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What next for Vancouver?


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Just watched a video clip on Global. Seems plans are underway to bring more events in the future to Vancouver. First on the list is a bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The possible joint Summer Olympics with Seattle. Maybe even another Expo.

Go here and click on the World Cup Bid video:

http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/index.html

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^ HAHAHAHA. Yea, the people that got these ideas clearly didn't do their homework:

1) Nation's host the World Cup, not regions...nor will we ever see again another bi-national host like Korea-Japan 2002. FIFA hated it.

2) The IOC would never go for a Vancouver-Seattle Olympics...it destroys the whole concept of the Games being a civic event, and it would also be a logistical nightmare.

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I can't stand the way Global posts videos...can never find things.

World Fairs are so passe. Well, except in Asia and mid sized cities in Europe, where they still seem to be popular. If I'm not mistaken, Vancouver hosted the last one in North America?

A Canadian World Cup would be very cool...but could it really happen? The new roof and renos at BC Place will make it an attractive venue, but Canada is so big and doesn't have the depth in the sport nor does it have enough stadia capable of making the cut. Do you think they'd reno the Big O and build new stadia in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Ottawa?

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They are building a new stadium in Winnipeg Kendrega. There is also a push for a new one in Regina as well.

Toronto, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax would need stadiums and Toronto's would have to be over 80,000.

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I think once the financial reality of hosting the Games hits home in a few months, Vancouverites will have a very different feeling about hosting bigger events like this.

Remember - with the exception of LA'84, no Olympics Games has ever made money or been revenue-neutral. I'm referring to the total cost of hosting the Games for taxpayers -- not just the financials for the organizing committee.

In the end, Vancouver 2010 will cost taxpayers billions of dollars. When the taxes go up, the desire to host another one dissipates quickly.

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Vancouver was paid with pre-existing money. The games are already paid for. All the construction, the Sea-to-Sky Highway, the Convention Center, the venues, etc its all been paid for.

And why do the venues need to be revenue neutral. No other community center or recreation center is, why should Olympic venues be held to a higher standard. Same with the Sea-to-Sky highway? No other road is revenue neutral or profitable.

So no Vancouver will not cost billions to Vancouver, they have already cost the money and Vancouver should expect a windfall from the sale of the athletes village.

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Vancouver/Seattle joint bid? Where do people get these totally ludicrous ideas from? Not the OP but the people actually proposing such an idea.

They're obviously smoking the same thing that the city officials in Tulsa are.

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Do you honestly believe it's all been paid for? I think not. The unofficial estimates are that these Games cost taxpayers in excess of $6 billion. Remember- I clearly stated I was referring to ALL costs. Not just VANOC's costs.

"$6-billion" is a BOGUS number made by an anti-Games activist, Chris Shaw. He includes many projects that would have been built regardless of the Games and have also been planned long before the Olympic bid.

The "$6-billion" figure includes the $2-billion SkyTrain Canada Line from Downtown to the airport and to Richmond and it has been a massive ridership success...this line was 30-years in the works and almost got built in 1994 until the provincial government decided to build another SkyTrain line on another route first.

"$6-billion" also includes the $800-million convention centre expansion, which had been planned since the early/mid-1990s. And it also includes the $700-million Sea-to-Sky highway upgrade, which was planned for 2012 but was fast tracked a few years for the Olympics.

Leave it to Shaw, and he'll add in every infrastructure construction cost Vancouver has incurred this past decade...as if Canada's third largest urban centre didn't have to expand its infrastructure but had to because of the Olympics.

Vancouver's Olympic costs are NOT $6-billion.

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Not to mention it includes the athletes village which may even make money; otherwise private investers never would have been involved with it. Vancouver only took it over because of the credit crunch not because the value of the condos they'll be selling fell.

There are only a couple things I think should be included in the cost that fall outside Vanoc's budget. Security and the paid "volunteers" the provincial government supplied.

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Not to mention it includes the athletes village which may even make money; otherwise private investers never would have been involved with it. Vancouver only took it over because of the credit crunch not because the value of the condos they'll be selling fell.

There are only a couple things I think should be included in the cost that fall outside Vanoc's budget. Security and the paid "volunteers" the provincial government supplied.

The City of Vancouver will most certainly recover the vast majority of its financial commitment to the Olympic Village, and if it breaks completely even or even makes a profit that'll be amazing.

A lot of the notion that the City will be on a $1-billion hook on the Olympic Village is complete nonsense. This was sensationalized by the local media and by the new mayor who wanted to get back at his political foes. Saying that the City would be on the hook for $1-billion would mean that not one condo unit will be sold. That's right. And this is prime waterfront Downtown condos, brand new from hosting the world's finest athletes.

Three years from now, we'll look back and see that the Olympic Village wasn't the financial mess it was made out to be. And the Olympic Village will spur a urban legacy for the city as it's just 1/5th of a much larger redevelopment of the Southeast False Creek neighbourhood. The City also stands to gain massively from property and associated construction taxes.

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Remember - with the exception of LA'84, no Olympics Games has ever made money or been revenue-neutral. I'm referring to the total cost of hosting the Games for taxpayers -- not just the financials for the organizing committee.

What about Atlanta?

I can't stand the way Global posts videos...can never find things.

World Fairs are so passe. Well, except in Asia and mid sized cities in Europe, where they still seem to be popular. If I'm not mistaken, Vancouver hosted the last one in North America?

A Canadian World Cup would be very cool...but could it really happen? The new roof and renos at BC Place will make it an attractive venue, but Canada is so big and doesn't have the depth in the sport nor does it have enough stadia capable of making the cut. Do you think they'd reno the Big O and build new stadia in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Ottawa?

I loved Expo '86, I'd go to another one if I could.

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I loved Expo '86, I'd go to another one if I could.

Well, Calgary and Edmonton are both putting bids in to host Expo, I think they are aiming for 2014 or 2016.

If anyone's still feeling the post Olympc blues, and if you are here in Kelowna for the next few days, Team Canada's Sledge Hockey team is practicing today thru Saturday at the Capital News Centre.

Also, the Red Wings, yes the Detroit Red Wings are going to be having a practice here in Kelowna on March 17, inbetween games in Calgary and Edmonton. One practice will be open to the public; March 17 from 11:00 am to noon. They'll be at Prospera Place. Here's more info: http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-53060--.htm#53060

No word if they'll rename themselves to the Green Wings that day and if green beer is going to be served at the practice. ;)

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