News on Vancouver's Bid for 2010 Winter Games

[PAskate]

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/PEstory/TGAM/20030107/COSIMP7/Columnists/columnists/columnistsNational_temp/3/3/6/

[Spinner]

Keeping fingers, toes, legs, eyes ;) crossed that Vancouver is selected! Thanks for the link.

[Flutzee]

Me too!! Got it all crossed for Vancouver! ;) It's only a couple of hours from me! :) :) :)

[irene2020]

Skiing on rain?

No. Vancouver is a very nice city. Let's not ruin it!

[love2sk8]

I love Vancouver...they better get it! One of the nicest cities:D

[roogu]

Ha ha, they'll probably put the skiing events i nWhistler

[jp1andOnly]

Actually, the skiing events are planned for Whistler. The bid is not made by just Vancouver, but its called the Vancouver-Whistler bid.

On one hand I would love it if I came here. On the other, I'm worried about the aftereffects..mainly housing prices. By 2010 I'll be looking to buy a place. There was a huge increase in prices after Vancouver held Expo. And I'm hoping ticket prices for the event won't be outa reach. Let's have the Olympics where the average person could afford to go.

[schnood]

As much as I'd love to have the Olympics here in B.C. we just can't afford it....

Schools & hospitals are being shut down, jobs are being cut, and we're already taxed to death thanks to that <deleted expletive> Campbell.

It would be so awesome to have the Olympics in Vancouver - Whistler, but is it really worth going into debt for? (I think Montreal is still paying for 1976)

[memememe76]

It's not as if Campbell et al will just pour money into these areas if we don't get the Olympics. I guess I'm more idealistic--I think we can get the Olympics and still help people in need. I don't see it as an either/or situation. And using Calgary as an example is more appropriate since it was more recent, it's in the West Coast, and the Olympics were Winter.

[irene2020]

On the other, I'm worried about the aftereffects..mainly housing prices. By 2010 I'll be looking to buy a place. There was a huge increase in prices after Vancouver held Expo.

I think I will worry more about taxes. It is almost gaurantee that it will run a deficit it it is held in vancouver. So, tax rise! Only a few people gets big chunks of benetif and kick back out of the Olympics. The rest of us pay for the debt. This is typcial of what happens when Canadians hold an event. There is more legal currption here than anywhere else. This is why the Torontonians held an demostration to kick the Olympic Commitee out when they came to observe the place for 2008 Olympic bid. Yeah!

Housing prices rise after the expo may be a bit different. Back then, the guy (Mr. Lee) who ran expo was trying to develop Vancouver. He invested tons of money in Vancouver and built lots of expensive condos to sell. At the same time, the immigration wave was hitting Vancouver. All the immigrants from Hong Kong and Taiwan found the housing prices in Vancouver unbelievable cheap because the Hong Kong and Taiwan econmonies were blomming like crazy. So, they boosted up the prices a lot. Notice that when the immigrants wave was done, the prices of housing in Vancouver dropped immediately.

I don't know much about ecomony etc. But I think the prices of houses in Vancouver is very cheap right now - consider what a nice place it is to live in. It may not be bad to think about investing now. There is always mortgage and right now, the interest rate is as low as you can get. :)

[schnood]

Originally posted by memememe76
It's not as if Campbell et al will just pour money into these areas if we don't get the Olympics. I guess I'm more idealistic--I think we can get the Olympics and still help people in need. I don't see it as an either/or situation. And using Calgary as an example is more appropriate since it was more recent, it's in the West Coast, and the Olympics were Winter.

It's not a question of pouring money into other areas if we don't get the Olympics....it's about affording them in the first place.

How can we justify spending billions of dollars on the Olympics (basically a two week party) when schools are closing down, hospitals are closing down.....how many more cuts can we take?

[Artemis]

Originally posted by jp1andOnly
Actually, the skiing events are planned for Whistler. The bid is not made by just Vancouver, but its called the Vancouver-Whistler bid.

In the beginning states of the bid it was actually called the "Vancouver/Whistler 2010" bid .. but some IOC rule said that you have to name just one city as the host city. Doesn't change anything other than the name, tho.

As for the bid itself ... I'm on the fence too. On the one hand, I cringe at the though of how much it will cost, and the inevitable environmental damage esp. to the route to Whistler. The "legacy" of the games in Calgary is undeniable, but I can't imagine the same thing working in a larger city like Vancouver.

On the other hand, I have little doubt that the initial outlay in cash will be recouped tenfold with the games in town, and the long-term boost to tourism. Happened with Expo, bound to happen with the Olympics. And I'm extremely proud of our city, and would welcome the opportunity to show off to the world.

And of course most of all I am sorely tempted by the possibilty of seeing an Olympic skating event live, and working as a volunteer. http://www.veggie.info/YaBBImages/smilies/smiley_sports_iceskate.gif

[TheIceKing]

Granted I don't have any of the concerns of being from Vancouver, I do hope they get it. I was in Vancouver for Worlds in 2001 and it is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen, I loved it and didn't want to come home.

[Greek Chic]

I would really like to see Vancouver host the 2010 Olympics. It has been a long time (1988) since the Olympics have come to Canada. And then the last one before that was Montreal in 1976. I would definately go and see the Olympics, that is if Vancouver gets that bid.

Keeping everything crossed (toes, fingers, etc.) that they get what they want so badly.

[Canadian Chick]

I hope they get it! I live on Vancouver Island.....I'll be there for sure :D