Olympic Games Open

[Trobin]

I believe that the last payment on the Montreal Olympic debt is to be made this year.

[utsamad]

Originally Posted by XtremeJavaBean

Well, that's a good question. I had heard about Montreal's debt so much that I assumed it to be true for no other reason than Montreal has not stood up and said, "hey, whoa...you guys are all wrong here."

I think Montreal is the epitome of Olympic debt, not all cities have failed to make money or have lost so much. I don't know why Montreal had more problems than anyone else, which would be an interesting (and useful) thing to know.

I found this article (transcript) from PBS, talking about the Olympics and how it's changed over the years, it's a good read. It also notes that Montreal's debt was still $2 billion when this was written in 1999.

It talks about how money has changed everything, influencing expenses and the kinds of people behind the bid process, the extravagent demands of the IOC and the corruption.

Apparently, no city has made huge profits since Los Angeles in 1984, which is when everything changed.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/sport...pics_2-19.html

Thanks............X........will check it out

[Trip]

Originally Posted by XtremeJavaBean

Well, that's a good question. I had heard about Montreal's debt so much that I assumed it to be true for no other reason than Montreal has not stood up and said, "hey, whoa...you guys are all wrong here."

I think Montreal is the epitome of Olympic debt, not all cities have failed to make money or have lost so much. I don't know why Montreal had more problems than anyone else, which would be an interesting (and useful) thing to know.

I found this article (transcript) from PBS, talking about the Olympics and how it's changed over the years, it's a good read. It also notes that Montreal's debt was still $2 billion when this was written in 1999.

It talks about how money has changed everything, influencing expenses and the kinds of people behind the bid process, the extravagent demands of the IOC and the corruption.

Apparently, no city has made huge profits since Los Angeles in 1984, which is when everything changed.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/sport...pics_2-19.html

IIRC, Montreal also lost money on Expo, and we made money on it.

[utsamad]

Originally Posted by Trip

IIRC, Montreal also lost money on Expo, and we made money on it.

So Its entirely Possible that we might make it on the Olympics.

[Realitycheck]

Expo is not oly.

Expo runs for what, close to 2 months...in the summer?

Oly is 10 days in the winter?

People will come in the summer when they can spend some nice summer days touring to and from and a fgew days at an expo.

Aside from lower Vancouiver Island and the lower mainland, BC is no more interesting to tour than any other province in winter.

Furthermore, most people have more time off in summer and if they come to an oly at all, it will be for a few days to attend a few specific events then, away home.

These Oylmpics are already in the red and spiralling down.

Few, if any people, will visit outside of the the Whistler-Vanc corridor. While there is great skiing in Kamloops, the Okanagon and Coutenay, there will not be hordes of oly-crazed skiiers descending upon these communities.

Biut they will all be paying for it.

They will realize no benefit whatsoever.

Neither will anyone else not closely connected to Vanoc and the Oly committee.

[Mr. Bum]

Originally Posted by utsamad

So Its entirely Possible that we might make it on the Olympics.

Ut's:

The 2010 Olympic Games can't make money, the reason being they are $ 110 million over budget now from the original costs ... and you have to factor into the cost the Sea to Sky Hwy, the RAV line in Richmond, the Security the list goes on & on. The problem is Ut's,,, the Van/Whistler committee know full well that, any over runs the Province will pick up the tab.... Soooo, it's like a blank cheque ...

Ut's who do you thinks paying for this, Vancouver/Whistler doesn't have this kinda money.

Do you realize how pi$$ed the British Columbia Taxpayer is right now about the 2010 Olympic Games .. it's beyond words... As I ski across this Province, the feedback is the same regarding the revenue generated from the 2010 Games .. all you get now is things like... " ya right " and " I'll believe it when I see it " or " ya right ...you think Campbell is gonna let all that money outa Whistler " .

So, Ut's .... the 2010 Olympic Games is a lost cause of over-run after over-run .. by a bunch of greedy businessmen that wanna cash in at the expense of the British Columbia/Canadian Taxpayer....there isn't a person outside of Van/Whistler that thinks the Province will be better off ...

[Realitycheck]

When yer right, yer right!

[utsamad]

and you have to factor into the cost the Sea to Sky Hwy, the RAV line in Richmond, the Security the list goes on & on

I am not necessarily arguing against everything you say here.But you are going Wayyyyy overboard with the above Quote.

The Items you mention are Items that are a Dire Necessity in terms of infrastructure and would have been needed sooner or later.So dont try to kid me with the expenses involved with Permanent assets.................because they have Nothing to do with the Olympics other than in an Indirect Sense.

For you to argue that the Sea To Sky Highway is Strictly for Whistler is Rediculous.That Highway is needed to open up the area north of Whistler every bit as much.

Sometimes it requires the Anticipation and Preparation for a Special occasion to provide the Incentive to finally get those things done that have been on the Back Burner for far too long.

The Best example of that I can think of is a few years back when our Daughter Got Married.....................my wife gave me a Long list of things that needed to be done around the House that should have been done long ago....................because we had a lot of Visitors sytaying at our place.

Without the above incentive.............nothing would have changed to this day.

[Mr. Bum]

Originally Posted by utsamad

I am not necessarily arguing against everything you say here.But you are going Wayyyyy overboard with the above Quote.

The Items you mention are Items that are a Dire Necessity in terms of infrastructure and would have been needed sooner or later.So don't try to kid me with the expenses involved with Permanent assets.................because they have Nothing to do with the Olympics other than in an Indirect Sense.

For you to argue that the Sea To Sky Highway is Strictly for Whistler is Ridiculous.That Highway is needed to open up the area north of Whistler every bit as much.

Ut's: ( your so far in the closet you have coat hanger marks in your back )

Listen ... there is more to this Province than Van/Whistler and the South Western Region. Van/Whistler is British Columbia's spoiled brat ,, every time the need a road, bridge , housing and now the 2010 games the Province bails them out ,,, There lots of regions that need roads, schools and hospitals and even bridges... Look at the Needles Bridge ... as a good example .. why wasn't it built .. Politics ..Ut's ,,,

God Ut's ... gimme ... gimme .. gimmie ,, what a bunch of spoiled brats ...

[utsamad]

Bum.................Lets get real Here

Vancouver and the Lower Mainland...........Whistler if you like..........is the Metropolis of BC.And there is nothing you are gonna do to change that.If you wanna call that politics............go right ahead.

Meanwhile ............as long as that one traffic light you come across on your way to Teck Cominco doesnt remain red for too long..........you have nothing to bitch about.

[JenniferR]

Originally Posted by utsamad

Bum.................Lets get real Here

Vancouver and the Lower Mainland...........Whistler if you like..........is the Metropolis of BC.And there is nothing you are gonna do to change that.If you wanna call that politics............go right ahead.

Meanwhile ............as long as that one traffic light you come across on your way to Teck Cominco doesnt remain red for too long..........you have nothing to bitch about.

Hey Uts, if the BIG one ever turns your Metropolis into Atlantis, you will not be welcome to take up residence in our one traffic light towns.

Hope you are a good swimmer Uts.

[utsamad]

Originally Posted by JenniferR

Hey Uts, if the BIG one ever turns your Metropolis into Atlantis, you will not be welcome to take up residence in our one traffic light towns.

Hope you are a good swimmer Uts.

Who died and left you in charge .............Jen???

[Mr. Bum]

Originally Posted by utsamad

Bum.................Lets get real Here

Vancouver and the Lower Mainland...........Whistler if you like..........is the Metropolis of BC.And there is nothing you are gonna do to change that.If you wanna call that politics............go right ahead.

Meanwhile ............as long as that one traffic light you come across on your way to Teck Cominco doesnt remain red for too long..........you have nothing to bitch about.

Ut's ...

You forget ,,, the topic is about Olympic Games in this case 2010....

But .. yet again I must repeat myself .. but .. Ut's... you need to realize ... this is a Vancouver/Whistler event ... not a British Columbia/Canada event ... the only thing British Columbia/Canada have in common with the 2010 games is British Columbia/Canada is paying the bills ...

But... alot of British Columbian's outside the Lower mainland will pay for it ..


So, Ut's .... the 2010 Olympic Games is a lost cause of over-run after over-run .. by a bunch of greedy businessmen that wanna cash in at the expense of the British Columbia/Canadian Taxpayer....

[Cpl_Brown]

Well siad Bum! But don't expect them to understand how this rip off of our tax money for a fifteen day party precludes everything outside the lower mainland! It a sad day when idiots like those defending this outrage are even allowed to open the ugly mouths!