian Games and the 2005 Asia-

Pacific Economic Cooperation (“

APEC

”) meeting.

►

Similar to Taiwan, television revenues may be negatively impacted by an Asian time zone.

Paris, France

►

Paris has bid for a number of Olympic Games including 1992, 2008 and 2012.

►

Paris, as a leading world capital, offers many features that would be attractive to the IOC. These include infrastructure,

hotels and transit links in addition to a high number of cultural attractions.

►

Paris previously held the Olympic Games in 1904 so the IOC ma

y wish to honour prior competitions by awarding future

Olympic Games to Paris.

►

Paris, at the heart of Europe, is easy to reach and is central to a high number of people.

Berlin, Germany

►

Berlin previously held the Olympics in 1936 while Germany was under Nazi control. The IOC may wish to allow Germany

another opportunity to host the Games given the circumstances in 1936.

►

Germany, as Europe’s most populous country (excluding Russia

which is largely in Asia), is central to the continent and

offers many of the same benefits as Paris.

►

Germany held the World Cup in 2006 and that tournament was a resounding success so it speaks to Germany’s ability to

host large scale sporting events.

Rome, Italy

►

Rome previously held the Olympic Games in 1960.

►

Italy is a popular tourist destination and would be very attractive to the IOC.

►

Italy is well-connected to the rest of Europe via air and rail links.

►

Two European cities are currently Candidate Cities for the 2020 Olympic Games and the outcome of this selection could

have a strong bearing on Kiev’s candidacy.

St. Petersburg, Russia

►

Sochi, Russia will be hosting the 2014 Winter Olympic Games so there may be a negative impact on a St. Petersburg bid

given another recent Russian city hosting the Olympic Games.

►

Russia has also been awarded the 2018 FIFA World Cup, so it will have an opportunity to host large scale events prior to the

Games being held.

►

The current political climate in Russia is not particularly

welcoming to certain segments of the world population while

Toronto is currently one of the most multicultural cities in the world.

Kiev, Ukraine

►

Kiev has experience in hosting large events, as it was host to several matches during EURO 2012.

►

The infrastructure for the EURO 2012 tournament will assist Kiev if it decides to bid for the Games.

►

Kiev is not as connected to the rest of Europe as many of the other potential hosts, so it may be less attractive to the IOC in

that regard.

►

Two European cities are currently Candidate Cities for the 2020 Olympic Games and the outcome of this selection could

have a strong bearing on Kiev’s candidacy.

[Rob2012]

Interesting stuff....

[dave199]

The Games

Strengths
► The City is in the Eastern time zone, which allows Olympics to be in U.S. primetime and therefore increasing the potential amount of television rights money flowing into the Games
► The Vancouver Olympic Games were a success and the results should provide the IOC with some comfort in respect of another Canadian city hosting the Games
► Existing Pan Am sites could be used for training facilities

Weaknesses
► Existing facilities and sites to be used for the Pan Am Games may not meet Olympic standards for a variety of reasons
► Certain sites that were planned for the 2008 Games bid are no longer available
► Due to Toronto’s geography, it may be necessary to have several sites away from the main Olympic cluster, thus lengthening travel times and bringing traffic into play

Opportunities
► No North American city has hosted the Summer Olympics since Atlanta in 1996 so 2024 could be a good chance to bring the Games back to this continent
► Depending on the site of the main Olympic complex, it may be possible to kick start development in an underdeveloped part of the City
► Toronto is a very diverse city and this may play well with members of the IOC
► Provided the Pan Am Games go well in 2015, Toronto will be able to demonstrate that it is capable of organizing a large scale sporting event
► Olympic Games often leave significant legacy items for the host city (sporting venues, transit infrastructure, etc.)

Threats
► The awarding of the 2020 games to Tokyo may be detrimental. Since World War II the Summer Olympics have never been out of Europe for more than 12 years in a row. As the 2016 games will be in Rio de Janeiro and 2020 in Tokyo, tradition may put the summer games back in Europe for 2024.
► The United States is likely to bid for the 2024 Games and any bid by the City may be in direct competition with a very strong and high profile U.S. city
► The IOC views North and South America as one region, so the Rio Games of 2016 may work against another bid from the Americas
► The awarding of the Games is a highly political process and there is no guarantee that the best technical bid will be awarded the Games


Best Site for Olympics Village


Woodbine Racetrack Centre

Pros

► Large undeveloped area within the City
► Large footprint of land could be used for a number of events
► Good access to highways as Highway 427 is nearby
► Close to Pearson International Airport

Cons

► Limited transit links, although a spur from the airport link could be built
► Not owned by the City
► Few hotels in the area
► Games may not be consistent with the owner’s plans for future development


Downsview/York University

Pros

► Large enough footprint to house a number of key venues although the Downsview site has approximately 240 acres of space that could be used for Games venues
► Currently underdeveloped and could use the Games as a catalyst
► Good access to highways, subway and airport
► Two facilities are close together
► York has significant undeveloped land
► Several training sites could be located at York as a result of Pan Am facility construction

Cons

► Land not owned by the City
► Height restrictions as a result of the airport at Downsview
► Not close to downtown and few hotels in the area
► Governance issues at York in terms of land north of Steeles
► Does not lend itself to a “compact” Games given the need to spread out the venues
► Size(100 hectares available for Games use) may limit the number of venues that can be included in the main cluster


Exhibition Place/Ontario Place

Pros

► Close to downtown and hotels
► Large footprint of land (197 acres in total for Exhibition Place and approximately 100 acres for Ontario Place) could be used for a number of events but much of the site has buildings on it with approximately 15 acres of parking lot being the only significant unoccupied space
► Good access to highways and likely close to the athletes’ village
► Being used for Pan Am Games

Cons

► Many buildings are listed as heritage sites and special consideration may need to be given to them
► No significant mass transit connections although an upgrade to the current Exhibition GO station may assist in this regard
► The future of Ontario Place is currently uncertain
► Impact on the current Indy race is unknown as it uses the grounds extensively
► Impact of BMO Field is uncertain


The Port Lands

Pros

► Large enough footprint to house a number of key venues as the City owns in excess of 400 acres in the are
► Currently underdeveloped and could use the Games as a catalyst
► Potentially a very picturesque view of the City if redevelopment were to occur
► Disruption to the rest of the City could be contained in one area
► Security costs could be minimized if many venues were in one cluster
► Close to downtown and major hotels

Cons

► Geographically isolated with few transit links
► Access could be problematic with current road network
► There may be flooding concerns, but EY notes this area was not impacted by flooding as a result of the July 2013 “super storm”
► Site preparation is estimated to cost in excess of $1.1 billion by certain governmental agencies but this number has not been fully updated to include costs related to the Games
► What is to be done with the venues once the Games are complete and does that fit with the City’s current plan for the area?
► Not currently serviced with sewers etc.
► Environmental remediation required

[runningrings]

Those points are either all related to domestic planning issues (and therefore not really the concern of the IOC itself) or easily very interchangable as either pros or cons... eg/ a 'strength' of the bid is cited as the success of Vancouver 2010 - this could very easily be regarded as a the biggest thorn in Toronto's side- and probably will be, come voting time when IOC members are clutching at straws having to make VERY tough decisions that will likely involve Durban or Paris. Then additionally claiming that the Olympics haven't been to North America since 1996 is also shady - the Americas is a continent in the IOC's eyes, and is hosting in 2016. Aside from this the Winter Olympics were held there in 2002 and 2010. I agree, come 2024 it would have been a long time since the last North American Olympics - but in that same breath, the IOC could very well prefer just to wait out to have an actual American Olympics (cash cow) than go to Canada, which would (as the article correctly mentions) hold back the US to 2036.

If the COC wanted the Summer Games back in Canada so badly, it should have prevented Vancouver 2010 and gone for 2016 or 2020 - its highly likely a solid bid (like what was presented for 2008) would have found success.

[intoronto]

"However, given the U.S.reputation around the world, this could just as easily work against a bid from the U.S."

[intoronto]

My thoughts:

-Report is balanced and I think is more favoured to bidding.

-Sailing, and road cycling in distant sites? No clue what they are thinking.