Wasteful 2026 sliding track costs

[baron-pierreIV]

Just as the IOC and its host cities want to trim costs as reasonably possible, here comes the Italians with pretty much building a THIRD sliding track (on their 3rd WOG hosting) after dismantling the Cesana Pariol track for 2006.  They're learning fast from US cities who quickly discard semi-old stadia like a pair of yesterday's shoes.  It sure doesn't bode well for future cheaper, less-white-elephants games.  

Why not just ditch the whole "sport" like the Summers will be doing to Weightlifting, Boxing and the Equestrian in the Modern Pentathlon?  It's really an outdated, incredibly expensive sport to keep in the program.  

Plans presented for renovation of Milan Cortina 2026 sliding track (insidethegames.biz)

[Quaker2001]

6 minutes ago, baron-pierreIV said:

Just as the IOC and its host cities want to trim costs as reasonably possible, here comes the Italians with pretty much building a THIRD sliding track (on their 3rd WOG hosting) after dismantling the Cesana Pariol track for 2006.  They're learning fast from US cities who quickly discard semi-old stadia like a pair of yesterday's shoes.  It sure doesn't bode well for future cheaper, less-white-elephants games.  

Why not just ditch the whole "sport" like the Summers will be doing to Weightlifting, Boxing and the Equestrian in the Modern Pentathlon?  It's really an outdated, incredibly expensive sport to keep in the program.  

Plans presented for renovation of Milan Cortina 2026 sliding track (insidethegames.biz)

The sliding track serves 3 sports.  If you get rid of the venue, you'd have to slash all 3 from the program.

[AustralianFan]

Another report with some photos

 

[baron-pierreIV]

1 hour ago, Quaker2001 said:

The sliding track serves 3 sports.  If you get rid of the venue, you'd have to slash all 3 from the program.

But it's not like they would lose thousands of box-office/spectators.  Those sleds and bodies just whizz by.  They have to cut the fat one time or later. 

[munichfan]

Unlike the ones in, say, Yanqing or PyeongChang, this one actually has a chance to see events on a regular basis after the games. Sliding sports are rather popular in Italy, so there can be a viable legacy for this venue. The Cortina sliding track was in regular use until its closure in 2008 and I don't see why it couldn't be again.

[baron-pierreIV]

4 hours ago, munichfan said:

Sliding sports are rather popular in Italy, so there can be a viable legacy for this venue. 

Really?  Then why did they dismantle the new one for Torino?    That one would only have been 20 years old by 2026?  

[stryker]

IMO, the Italians really screwed up when they dismantled the Torino track. The ideal solution would be to use an existing track in either Innsbruck or St. Moritz. Trouble is, there's such anti-Olympic sentiment in Switzerland and Austria right now that I highly doubt the locals would go for hosting any Olympic events.

[munichfan]

On 12/27/2021 at 8:14 AM, baron-pierreIV said:

Really?  Then why did they dismantle the new one for Torino?    That one would only have been 20 years old by 2026?  

The refrigerating system bursted and needed replacement. I can't find out who owned the track, but it was most likely local authorities who were incapable and/or unwilling to finance costly refurbishments that, under normal conditions, would not have been necessar until decades later.

 

[baron-pierreIV]

59 minutes ago, munichfan said:

The refrigerating system bursted and needed replacement. I can't find out who owned the track, but it was most likely local authorities who were incapable and/or unwilling to finance costly refurbishments that, under normal conditions, would not have been necessar until decades later.

 

Then that was poor management on CONI's part.  Why didn't they ensure a legacy that would've kept the track solvent and going?  So foolish.  

[Nacre]

Italy can support one sliding track with fairly modest subsidy. But they need to pick a site and a plan that will fit the long term needs of sliding sports in the country, and not just the two week event. IIRC that was the root of the problems in Torino: a defective refrigeration system was built in a rush to meet the deadline for the Olympics.

It's really frustrating to see that the debate has devolved into either building palatial facilities to satisfy the federations vs nothing at all. Providing winter recreation is worth a small subsidy, and I wouldn't be opposed to building modest winter sports facilities in my home state (like rebuilding the Bakke Hill ski jumps) even without any international sports championships. But any facility built needs to meet the needs of the local community first and the IOC and the federations second.

[iceman530]

Sliding track sports are on borrowed time.  Those sports are going to get axed out of economic necessity eventually.

[munichfan]

26 minutes ago, iceman530 said:

Sliding track sports are on borrowed time.  Those sports are going to get axed out of economic necessity eventually.

Now that pretty much every major winter sports nation has built such a monstrosity in their backyard, sliding sports aren't going anywhere anytime soon, I guess.

[baron-pierreIV]

On 1/4/2022 at 8:59 PM, munichfan said:

Now that pretty much every major winter sports nation 

Well, not really.  Sweden had to borrow Sigulda in Latvia for their last WOG bid.  The UK, Spain, Brazil, the Netherlands and Ukraine don't have working ones.  Italy will have to build another one.  While Curling has probably less adherents, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to put up a curling venue.  And you can quickly disassemble it without too much cost or unforeseen consequences.  It's like the America's Cup race.  It's only for the rich winter nations.  When a poor, odd nation like Jamaica joins, it becomes the butt of jokes.  So right there alone, it's a very discrininatory sport.  

[stryker]

It's not just the sliding track that's a waste. Milan also has to build a new ice hockey arena and plan to extensively renovate an existing outdoor speed skating oval. The arena is planned for the Santa Giulia area which has been beset by construction problems not to mention there's no permanent tenant set for the arena and Milan when the Mediolanum Forum in nearby Assago already fulfills the role of a multi-purpose venue. The existing oval in Baselga di Pine requires extensive renovations of which the IOC has already raised concerns even going a far as to suggest the organizers install a temporary ice oval at Arena Civica (it would be cheaper not to mention finally bringing the option of speed skating in open air back which hasn't been done since Albertville). Combine these two with the sliding track and this suddenly gets very expensive.

Remember, there was a reason Turin was originally on board. Turin had the speed skating oval and the ice hockey arenas ready to go, but big egos prevailed and Milan decided to technically go it alone with Cortina. If Turin was still on board, the costs would be much cheaper.

[munichfan]

Isn't the ice hockey arena at Santa Giulia privately funded, though?

[baron-pierreIV]

On 1/15/2022 at 6:27 PM, stryker said:

It's not just the sliding track that's a waste. Milan also has to build a new ice hockey arena and plan to extensively renovate an existing outdoor speed skating oval. The arena is planned for the Santa Giulia area which has been beset by construction problems not to mention there's no permanent tenant set for the arena and Milan when the Mediolanum Forum in nearby Assago already fulfills the role of a multi-purpose venue. The existing oval in Baselga di Pine requires extensive renovations of which the IOC has already raised concerns even going a far as to suggest the organizers install a temporary ice oval at Arena Civica (it would be cheaper not to mention finally bringing the option of speed skating in open air back which hasn't been done since Albertville). Combine these two with the sliding track and this suddenly gets very expensive.

Remember, there was a reason Turin was originally on board. Turin had the speed skating oval and the ice hockey arenas ready to go, but big egos prevailed and Milan decided to technically go it alone with Cortina. If Turin was still on board, the costs would be much cheaper.

The thing is, drab/ugly Milano/Lombardia wants to remain as Top Dog in northern Italy -- and is ready to do anything to ensure that Torino/Piemonte will always know and keep its place as La Citta/regione Secunda di norte d'Italia -- at any cost.  As you said, egos.  

Edited January 17, 2022 by baron-pierreIV

[FYI]

2 hours ago, baron-pierreIV said:

Torino/Piemonte will always know and keep its place as La Citta/regione Secunda di norte d'Italia -- at any cost.  

[StefanMUC]

With Germany winning 16 out of a possible 26 medals in sliding events, including 9 out of 10 golds, I hope they’re here to stay 

I mean, it was our stronghold always, but never as dominant as this time…

[FYI]

6 minutes ago, StefanMUC said:

I mean, it was our stronghold always, but never as dominant as this time…

And of all places, too, in China. You can thank Johannes for that. 

[Scotguy II]

16 minutes ago, FYI said:

And of all places, too, in China. You can thank Johannes for that. 

[Faster]

Had read the IOC is trying to get Milano-Cortina to use St Moritz or Innsbruck.

[Sir Rols]

Hundreds demonstrate in Cortina against costly new bobsleigh track for 2026 Winter Olympics

[baron-pierreIV]

Those sliding events are really among the DUMBEST in history.   It's whomever has the biggest bones and are heaviest and can still run win.  It's a sport of gravity-- like who has the BIGGEST bowling ball.  How competitive can that be??  I hope they drop the stupid sliding sports.  

[Sir Rols]

 

Innsbruck Mayor invites Milan Cortina 2026 to use Igls track for Winter Olympic sliding events

[ulu]

That'd be very sensible so they probably won't do that.