The Next Canadian Olympics

[mattpa]

winnipeg for summer olympics we could use te new infastructure ;p

[Razor]

1) QC - WInter
2) Ottawa Winter (could also use Mont Tremblay)

Toronto - Summer

I think Quebec City could be the ultimate winter city Olympics host city.

[WhipperSnapper]

Toronto is rapidly outgrowing opportunities to host a budgeted games. We missed out on our greatest opportunities.

[memememe76]

few citizens can afford the tickets

Few citizens can get access to tickets, but more than a few can afford them. I am not "creme de la creme" but had tickets to quite a few sporting events in 2010 without crippling myself in debt. I also got cheap tickets to things like the Victory Ceremonies. There were also a lot of free things to do, like the Zipline.

One day in Vancouver for the Olympic is cheaper, IMO, than going to a typical Canucks game or a typical day at the PNE.

As a figure skating fan who attends at least one major event every year, I went to Quebec City for a major event in December 2011. Old Quebec was beautiful, but access to the arena (Pavillon de la Jeunesse) was a hooge pain. And people had to use outhouses--in the middle of December!

[isaidso]

2028 Summer Olympics, Toronto (Aim for 4th place finish)
2034 Winter Olympics, Quebec City (Aim for 1st place finish)

[SignalHillHiker]

It might get cheaper to hold the Olympics. They can't give them away lately:

Seriously, Nobody Wants To Host The 2022 Olympics

Stoking some of that anger was the IOC's list of demands for an Oslo bid, which included a cocktail reception with Norway's king, with the tab on either the royal family or the Norwegian Olympic Committee. Among the IOC's other demands:

Cars and drivers for IOC members, with special dedicated highway lanes
Street lights synchronized to prioritize IOC traffic
Separate airport entrance for IOC members
Hotel mini-bars must have only Coca-Cola products
Samsung phones for all IOC members
All meeting rooms must be kept at exactly 68 degrees.
All furniture must have "Olympic appearance."
"IOC members will be received with a smile on arrival at hotel"

Oslo joins a decorated list of municipalities that have declined to pursue Olympic bids, or dropped out of the running after residents voted against it.

http://deadspin.com/nobody-wants-to-...ium=socialflow

[Martin Mtl]

Soon only dictator ruled countries (including Russia and China of course) will want to host the Olympics. I don't think Canada will see another games in a long time. It's just too expensive and the organisation is too corrupt, just like FIFA.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Québec is perfect for that. We're just too poor to own the games.

That's not true at all. Look at places that are hosting or bidding to host the games how rich they are relative to Quebec (or Canada or Toronto).

There is a really good question of how public funds should be spent and whether the Olympics are a reasonable use of taxpayers dollars, but please don't say anywhere in Quebec (or Canada even) is too poor to host the games. That's simply not true.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Martin Mtl

Soon only dictator ruled countries (including Russia and China of course) will want to host the Olympics. I don't think Canada will see another games in a long time. It's just too expensive and the organisation is too corrupt, just like FIFA.

This I do largely agree with. I wonder though if as they have fewer and fewer people who want to play ball with them, that organizations like the IOC and FIFA won't be forced to totally recalibrate the way they do things.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by BIMBAM

I think Quebec would be a great city for the winter Olympics, but the main barrier is that Le Massif was rejected as it was a just a little bit too short to qualify as a mountain for the winter Olympics. Since they won't accept Le Massif, it's hard to think of a mountain that would make this work, but otherwise I agree that Ville Quebec would be a great location.

I am pretty sure the issue with Le Massif could be worked out through a mix of geotechnical magic and political gamesmanship.

That wouldn't be a deal-breaker. As you say, it's only a little bit too short. Not way too short.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Martin Mtl

Soon only dictator ruled countries (including Russia and China of course) will want to host the Olympics. I don't think Canada will see another games in a long time. It's just too expensive and the organisation is too corrupt, just like FIFA.

+1

The Olympics and World Cup were always about who could do the best job of greasing the governing body, but it has gotten out of control. FIFA and the IOC impose endless lists of demands, requiring billions of dollars to be spent on new facilities that, especially in the case of Olympics, get used for two weeks and then fall to ruin. To say nothing for the billions of dollars spent on other ancillary requirements, let alone the unknown sums used to curry favour with the corrupt FIFA/IOC overlords.

No country with a government that must account to the people can responsibly mount Olympic/World Cup bids anymore. Those events are enormous wastes of money that cannot be justified.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by esquire

No country with a government that must account to the people can responsibly mount Olympic/World Cup bids anymore. Those events are enormous wastes of money that cannot be justified.

It is a great way however for a country (city) to justify the expenditures to upgrade their sports infrastructure. This counts for something…….

I think a big question is - how many cities in the world with Olympic calibre infrastructure do we need? We probably could have a dozen cities worldwide that could be placed on a rotation to hold the Olympics. This would be the cheapest option for the IOC. There could be one Canadian city in this mix, and it could get to hold the Olympics every 50 years. This could be either Montreal or Toronto.

Same thing with the Winter Olympics. There are actually very few cities worldwide which are geographically situated so that they can hold the Winter Olympics easily. Calgary is probably the most obvious choice for Canada. Vancouver is also a possible candidate, but the weather is less predictable.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

It is a great way however for a country (city) to justify the expenditures to upgrade their sports infrastructure. This counts for something…….

You can do it at far less expense by hosting a smaller event like CWGs, PAGs, IAAF championships, WUGs, Canada Games, etc. Or (mind blower here) you can just build sports infrastructure for the community to use without staging a huge sports event.

The idea that you have to stage an Olympics to justify building new sports infrastructure is like saying you have to buy a new house to justify purchasing a new television. You can just buy the television, you know

[Mrs Sauga]

Originally Posted by Acajack

This I do largely agree with. I wonder though if as they have fewer and fewer people who want to play ball with them, that organizations like the IOC and FIFA won't be forced to totally recalibrate the way they do things.

Probably not. There will always be a China or Dubai to throw money at them and bid.

[Mrs Sauga]

For Summer I think Toronto is an obvious choice. Would love to see Vancouver too.

For winter I think Quebec would be good. Would love to see Montreal too. After than we have to start repeating again (Calgary, Vancouver)

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Mrs Sauga

Probably not. There will always be a China or Dubai to throw money at them and bid.

I did think about that. I suppose they will milk this for all it's worth for as long as they can, and maybe the wellspring won't be running out for quite some time.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by esquire

You can do it at far less expense by hosting a smaller event like CWGs, PAGs, IAAF championships, WUGs, Canada Games, etc. Or (mind blower here) you can just build sports infrastructure for the community to use without staging a huge sports event.[/I]

True enough, but sports infrastructure is very expensive, and sometimes you need an excuse to justify the cost.

Using a local example, the city of Moncton had no trouble getting the feds to pony up part of the cost for a new stadium when we held the IAAF World Junior Track & Field Championships. Trying to get federal participation however in building a new 9-10,000 seat arena in the downtown core of the city is virtually impossible, despite the fact that the economic impact for the city from a new arena will be much greater than the stadium was.

Politics is a game and you have to know how to play the game, even if the rules make no sense.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Politics is a game and you have to know how to play the game, even if the rules make no sense.

Yeah, I agree completely. It just seems absurd the way these things are handled now... I mean, you want to build a $150 million track and field/soccer/football stadium for your community? Sorry, no government assistance for such frivolities.

Oh wait, you say you're spending $1.5 billion to host the Commonwealth Games? Well of course we'll give you the money to build the stadium then!

The stadium is a waste of money and cannot be justified, unless you're spending 10x the cost on a two week event... then the chequebook comes out. Just nuts.

[PhilippeMtl]

Originally Posted by Nathan

I think the closest suitable Mountain would be in the states. Lake Placid?

Anyone?

Chics-Chocs in gaspesia but it is still too far from Quebec ( 5 hours)

[Calgarian]

Did the Vancouver Olympics break even? Calgary made money, but the games are very, very different than they were in 88, and I think with the financial ruin that the Montreal games were, no Canadian city will be able to host the summer games.

The Olympics are nice to watch and all, but the cost is getting too big for what is essentially a 3 week party