Rio 2016 Preparations - Venue & Infrastructure Developments

[ktoles]

I'm starting to wonder if this is becoming worse than Athens... I really hope for a successful World Cup and of course Olympic Games, but there is much work to be done. We are two years from Rio and a lot of construction hasn't even started. Something has to be done and everyone needs to get moving.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

Construction Workers Vote to continue strikes in yet another blow for Rio 2016. Full story here - http://www.insidethegames.biz/olympics/summer-olympics/2016/1019479-construction-workers-vote-to-continue-strikes-in-yet-another-blow-for-rio-2016 - Source: Inside the Games.

[DannyelBrazil]

They are back to work since 3 days ago and you didn't post anything about it... Be fair, at least...

After negotiation, the workers of the 2016 Games enclose the strike
http://oglobo.globo.com/rio/apos-negociacao-operarios-dos-jogos-de-2016-encerram-greve-12197427

Only remembering, worker's strike is a right granted by the Brazilian constitution and during the time they are on strike they can not be fired, for example.

[stryker]

The "deadlines" on construction are vastly overrated. Much like FIFA, all the IOC cares is that on August 5th, 2016, everything is ready to go, whether the venues are finished a year in advance or a week in advance. The Olympics aren't going to be removed from Rio. You'll here some tough talk from the IOC about Rio picking up the pace, but that's about it.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

The "deadlines" on construction are vastly overrated. Much like FIFA, all the IOC cares is that on August 5th, 2016, everything is ready to go, whether the venues are finished a year in advance or a week in advance. The Olympics aren't going to be removed from Rio. You'll here some tough talk from the IOC about Rio picking up the pace, but that's about it.

That's not true, otherwise the IOC wouldn't bother with Test Events.

[stryker]

If memory serves me correctly, some of the Athens venues were completed so late that there was no time for test events. I'd venture to say some of the World Cup stadiums in Brazil probably won't have test events either. Test events aren't a deal breaker. Does the IOC want them? Absolutely. Are they going to be displeased if no test events can be held at a particular venue? Of course. At the end of the day though, it's not going to result in the IOC coming in and telling a city like Rio, you're going to lose the Olympics.

[Rob2012]

Who's realistically talking about Rio losing the Games though?

[paul]

.....that guy above you.

[Athensfan]

It's too late to take the Games away from Rio. I don't see enough time for any other city to take over. The IOC is committed now. One way or another they have to see it through. Worst case scenario, I can imagine individual events being moved to other cities in Brazil, but that's it.

[paul]

.....they'll be fine.

Now DANCE Rio DANCE!!!!

[stryker]

I think for the IOC to take an Olympics would require some kind of catastrophe to occur where the host country couldn't go forward with it. My point in bringing it up with Rio is to make the point that short of threatening to remove hosting rights, there really isn't much the IOC can do when a host city misses construction deadlines other than prod them along. FIFA has found out the same thing. In the end, the Brazilians will get everything done, even if the schedule is tight.

Back when Athens was falling behind, I remember reading in the media how the IOC said if Athens didn't pick up the pace, they would risk losing the Olympics. How serious was this or was it just a PR move by the IOC?

[zekekelso]

Good grief... do we really have two more years of this? Pre-Olympic reporting is always the same. The 99% that is fine gets ignored... the media just focusus on the 1% and declare that the games are doomed. Remembers all the stories about missing shower curtains and funny toilets in Sochi. In the end, nobody will care... it's all just noise compared to the glory of the games.

Realistically, what's the worst case scenario for Rio 2016 (ignoring things outside their control like WW3 - thanks Putin!). Will the games be moved? No. Will they be cancelled? No. Will a venue be used without a test event? Maybe. Who cares? Worst case scenario, a venue or two isn't finished. So what? That event gets moved, or maybe they hold the event anyway. As long as the competition field is OK, let the games go on.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

Good grief... do we really have two more years of this? Pre-Olympic reporting is always the same. The 99% that is fine gets ignored... the media just focusus on the 1% and declare that the games are doomed. Remembers all the stories about missing shower curtains and funny toilets in Sochi. In the end, nobody will care... it's all just noise compared to the glory of the games.

Realistically, what's the worst case scenario for Rio 2016 (ignoring things outside their control like WW3 - thanks Putin!). Will the games be moved? No. Will they be cancelled? No. Will a venue be used without a test event? Maybe. Who cares? Worst case scenario, a venue or two isn't finished. So what? That event gets moved, or maybe they hold the event anyway. As long as the competition field is OK, let the games go on.

The Media concentrate on the negatives for absolutely anything, so they have a story and make money. At this moment in time, the preparations are in the spotlight and any Host will be judged and it's Rio's turn to be judged, as they are the next Host.

[DannyelBrazil]

I'd venture to say some of the World Cup stadiums in Brazil probably won't have test events either.

All of them will have test events, not as many as FIFA desired.

But even Arena de Sao Paulo will host a Brazilian Championship match before the World Cup and Brazil is intended to play a friendly there before the World Cup.

All other stadium already hosted test events.

[paul]

...well when you see Atlanta ridden for years cuz some lame bus driver was lost I guess little things can color the WHOLE. So while its all gonna be fine in 2016 some little dumb f-ups could be what's remembered and talked about.

...at least here they will be talked about for eons.

[mr.bernham]

I wonder how London would react if they got the games in 2016. Wasn't that the plan if the games were taken from Rio? Or London said they were ready to commit to it if the IOC needed it done?

Rio's crisis looks worse than Athens because I feel the IOC would take the games away. They would have never done it to Athens, but Rio on the other-hand is showing they were not ready for this, Bottom line. I just can not see how in 2004 they were not even shortlisted, but come 2009 they win, I don't care if they hosted the Pan-Ams in 2007, the city is showing that they are not ready. Another reason they are in worse shape then Athens is the fact that Athens still had an okay number of venues constructed, Rio has virtually none.

I hope that all goes well because I want to see Rio host, they just need to start moving those cranes and digging the holes. Bara should not look like it does now, two years from the games.

[zekekelso]

I hope that all goes well because I want to see Rio host, they just need to start moving those cranes and digging the holes. Bara should not look like it does now, two years from the games.

Psst - look at pictures for Sochi two years out.

[Athensfan]

Psst - look at pictures for Sochi two years out.

Zeke, they're really not comparable. Rio is much farther behind. Plus, there's no Putin cracking the whip and no bottomless budget to fund the extensive overtime.

[zekekelso]

. Rio is much farther behind.

How do you know?

But the bigger point is, you can't just look at a construction site, see that buildings aren't done, and start panicing.

[StefanMUC]

Chill out people...my guess is once the Brazilian elections are over, some serious business is going to happen. At least I hope so for the sake of city & country.

[Athensfan]

How do you know?

But the bigger point is, you can't just look at a construction site, see that buildings aren't done, and start panicing.

Well, for one all the federations except one weren't voicing their anxieties to the IOC in Sochi. They are in Rio.

The IOC wasn't saying it was the worst crisis they'd seen in 20 years and they didn't see a need to institute a nearly perpetual onsite presence.

And yes, you can look at a construction site and make some deductions. Sochi had new construction to look at two years out. Plus, the problem isn't only that construction hasn't started in Deodoro, it's that they don't seem to have any idea when it WILL start. Strikes and flaring tempers aren't helping in Barra. Plus there are the severe environmental issues in Guanabara Bay, where Rio has already said they will only clear debris, not improve water quality -- water quality that is seriously compromised by raw sewage and bacteria. Nothing similar occurred in Sochi.

I think it's fair to say that we know Rio is in worse shape than Sochi was.

That does not mean they won't make progress and can't stage successful Games. It does mean that they have a ton of work to do and they better get on it.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

Well, for one all the federations except one weren't voicing their anxieties to the IOC in Sochi. They are in Rio.

The IOC wasn't saying it was the worst crisis they'd seen in 20 years and they didn't see a need to institute a nearly perpetual onsite presence.

And yes, you can look at a construction site and make some deductions. Sochi had new construction to look at two years out. Plus, the problem isn't only that construction hasn't started in Deodoro, it's that they don't seem to have any idea when it WILL start. Strikes and flaring tempers aren't helping in Barra. Plus there are the severe environmental issues in Guanabara Bay, where Rio has already said they will only clear debris, not improve water quality -- water quality that is seriously compromised by raw sewage and bacteria. Nothing similar occurred in Sochi.

I think it's fair to say that we know Rio is in worse shape than Sochi was.

That does not mean they won't make progress and can't stage successful Games. It does mean that they have a ton of work to do and they better get on it.

I agree. Also, even though Sochi had no Venues in place, the Winter Olympics are alot smaller then the Summer Olympics, so Rio has much more work to do then Sochi did. Hopefully, it's all complete in time and progress speeds up.

[mr.bernham]

All this bickering from them is just wasting time, I won't be surprised if come July 22nd they still have not started work on Deodoro and Barra looks the same as it did in January. If that's the case Rio 2016 is a lost cause, and the IOC should be smart and tell London to start getting ready to host just in case.

I mean Rio has wasted almost SIX years which could have been spent working on the venues, and if they are still in this same situation in July or August then the IOC really should be looking into London hosting again. It's sad, but the IOC was stupid to pick a city that will be hosting the worlds two biggest events with only a year between each other, and located in a developing country. The IOC would be stupid again if they did not tell London to start prepping, it's a sad reality but Brazil has done it to themselves.

Why do I feel all the people in Chicago that worked on 2016 are even more pissed now with everything going down in Rio...

I agree. Also, even though Sochi had no Venues in place, the Winter Olympics are alot smaller then the Summer Olympics, so Rio has much more work to do then Sochi did. Hopefully, it's all complete in time and progress speeds up.

Exactly, and unlike Sochi, Rio is not working their crews around the clock. Something which at this point is their only option to get work done.

[Rob2012]

Barra ought to be fine; comparing it to pictures of London at the same stage it doesn't look far off. Deodeoro looks more worrying and as I understand it there's no start date yet because some of the venues haven't even had the tenders for constrcution finalised yet. That's quite worrying.

The IOC would be stupid again if they did not tell London to start prepping

Tell us! Yeah, and who's paying for that exactly?!

Mr Bernham, I'd suggest you do a bit of research re: London. There's no way we could host 2016. The Park has been completely reconfigured, temporary venues removed, wide councourses turned into parkland. The stadium will only just be reconfigured by Summer 2016 anyway, so you'd be going from one host where construction is being cut fine to another!

Rio deserves more respect than that. They're cutting it finer than they should, but they've invested huge amounts of time and money into this project. They need to be heavily leaned on, sure, but they don't need to be humiliated.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

Barra ought to be fine; comparing it to pictures of London at the same stage it doesn't look far off. Deodeoro looks more worrying and as I understand it there's no start date yet because some of the venues haven't even had the tenders for constrcution finalised yet. That's quite worrying.

Tell us! Yeah, and who's paying for that exactly?!

Mr Bernham, I'd suggest you do a bit of research re: London. There's no way we could host 2016. The Park has been completely reconfigured, temporary venues removed, wide councourses turned into parkland. The stadium will only just be reconfigured by Summer 2016 anyway, so you'd be going from one host where construction is being cut fine to another!

Rio deserves more respect than that. They're cutting it finer than they should, but they've invested huge amounts of time and money into this project. They need to be heavily leaned on, sure, but they don't need to be humiliated.

If push came to shove, we could Host it, even with the Olympic Park's transformation.

Wembley Stadium could Host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies (Seeing as though the Olympic Stadium will have 54,000 Seats, below the Ceremonies requirements).

Olympic Stadium Host the Athletics events.

Aquatics Centre's Temporary Wings could be reassembled Temporarily.

Velodrome would need no transformation.

Water Polo Arena reassembled.

Basketball Arena reassembled.

BMX put back into Olympic Mode.

Temporary Hockey Pitches installed near the IBC/MPC again.

02 Arena existing.

Wembley Arena existing.

Excel existing.

Plenty of Football Venues existing (Wembley, Emirates, Old Trafford, St James' Park, Hampden Park, Millennium Stadium).

Of course, Government would have to agree, us members of public would have to agree. More money spent of course. Just pointing out that in Venues terms, we are prepared.