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  • 1 month later...
Posted

This article really doesn't tell us anything we haven't already read elsewhere, or figured out for ourselves.

It was painfully obvious that most of the facilities used and built for the Pan American games were too pathetically small to host Olympic-sized events. There would be A LOT needed to be built from scratch. I can't believe that a city like Toronto, who has had Olympic ambition for decades, didn't think to build venues that could have been adjusted for that type of expansion. And considering that the PanAm games cost them over 2 billion dollars, which is 3 times a much as what Guadalajara spent 4 year earlier, I think a 14 billion budget is extremely conservative. As much as I love Toronto and would love to see an Olympic games there one day, they've done a piss poor job of planning ahead for such an event that they really don't ever deserve the games.

Posted

This article really doesn't tell us anything we haven't already read elsewhere, or figured out for ourselves.

It was painfully obvious that most of the facilities used and built for the Pan American games were too pathetically small to host Olympic-sized events. There would be A LOT needed to be built from scratch. I can't believe that a city like Toronto, who has had Olympic ambition for decades, didn't think to build venues that could have been adjusted for that type of expansion. And considering that the PanAm games cost them over 2 billion dollars, which is 3 times a much as what Guadalajara spent 4 year earlier, I think a 14 billion budget is extremely conservative.

It's not just an issue of size, but of design. They should have at least designed the venues so they could be expanded. London built an aquatics center and velodrome that were downsized after the games. It should have been feasible for Toronto to build venues with some sort of plan for expansion seating.

  • 4 months later...
Posted (edited)

The problem I have with that is that it starts with the idea of hosting a mega event instead of why Toronto should host that event.

Barcelona's 1992 games were great because the needs of the city (expanded mass transit, modernize the airport, rehab its beaches, and generally expand tourist infrastructure) and existing venues (it already had the Olympic Park courtesy of the 1929 World's Fair) matched up with the requirements of the event.

The Pan-American Games may not have a global audience, but they leave behind a good legacy of community sporting venues. Does Toronto really need another velodrome, aquatics center, etc after building them for the Pan-American games?

World's Fairs are interesting, because the legacy planning is even more important than with the Olympics.

Vancouver and Seattle did a fantastic job with their fairs. Vancouver built mass transit, a huge cruise ship terminal, museums, etc. Seattle's first fair created perhaps the best university campus in the USA, and the second one created an arts and entertainment center with the city's opera house, theaters, museums, arenas, etc. Seattle also made a profit on both fairs.

Meanwhile many other fairs in North America created herds of white elephants and red ink. Huge, wealthy cities like New York have lost a lot of money on them even before the era of television. (TV and the internet have somewhat obsoleted the fairs.) Even the logical and efficient Germans had a disastrous World's Fair the only time they ever hosted it.

Toronto needs to have a plan -at least for the big ticket items like an Olympic stadium- before it pursues a mega event.

Edited by Nacre
Posted

Seattle's first fair created perhaps the best university campus in the USA, and the second one created an arts and entertainment center with the city's opera house, theaters, museums, arenas, etc.

Plus that tall pointy building.

Posted

Plus that tall pointy building.

That's (mostly) for tourists, though. Just like the Eiffel Tower and the CN Tower. The ballet, museums, theaters, etc matter to locals.

Posted

That's (mostly) for tourists, though. Just like the Eiffel Tower and the CN Tower. The ballet, museums, theaters, etc matter to locals.

Buit people who attend Olympic Games from outside the host city kind-of are tourists...

Posted

The problem I have with that is that it starts with the idea of hosting a mega event instead of why Toronto should host that event.

Exactly. And it applies to every city, not just Toronto.

I certainly get the logic that Toronto wants to pursue big events to increase their notoriety amongst world cities. But there needs to be more to it than that. It should be the right event in the right place and time, not some sort of blanket initiative to go after big events for the sake of going after big events. If they have a plan for an Olympics or a World Expo (or for a Pan Am Games) that makes sense for the city and would see benefits from holding, then go for it. Lingering animosity that many cities and countries have against the IOC aside, don't pursue an Olympics if you're not prepared to make it work without the city's overall long terms plans for urban development.

  • 1 year later...
Posted

I can't ever see Toronto supporting a bid financially in the future. Those days are over, and people are now realizing that the two week spotlight and delight at hosting isn't worth the 7 years of pre-Games construction and usual cost overruns. Take a look at all of the failed referenda in Europe. The public isn't buying the propaganda any longer.

Posted

Bit of a scoop... there is preliminary behind the scenes work being done on a bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics (yes you read that correct) from Toronto.

Of course Lake Placid would be needed for the alpine venue (and sliding track most likely). However with there being an apathy towards bidding this may work...

Posted
15 hours ago, intoronto said:

Bit of a scoop... there is preliminary behind the scenes work being done on a bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics (yes you read that correct) from Toronto.

Of course Lake Placid would be needed for the alpine venue (and sliding track most likely). However with there being an apathy towards bidding this may work...

Would love to hear more about this.. Text me

Posted
16 hours ago, Alan in Montréal said:

Lake Placid is too far from Toronto. I can't ever see this happening. 

Montreal/Lake Place? Yes. It's a bit more than an hour away. But Toronto/Lake Placid? Laughable.

6 hours is the distance, but if there is no other bids.... what do you do?

Posted

Lake Placid would only host the speed events. Collingwood is about 1 3/4 hours north of Toronto, and is home to Georgian Peaks, which is certified to host FIS slalom and GS events. Just down the road is Blue Mountain Resort, which has the accommodations available to host an Olympics, and has hosted world cup freestyle and snowboarding events in the past. Not to mention there used to be a ski jump located at the resort, and a Nordic skiing area nearby. 

A pipe dream, sure, but certainly not crazy if its the only option, as intoronto mentioned. 

Posted
On 10/19/2017 at 10:15 PM, intoronto said:

Bit of a scoop... there is preliminary behind the scenes work being done on a bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics (yes you read that correct) from Toronto.

Of course Lake Placid would be needed for the alpine venue (and sliding track most likely). However with there being an apathy towards bidding this may work...

Oh gawd this bulls**t idea again. If the COC can't get Calgary to put in a serious bid for 2026, then it shouldn't offer any other bid except maybe Vancouver, but that might be a bit too soon for them to host again unless there really isn't a better option.

I love Toronto, but if Lake Placid is serious about hosting the Winter Olympics again and distance really is no longer an issue, then it's probably best for them to do a joint bid with another US city, specifically NYC. They have better/bigger facilities and a better transportation system than Toronto. You also don't have to deal with customs other than your first time entering the US.

  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...
Posted
On 3/23/2018 at 9:53 PM, intoronto said:

Eh (no pun intended), I don't know how far this would go. We are seeing the struggles that Calgary is facing right now, and I'm not too sure the country would want to go through this again, and also simultaneously, with Toronto. Calgary officials have literally stated that they know 2026 would be successful for both Calgary and the Olympic movement as a whole. But, they simply don't want to take the chance due to possible risks. That is saying something, especially since Calgary 1988 was one of the most successful Winter Games to date. I think if Calgary 2026 happens, all of Canada's efforts and resources will likely, and should, go to Calgary. If Calgary 2026 doesn't get elected, either because it never enters the final bid race or because it loses in vote, I don't think many in the country are going to drop everything and focus their energy on Toronto. In a country that has heaps of success in both medal winning at and hosting the Winter Olympics, and not too much success at medal winning and hosting the Summer Olympics, their energy and efforts should remain with hosting the Winter Games. 

 

I do think, though, that can change. Montreal did leave a sour taste in many's mouths for the Summer Games, but both Calgary and the USA/Canada/Mexico FIFA bid win 2026, and both end up being successful to Canadians, I think there is potential for Toronto 2036, and a lot of it. Montreal would've been 60 years ago by that time, and the issues with 1976 will hopefully be overshadowed by 1988, 2010 and 2026 successes. Toronto would be an amazing Summer Olympics host, but given the current Olympic climate, both in Canada and with the IOC, I think the IOC would jump at a Calgary bid before a Toronto bid.

  • 3 years later...
  • 1 month later...
Posted

Behind the scenes there is a group wanting Toronto to consider a Winter Olympics bid, with an Oval at Exhibition place, the sliding track in Lake Placid and alpine speed events also at Whiteface.

Posted
8 minutes ago, 2018 said:

Behind the scenes there is a group wanting Toronto to consider a Winter Olympics bid, with an Oval at Exhibition place, the sliding track in Lake Placid and alpine speed events also at Whiteface.

Winter? But Toronto is desirable for Summer

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