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Competition?


LA84

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Before I start this - I AM NOT TRYING TO START A FIGHT!!!!! :blink:

Calgary redefined how a WOG is done like Los Angeles redefined how to do a SOG. So does Vancouver feel any pressure in how they stage the games and fear comparisons to Calgary?

I ask because Atlanta had big shoes to fill after Los Angeles and didn't quite fill them.

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No, not really....never thought about being compared to Calgary, but rather that Salt Lake City be the comparisson. And if you ask me, VANOC, Vancouverites, and British Columbians all seem to be more concerned about tendering their own backyard than impressing the world.

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I think Mr. X is right. Even though I'm commenting from afar, I think their focus right now on doing according to Vancouver and Canada is a natural way (it's what they know), but as they move closer and closer to the games themselves, with the venues nearing completion, the focus will likely change toward the international and actual hosting side of the games. As I've said before, and in that I think they'll do a great job, surpassing Salt Lake City.

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These Games are totally about impressing the world. If they miss that point, they miss out everything. Vancouver is a strange city. It craves global status but it can be terribly provincial. It defines itself as progressive but it can be very backward.

I think VANOC is more afraid of being compared to Montreal (ie financial woes). But Vancouver and Calgary don't have much in common. Calgarians are more conservative minded but they have a lot of fast paced ambition. Vancouverites are more liberal but they have a bit of a lassez-faire attitude. Calgary is Canada's Texas, Vancouver is our California.

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I would still lean to Mr. X's side, as a Vancouverite, I would love to have the olympics here to impress the world, but at the same time, I rather live a well off lifestyle than telling everyone I'm living in a great city. Actually, to be exact, I think some Vancouverites don't even want the olympics 'cause it is sucking our tax dollars. More can be spent on infastructure improvements (roads, bridges, transit improvements, etc.), etc.

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As a native Vancouverite too, I as well do not see any comparison between the two host cities, even the media has not really focused on it. It will be 22 years between the WOG, whereas it was 12 years between LA and Atlanta, so it is pretty hard to compare when that much time has elapsed.

I think the biggest (or bigger) concern would be about the legacy that the games will create, seeing that there will be 2 sets of olympic facilities in the two most western provinces, with still nothing in the east. The ski jump facility will be temporary, the Richmond Oval will most likely never unseat Calgary as the training centre and is likely to be converted to other uses post games. As much as I hate to admit it, Calgary will still likely be the training ground on a national front (high altitute training always a plus), so what will Vancouver's legacy be, other then the obvious (Canada Line, Sea to Sky Improvements, and a bigger trade and convention centre)? I see these games being a catalyst for infastructure that was necessary to be built, but don't know how much of a sporting legacy will be left.

Thoughts?

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These Games will be known for its transportation infrastructure legacies, rather than for its sport facility legacies. There will be sport facility legacies, but they will be for the community rather than the whole nation....looking at Thunderbird Stadium, Richmond oval, etc.

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Can someone answer me why the ski jump is temporary?

Because of Ski Jumping Canada's mismanagement of funds in the late 80's and 90's causing the closure of Big Thunder in Thunder Bay and because the one in Calgary is so underused it has to be rented out for weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, and **** like that. Plus its Ski Jumping, other then Northern Europeans and Japanese, who gives a flying ****?

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because the one in Calgary is so underused it has to be rented out for weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, and **** like that. Plus its Ski Jumping, other then Northern Europeans and Japanese, who gives a flying ****?

Doesn't COC use Calgary for ski jumping training?

It's a good point that it will have been 22 years between Calgary/Vancouver. Only us old farts might make the comparison. :P

I seriously doubt Vancouver will be compared to Montreal from a financial standpoint UNLESS the construction unions pull a stunt like they did in '76. <_<

BTW - a former buddy of mine is the general manager at one of the hotels in Vancouver and is going to let me know the date that I can make my reservations. B)

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^ the provincial government recently signed a $5 billion wage increase contract for all of its public workers unions to ensure nobody goes on strike up to 2010. the construction workers won't go on strike either....they've got no reason to, with wages at least $30 an hour.

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I can see how the ski jump in Calgary and Thunder Bay went under, but I really think that the jump in Whistler could see some after Games life as a training and competition site. Whistler already is home to many high performance athletes in downhill, snowboarding and other sports. Why can't it be a performance centre for ski jumping too?

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I can see how the ski jump in Calgary and Thunder Bay went under, but I really think that the jump in Whistler could see some after Games life as a training and competition site. Whistler already is home to many high performance athletes in downhill, snowboarding and other sports. Why can't it be a performance centre for ski jumping too?

Couldn't the same be said for Calgary as well? Plus, the facility will be part of the Callahan Valley development which isn't in Whistler, so, it's not like you'd be jumping off the ski jump and seeing Whistler in the background. As much as it would be nice to have Canada being a bigger competitor in ski jumping, I really don't see it. Plus, it doesn't produce a hell of a lot of medals. Let's focus on the traditional events that we have been good at, and get some better cross country skiiers (thanks Becky Scott for blazing the trail). There are a whole bunch of medals up for grabs there!

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^ the provincial government recently signed a $5 billion wage increase contract for all of its public workers unions to ensure nobody goes on strike up to 2010. the construction workers won't go on strike either....they've got no reason to, with wages at least $30 an hour.

This is VERY good news. That was the only glich I could see that could mess up Vancouvr's preparations!

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This is VERY good news. That was the only glich I could see that could mess up Vancouvr's preparations!

same thoughts.

i made a typo. i meant a $6 billion wage increase for British Columbia's 300,000 public sector workers, all thanks to our Finance Minister, Carole Taylor. It's quite odd to see her and the BC Teacher's Federation President Jenny Sims coming out of a office with grins and talking socially, considering that just a few months ago the government was threatening to throw Sims into jail for starting an illegal teacher's strike this time last year - which gave 700,000 students a 2 week holiday in the middle of October.

And I guess the gov't was forced to make the deal since 90% of all public worker's contracts end on the same day in March 2007, and there's the potential for a major economic disruption if they all decide to strike on the same day(s).

in regards to the construction workers, B.C. developers and contractors are fighting for skilled workers. we have a shortage of these workers and projects are going as far as getting people from other provinces, other countries and even overseas....and wages are going up to record highs to attract them. There are currently over $100 billion worth of construction projects going on in the province from now to 2010 and that figure gets higher and higher every week.

The Canada Line rapid transit project is reportedly to have striked a deal with the provincial government to import 50 Mexican skilled workers to build the bored tunnel section of the project for wages ($4 per hour) well below the provincial minimum.

.....and all of this can -- labour shortages, high wages, many projects consuming construction materials such as steel and concrete -- drive up construction costs and have a lot to do with the $110 million sport venue overruns.

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